# Planer..the only one I will ever own



## C_PLUS_Woodworker

Great review…........... probably because I agree 100% with everything you said.


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## Sawkerf

I've had mine for a couple of years and would amend a couple of your comments.

1. The preset thickness setting can be "tweaked" to be exact. I dialed mine in to exactly 3/4" using a caliper and some patience.

2. The thickness adjustment can also be adjusted to whatever you want. When I had the preset adjustment dialed in, I adjusted the scale to exactly 3/4"

3. While those extension tables probably aren't necessary, some kid of extension will elimnate the snipe. My only beef with mine is that I have to adjust the extension table height more often that I would like. I set mine ~1/16" high at the ends, but that will slip sooner or later.


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## Cato

It is a good planer. I added a Wixey to mine and it really is useful for getting exact thicknesses and repeating them easily if you end up needing an extra piece planed to match your project.

I do have the rolling stand and the planer extension tables, and the extension tables are adjustable to minimize snipe.

You probably do get a little bit of snipe, but you have to turn the board a bit this way and that to see it.


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## michelletwo

interesting review..I have one & find it noisy & screamy, and the knives were soft & needed replacement very quickly. Funny thing is I had an old Ryobi 10" for 20 years and it has tough knives & runs a lot more quietly. I prefer the old, tried and true ryobi when wood will fit the 10 " limit!


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## MikeGo

I have had this planer for 2 year`s now and love it. never let`s me down.


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## MJCD

I've had mine for several years, and have run literally thousands of sq' through it. At 92 lbs, I have it on a rolling cart, lift it onto my table saw when I'm thicknessing wood (it provides a better working height for me). I get substantial snipe. I'm seriously considering changing-out the stock cutter head to a Byrd Segmented cutter (Fine Woodworking has a post on this). I find the blades to be razor sharp, and dull easily; though, I run mostly Cherry and Hard Maple.
For me, the only better alternative is a stationary Jointer/Planer combo - much more expensive and consumes more shop space; but this would industrialize the process. Having said this, I doubt that I'll ever justify the expense.
For dust collection, I flex-hose the chip output into a 4" diameter spur on my main system - I don't believe a shop vac system could handle the debris, though, I've never tried this approach.
MJCD


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## mrpedaling

Picked up a used one.. only put a few boards through it so far, but.. Snipe seems like a factor of letting a 4+ foot long board hang all the way out the other side before you even try to guide it out. All the others that I actually touched seemed great. No outfeed tables on mine. I did have it jam, stall, and burn once, but the I haven't changed/flipped the knives (used. Prob fine for rough planing 2x's) or really tried to clean the rollers. Sounded like the world was ending.

I hooked it to a festool vac with a shopvac hose (the 2 or 2.5" standard thing) and I didn't see any dust, maybe one chip? Totally clean inside as well. The power blower works great.

Only thing that bugs me is the metal table seems to have delaminated from the base in spots, and isn't flat. I bought this off a gen contractor who had it in storage for a while. Looks like it's a metal/pastic/aluminum base, so not sure how this would really happen. Prob make a melamine covering for it with some outfeed tables- I don't plane much 5" thick stock.

Also, even at 92lbs, it was trying to creep itself off the workbench. Serious beast. Feels like dewalt succeeded in micro-fing a old school 4post planer.


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## a1Jim

Thanks for the review well done.


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## Jeff28078

I use a Ridgid shop-vac for dust collection and it works fine. I built a cabinet on wheels that's not too much larger than its footprint. I have no problems with it walking. It is real loud, but then so is my tablesaw and jointer. I just bought the Shelix helical head but haven't installed it. The noice level will go down significantly. I agree about constantly adjusting the extension tables. Overall I like it but with the regular blades it's not much better than my old two blade Ridgid model.


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## bullhead1

For those of you that are considering this planer, the 735X which includes the infeed/outfeed tables and an extra set of blades has a $50 rebate through 4/30/2012. Iv'e had mine a month and really like it so far. I was a little concerned about the blade issues from other posts I've read, but bought mine at a woodworking show and talked to the dewalt rep who said they had made some changes. The extra set of blades sure helped make my decsion. I hope he wasn't blowing smoke where the sun don't shine. I do think the infeed/outfeed tables are worth it unless you plan to build longer tables. I worked in a cabinet shop for ten years after I retired and can tell you this planer is not any louder than the $3,000 planer we had there. Doesn't matter, always where ear muff's as my daughters call them!


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## WDB

What's the size of the dust port?


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## 47phord

I am considering buying this planer, but I have read many reviews elsewhere that state the blades wear out faster than you can replace them. Can any of the folks here who own this machine comment?


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## SCOTSMAN

I have a friend who had one of these only problem he had was it was very noisy? I don't know ,but over here we use mostly jointers and planers in one caBINET.Alistair


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## craftsman on the lake

I have a 734. It comes with infeed/outfeed tables. I've never had to adjust them and I've never had snipe. I've planed wood as small as 6" and as long as 8ft. My blades (reversable btw) last realistically about 2500 bd ft. I change them about every two years. I think they are the same blades. My wood is mostly oak and maple.


