# Dewalt 735 Planer Motor Stopped Working-Please Help



## JCWoodworker (Nov 4, 2010)

*Dewalt 735 Planer- 4 yrs old, motor stopped working, checked brushes and they are still good, just won't turn back on. Any suggestions from any of you pros? Or is the Motor completely shot?*


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

Circuit breaker tripped ??

Sorry. Have to ask the easy/silly question, first !


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## JCWoodworker (Nov 4, 2010)

*No..lol circuit is fine. was running and then just stopped*


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

Maybe this will help …. ??

http://support.dewalt.com/app/ask


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## brtech (May 26, 2010)

Open it up and see if you can manually turn the motor shaft. It could be a mechanical jam, rather than a motor failure.

If it does turn, locate the wires going to the motor and disconnect them. Measure the resistance of the motor winding. If it's infinite, bad.


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## JCWoodworker (Nov 4, 2010)

*brtech- The motor shaft does turn, going now to follow your wiring instruction..but what do you mean by "Measure the resistance of the motor winding. If it's infinite, bad."?*


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## ABQJohn (Jul 27, 2010)

NBeener said "Circuit breaker tripped ??"

You said "lol circuit is fine"

Which makes me wonder if you are thinking of the wall outlet, I think NBeener meant is there a circuit breaker on the planer itself that could have tripped?


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

That IS what I meant.

Sorry. Could have been clearer !


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## JCWoodworker (Nov 4, 2010)

*Just checked- motor shaft turns and has plenty of resistance, belt is fine, circuit on machine was not tripped, cleaned out all dust, still does not run…guess I will be planing by hand*


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

Measure the motor winding resistance with an ohm eater. .....Uh, I mean Ohm Meter. If you are asking, you'll want to employ the assistance of a buddy for this. Or google "checking for an open circuit".

"Has plenty of resistance" You don't want 'plenty', you're looking for a fairly low value.


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## Maggiepic (Aug 26, 2010)

Maybe stick with Nbeeners' approach, simple things first. Are you getting power to the motor? If not this eliminates motor, possibly. Check the switch with an ohm meter to be sure thats not the problem. I have more switch burnouts with power tools than any other problem.
Good luck.


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## JCWoodworker (Nov 4, 2010)

**Let me Correct myself also- The resistance is where it should be (not too much)...I don't have an OHM Meter, but I also agree with GaryL, I also have had Switch Problems on all of my powertools in the past, so hoping that's the only problem, tx for your help guys* *


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## alanealane (Oct 1, 2007)

A new switch can be gotten at http://www.dewaltservicenet.com/Products/PartDetails.aspx?partid=52164

That's what I'd guess is wrong. I'm still a little unclear on what happened. Were you planing some wood when the machine quit, or was it just running idle? Or did you shut it down and it wouldn't work the next time you tried to power it up?

And even though the breaker on your shop's power panel didn't trip, maybe the wall outlet went bad. Check that with a simple 120/240 voltage tester that you can get a the hardware store for a low price. Put the tester's probes into the wall outlet your planer runs on. If there's voltage a light will come on in the tester to indicate 120V. Or simply try to run another power tool from the same outlet to test it.


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## JCWoodworker (Nov 4, 2010)

*To Alanealane: I was Planing wood and then the machine quit. Wall outlet was checked and fine. Strange happenings here, been in business 30 yrs and always found out and fixed the problem when occured with a tool, this one is a mystery. I do have a 120/240 voltage tester So having my shopgirl check it out, this has taken way too much time away from a project that is due. Alanealane please respond with any other suggestions, you seem to have real grasp on these issues. Tx for the help*


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## alanealane (Oct 1, 2007)

What type of wood were you planing, how wide was it, and how heavy of a cut were you taking? Did the machine really bog down during the cut or was it no worse than usual?

