# Dewalt Planer, DW735 problems



## DaveLikeGolf (Dec 10, 2007)

I've had this planer for 4 months now and have planed approximately 150bf of wood - mahogany, cherry and poplar. Seems to work well, other than the snipe (which is another story I won't go into now).

Anyway, during my last couple of planing attempts using mahogany, the boards have been sticking at random locations, requiring me to give it a little shove to start the motion through the planer again. When it comes out on the other side, there is a black mark and little scrapings of rubber, like the rollers were burning out on the wood! Also, I was only taking off 1/16" or less at a time; I've never gone lower than that.

I took the top off and blew out any dust and debris. I then cranked it all the way up and cleaned off the rollers, (no solvent, just clean cloth. They were fine). I made sure the blades were sharp and there was no gum or buildup anywhere in the machine or stainless steel plate the wood rides on, it looked brand new. My infeed and outfeed tables (shop built from laminated MDF) are perfectly level and slick as a dolphins back. So after all this, I started it up again and after a couple boards, whadayaknow, stuck again.

Now, it doesn't do this every time, and it seems like it only does it when the surface the rollers are grabbing has been planed and is nice and flat, like it doesn't get a good grip. This is my first planer and I'm not sure if this is typical behavior, but it doesn't seem right. Anyone know what may be occurring?


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

David,
Clean the rollers with De-natured alcohol, wax the floor of the planer and put in new blades or reverse the old ones. This is what I do to my 735 when this starts to happen. Also it helps to plane with the grain. I plane both sides of a board and turn it over every time. I never take off more than 1/2 turn on the handle(1/32). I hardly ever get more than about 150 BF before the blades need to be turned. I've began to buy my lumber S2SSE at 13/16 then take it down to 3/4 with two passes through the 735. I think I actually make money this way. The 735 is a great planer but it won't hog massive amounts of wood at a time. It does leave the best surface that can be had. By the way, the black marks sand right out.


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

Yeah, what Thos. said. Even if the rollers look pretty clean, they can get fine dust pressed into the rubber and then they don't grab as well. The bed needs to be waxed periodically, and dull knives create a lot more resistance.

Buying stock closer to your final thickness does reduce shop time and tool wear, however I've found that the mill doesn't care whether it's flat, and at 13/16, you don't have much material left to get it flat. I have to laugh at material that is "surfaced and straight-lined" ... someone has quite an imagination calling that a striaght line!


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## mot (May 8, 2007)

When my 735 get to the point where I need to put a foot against the bench and pull the board through like I'm delivering a baby, it's time to clean the rollers and flip the blades. It's right around the 150BF mark when this happens.


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## Festool4 (Jan 21, 2008)

I have a similar issue with my DW735. I will have to try your suggestions. Thanks


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## DaveLikeGolf (Dec 10, 2007)

Thank you folks for your help. I will do what you suggested this weekend (if my wife doesn't have a baby first, any day now!)


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Oh so you are about to find out about Mot's suggestion. Pulling a baby out.


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## DaveLikeGolf (Dec 10, 2007)

haha, I think I may leave that to the doctor, but if she finds she needs help, I'll be able to show her my resume. "Excuse me doc, but I do have a dirty planer with dull blades. I think that qualifies me to assist you if the need arises. It's basically the same thing, minus the blood and screaming!"


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## IowaWoodcrafter (Mar 29, 2007)

If you don't turn the planer off before you clean and wax it you'll get the blood and screaming. 

I had this problem as well. I kept thinking the rollers had broke. It finally dawned on me that the bed was probably gummed up with pitch just like other tools get. Cleaned it off and waxed it and it was just like a brand new planer. So, what everyone else is recommending should fix your issue as well.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

Hey, Peter,
Up at Lumber Products they let me pick through whole units to get the ones I want. pretty flat and pretty straight. If not it must be my fault, huh?


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## KevinHuber (Jul 25, 2007)

I'm glad I found this thread. I just had the same problem with my Dewalt last night. I'll have to get everything cleaned up really well and may have to get me some new blades.


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## WoodDr (Feb 1, 2009)

I see that its been a long while since anyone posted here. If anyone does see this, I have another question. I too have had the 735 for a few years, the problem I am having is when planing a board, I have a LOT of shavings coming out the front of the machine. I have took all of it apart I could and cleaned it, surprisingly there was NO build-up or obstructions anywhere. I have the dust shute routed to the outside of my shop with a large diameter shop-vac hose, which worked great until about half the shavings started coming out the front. Any ideas?


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

It's your nerves that are the problem nothing wrong with the machine the fact your about to be a dad is making you take to big a chunk out of the timber .Seriously follow the advice and god bless your precious arrival when it comes Love and best wishes to you and your wife Alistair


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## bstadtler (May 14, 2011)

The planer has a very good blower on it.but you may have a plugged up hose.I plugged mine up twice today and I even have a vacumm on it there were large black garbage bags full of shavings


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

WooDr: Did you take off the chute that directs the chips to the discharge fan and clean it out? It may be plugged.
Mine is hooked up to my dust collection system and works well. One note…...do not try to plane any wood across the grain. Instead of chips you produce long straw like slivers that plug up the hose very quickly.


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## WoodDr (Feb 1, 2009)

Jim,
I have took the hose off, its not clogged, the fan is all clear and works great. I did take the hose off and put the wide chip fan attachment on and it quit shooting chips out the front. It just doesnt make any sense, it just started doing it. Have used it for about 2 years with the hose and no problem until recently. There was some very fine dust inside the machine, but nothing to indicate a problem there. I give up! I'll just keep the shop-vac handy to use after planing. And I only plane with the grain, didnt think it would work right planing across the grain. Thanks.


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## SnowyRiver (Nov 14, 2008)

Like some have said, the quickest way to fix it is to wax the table. The resin and pitch from the wood will cause the wood to eventually slow down and stick. I just crank my 735 all the way up, unplug it and wax the table and outfeeds and it works great. I have never touched the rollers or blades. I have planed hundreds of board feet of hardwoods and its been fine as long as the table is waxed.


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## ajosephg (Aug 25, 2008)

WoodDr: Since nothing is clogged, I'd guess that the fan isn't running up to speed.


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