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## Viking

I have had mine for a little over 2 1/2 years and still on the first side of the original blades. I have planed a lot of hardwood, mostly oak. I always take small cuts.


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## AndyPanko

I've had my DW735 since January, and I love it. I have a few comments to add:

I used it heavily in making my roubo workbench that I blogged about here on LJ. Granted, the wood was all Doug Fir, so it is relatively soft. But I ran A LOT of board feet of wood through the planer, including lots of dried up glue lines, and I have not yet needed to change the blades.

I have lots of snipe on mine, AND I have the extension tables on it. The snipe isn't horrible (ie it isn't deep) so long as you help support long stock going in and coming out. But the snipe is visibly there and long. It snipes the length between the cutter head and the outfeed roller, so about 3".

Overall I love it though. Great chip ejection, powerful motor (I ran a glue-up through it: 12" wide by 4" thick by 5' long and it ran through flawlessly), the carriage stays locked in place, and it is built like a tank.


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## Grandson_Of_Rue

The comments about incurring snipe are interesting because I have never had a snipe issue.

I can't tell you how much I have run through mine, but the blades are still good and I have had it for 2yrs now. I do a lot of hardwood.

Yes this thing is loud. However every other planer I have been around has also been loud. Regardless I wear ear protection so the noise level is irrelevant to me.


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## Finn

I have had my 735 just over a year and like it. I have mine hooked up to an accessory item which is a hose and "bag" that fits over a garbage can. The chips are removed very well with the chip extractor fan. I had some snipe but easily adjusted it out with the in-feed and out-feed tables. The blades will dull easily if I take too much wood off at at a pass. I now take off less each pass and the blades last a lot longer. One issue I have had is when a knot or large chip comes loose from the board it can damage the chip extractor fan housing. I have replaced this fan housing twice in the year I have had it. Overall I like this planer.


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## sixstring

Awesome. After all the raving reviews and some soul searching, I splurged on this unit as my first planer. I've been borrowing a friend's ancient Ryobi which worked fantastically. Since I do a lot of work with reclaimed wood, the planer is crucial to my projects so I went and got the best in this range. 13" is plenty of width for what I do but if I ever came across a 20" Powermatic or similar at a steal, well, I'd probably do it.

Meanwhile, this thing is sitting in my shop and I still have to install the blades and read the manual. I plan on putting it on it's own cart and have it so the outfeed is level with my workbench. I passed on the combokit with the blades and flimsy infeed/outfeed extensions. Looking forward to spending the weekend with this badboy and planing some 100 yr old doug fir beams.


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## Bolerjack

Thanks for the reviews picking mine up tomorrow looking forward to being able to power plane. usuall run everthing through tablesaw and then quick pass on sander.


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## joeyinsouthaustin

I posted these in another review before reading this one. This string seems more relevant.

I own two of these. They are loud, but will last a long time under very heavy operating conditions. I would have to estimate getting close to 1 million board feet!! It has a great tool (love the magnets) for the blades, and they were consistent enough that you can dismantle the whole machine with it. I love the little tray under the cover on the out feed side to stick the screws when changing the blade. Also a good feature that the overheat protect is mounted right up front. The cowling surrounding the impeller will wear through on the back side filling the case with chips  Good news is that the part is $10-$15 and can be changed in less than 20 min I think I am on my 5th cowling. The other thing is the depth gauge will come out of calibration. Because the machine is soooo loooud you can't really tell it is bogging down. so watch that. Also it accepts 4" or a shop vac dust collection. Even large shop vacs are in-adequate and can cause back ups in the cowling, I would recommend only real dust collection or a broom. I have always run stock at half what the gauge allows and have gotten years of service from each. It is nice that the thickness gauge runs the entire width of the infeed.


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## richara

I've had this planer for about 2.5 years, and have been impressed with its performance so far. However, I just went to change out the blades the other day, and had a ton of trouble getting several of the screws out. A local repair guy said he had seen this problem a lot, and it seems that at least a few LJs have as well. See these posts:

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/25055
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/21503
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/30920

I guess even the folks at DeWalt have recognized this, as they are now selling Torx replacement screws. The parts number is 5140067-11, and they run about $19. I wish I had replaced the screws before several of them became stuck. I ended up paying $66 to get them removed at a local shop.

Thanks,
Andrew R.


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## joeyinsouthaustin

That is bad news for you..*.Andrew 
r.* Indecently the new one I just bought has the torx screws standard, and comes with the same handy wrench with magnets in the butt, but torx. I always have been careful with any Allen screw, And with much care and down pressure the stock wrench, (wich is a very annoying, 'bout 4.75mm) still shows a considerable twist the first time I used. I guess torx should solve the problem of spending good money for rare earth magnets, and bad money for hardened steel tools shafts. but IMO always be careful changing the knives in this machine


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