When you try to turn the machine on, is it completely silent, or does the motor hum like it's stalled? If it hums, it may have a problem with a bearing (not likely) or the feedroller system. The rollers may be stuck/jammed and prevent the motor from turning on. Maybe even some gears in the gearbox jammed together. I've never worked with a DW735, but the design principle should be similar to my 733 planer, which I've had to do extensive repairs on in the past (out of warranty). I'm glad to give you a free troubleshooting session!! Too bad I can't physically be there…

It may sound silly, but if your planer isn't bolted down, you might give it a sharp hit with a rubber mallet or rock the machine back-and-forth with the power switch turned on. If there's a freak loose wire, it may jump back in place and the machine may start…

I'm still hoping for your sake that it's a switch problem (or something even simpler) and not a motor problem. A new armature (the part that the brushes connect to and cause current to flow through the coil wires) costs just over $100 from DeWalt Servicenet, and then someone has to do the work to replace it. Not fun…
But if one of those wires overheated the plastic insulation around it and it shorted to another wire in the coil winding, it's pretty well toast and needs replacement.









For troubleshooting the switch, take a look at the following exploded diagram of your machine, and see if you can take the planer's switch (part #63) off by removing the screws that hold it on. Diagram here.
Here's where you will need a ohm meter, more commonly marketed as a multi-meter, which measures volts, ohms, and amps all in one unit (you probably already knew that, having been in the business 3 decades). Test the resistance (in ohms by default) of the switches contacts when it's on/off. The meter should read "1.", meaning infinite resistance when the switch is off. It should read "0.0" or some tiny decimal value when it's ON, meaning nearly ZERO resistance. If the meter stays saying "1." in either position, the switch is dead. I hope that's as serious as it gets for your issue.

I'm heading to the shop now, so I'll check back here later tonight to see if you've found a solution.
Take care!!
~~Alex


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

For that matter … thinking about my old Chevy … couldn't you bypass the switch by using a heavy gauge jumper wire to cross the terminals ??


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## alanealane (Oct 1, 2007)

Sure, try that if you determine that it is the switch at fauly. We're all hoping for you. It's a sickening feeling to have the planer stop working. It happened to me, and yet I never seemed to make really good friends with my hand planes…

Hey, why am I still here?? "Sir, STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER WITH YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!!"


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## JCWoodworker (Nov 4, 2010)

*Alex: I was planing Mahogany (a very soft wood as you know) only taking off 1 30 second of an inch not bogging down the planer. The machine is completely silent, nothing there. I am going to bypass the swith and go directly to the wall to make sure the motor is still working (when I have time) But temporarily I have come up with another solution using my verticle sander with an 80 grit paper. Cuts wood quickly, and I am also not very good friends with my 13 hand planes, so much as they have cobwebs. On a personal note, I am extremely impressed with the amount of knowledge you have aquired about woodwoorking in your short 23 yrs. Seeing as I have been in business for 7 yrs longer than you have been alive…lmao. Also I am very impressed with your puzzle box, and extremely complicated design…BRAVO!!!! Going back to work will let you know later the results of the bypass surgery, lol*


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## alanealane (Oct 1, 2007)

John, Thanks for the compliments. My family has a tendency toward being engineering-minded. Both grandfathers were talented. Mom's dad was an ocean vessel diesel mechanic, small-engine repairman, motorcycle mechanic, and a machinist/welder and why-pay-to-have-it-repaired-when-you-can-fix-it-yourself sort of person. Dad's dad was a millwright and maintenance man at a foundry for over 40 years. Some uncles on both sides are talented at woodworking, tooling leather, carpentry, and much more (It's too bad the two extraordinarily talented uncles are also alcoholic drug addicts…I rarely interact with them…much could have been learned…I picked up most of my skills on my own, with the help of books/TV shows and tons of practice/frustration and of course LumberJocks!). 
I used to be scared of woodworking machinery and even passed up the chance to take woodshop in high school. Now I'm quite comfortable using power tools (although I'm still quite scared of spinning blades…which is a motivation to keep all 10 digits on my hands). Once I got a taste of building things with my own hands, I was hooked. I even took some courses in CNC programming and machining after getting my CAD Design degree in college. See my blog on making a helical planer cutterhead for my DeWalt 733. That's how I know so much about these planers…I took mine apart and reassembled it at least 6 times, not counting necessary repairs unrelated to the cutterhead project.
I should probably add all of this to my profile…

Thanks for the kind words on the puzzle box. However, I should decline taking credit for the DESIGN, since I learned it in person from Scott Phillips of The American Woodshop TV series. But I did draw up the tutorial related to the making of such boxes. My training in CAD design made it easier to do.

I hope the triple-wire bypass surgery goes well!! ;-D
Keep us posted. I'd love to try out a DW735 one day. I've only ever cranked the big handle on one in the store.

By the way, for that sander, check into the blue alumina zirconia planer belts offered by supergrit.com where the grits go down to 24 grit, I believe. I've got a couple 36 grit belts for my 3×21 sander, and they had no mercy on the end-grain walnut slab for my end-table project. Try some out. You'll love it as long as you pay attention when sanding. You could quickly end up feeding your belt the whole piece of wood for lunch!!


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## tomd (Jan 29, 2008)

I know nothing of the 735, but does that motor have a reset button on it ? Just taking a guess.


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

*Lane* wrote: "I should probably add all of this to my profile…"

Yeah, you should. Great story. Also, a really honest tale of talented, but "flawed" people. Very human.

*tomd*: LOL ! I did ask that one, fairly early. He says the 735 (which, I believe, DOES have its own circuit breaker) did NOT have a tripped breaker


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## alanealane (Oct 1, 2007)

I just looked at some photos of a DW735. It has a two-speed gearbox. I wonder if the designers put some sort of safety switch into the gearbox speed selection lever that prevents the machine from turning on if it is out of a secure position. If so, that would make life simple…just make sure the lever is firmly pushed to one position or the other. Or maybe, it tried to 'switch gears' while it was running, causing something inside to lock up… That type of chain-reaction could certainly lead to a motor coil burnout. I sure hope not…

Just another freely-offered and perhaps utterly foolish diagnosis! That's what you get when you ask for FREE advice-maybe 2 cents worth, if that!!


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## RexMcKinnon (Aug 26, 2009)

Lane, the gearbox is supposed to be switched when the motor is running under no load only. I have switched mine when the motor was off and have not had any problems though. Maybe just switching gears might loosen somehting up.

In the end if there is no noise at all I think Lane's first suggestion about the faulty switch makes the most sense.


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## REME (Apr 30, 2009)

Sounds like the switch. I have the same planer. About a year ago it just stopped running. Removed the switch , connected the wires to an outlet and it worked. Ordered a new switch (30 bucks or so ) and I was back in business.


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## TomDrummond (Feb 14, 2018)

Fixed this for me after continuity checks of switch and brush inspection to no avail. There are two safety micro switches. One for the top cover which is easy to hear clicking with a screwdriver. The other for the inside chip manifold which you remove with the 3 long red wing rods. Like you do for blade changes. This micro switch is the spring saddle that locks the cutter head, too.

This was not pushing down far enough when the cover was reinstalled, so I put a piece of blue tape on top of it. I installed the chip hood and yellow top and it worked.


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## Scallywags (Feb 2, 2021)

So, any idea how this ended? I'm working thru same issue. Primary switch passed ohm resistance test. Pressure switches are good. Just ordered new circuit breaker, although it occurred to me I should have pulled the old one and tested it first, but my gut says that's the problem. It's always been super mushy on the push and it appears to be one of the most often replaced parts on the machine although no one in this thread mentioned that issue.


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## markew (Oct 6, 2014)

I had similar problem. Once powered on, it worked as it should. However, occasionally then more often switched power on and it wouldn't run. Finally noticed metal tabs on brushes (Dewalt brushes) seemed loose on sides where installed. Pried metal tabs out a little, reinstalled and she has turned on every time so far (fixed it this morning and milled a bunch of lumber this afternoon, over 50 on off cycles without fail so far.)


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## Scallywags (Feb 2, 2021)

Mine is back up and running with a new circuit breaker. All wiring and the breaker passed resistance ohm testing, but sure enough, the new breaker did the trick. Not exactly sure why, but I've decided not to look that gift horse in the mouth. It's running. I'm happy. The end.


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## Scallywags (Feb 2, 2021)

Wow, can't believe it's been a year since I posted this. So the planer works but it developed a quirk shortly after install of new switch. If I try to take anything more than an extremely thin shaving of a workpiece, like 1/64th max, the breaker trips and the machine stops. Maybe I got a bad switch?


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

Is the tripping breaker the house circuit breaker or the push button breaker on the planer?

These small breakers, especially the cheap ones, get weak after a few trips and become a nuisance.


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