Byrd Shelix on DW735

[Victor Robinson]

I'm getting ready to do it...I know there are many threads on this subject but I wanted to check-in and see if there were anymore recent adopters as well as hear from the folks who have had this upgrade for a while.*

My primary motivation is actually noise reduction, followed by tearout reduction. I understand there should be a fairly significant noise reduction under load. Though I love this planer, it is the most significant noise offender in my shop and I don't want to cringe while I use it for fear of my neighbors, who are both elderly, home ALL the time, and who we share walls with.

[Van Huskey]

This is the time I always tell people to think long and hard about putting that kind of money in a universal motored lunchbox. If you want even more noise reduction consider something like Grizzly 15" planer with a segmented head. All that said you will reduce the noise and increase the finish by adding the Byrd head to the Dewalt.

[keith micinski]

I second Van and also this is one of the few machines that when you go bigger doesn't really take up that much more space then the Dewalt because you probably have some sort of a stand for it anyway.

[Victor Robinson]

Ok, I knew that was coming...so here's the analysis I did in my head. See if I'm missing anything.

First off, you're right, the G0453Z wouldn't take up any additional space compared to my flip-top stand. Yes, I'd probably need to find a new home for the Ridgid OSS in my cramped shop but that's easy enough.

In fact, the only logistical issue would be adding a 220V outlet. I have one 220V circuit for the TS, but the cabling passes directly overhead from where the planer is positioned. Pretty much a non-issue as far as DIY electrical work goes.

Cost-benefit:

Sell my low-mileage DW735 (with tables and Wixey) for what...$375? $400 if lucky? That means I'm out about $1200 for the G0453Z. Trust me, it's an investment I'm definitely eyeing down the road, but not in the next year.

On the other hand, I can add a Byrd to my 735 right now, and when I decide to upgrade, probably sell the whole unit for...$650-700? Considering I purchased the planer on HD's infamous blowout, I'd still be getting back most of what I put in.

So that's what I'm thinking. I'm keenly aware that what I really want is a stationary 15" with spiral head. :)*

[Van Huskey]

Most everyone is happy with their Dewalt and a Byrd head and it is hard to argue with your logic, it works for you! Since you have factored in the 15" planer in your thought process a Byrd head in your Dewalt seems to be the best solution.

[keith micinski]

The only flaw is you are only factoring in the home depot discount in the byrd head end and not the grizzly end. You will actually be making 200 bucks when you sell the 735 for 400 which I think would be easy to do because I did the same thing a month ago. Conversely selling a 735 with a byrd head for 600 or 700 is almost impossible to do because everyone thinks why not just spend a little more and get a new 15 grizzly. There just aren't that many people willing to spend 6 or 7 and know the differences between a byrd head and a regular head out there. I loved my 735 and I don't think the byrd head could out cut the standard head by all that much because some of the figured woods I ran though there came out unbelievable. Plus my only complaint with the 735 was power on wider stock and I have read that with a byrd head being in contact with the material 100 percent of the time it bogs it down even more. If budget is a concern which I completely understand then I would save my 450 for the byrd head and enjoy the 735 the way it is and put up with the noise.

[keith micinski]

Also I have always wondered if you took some of that rigid foam and built a box around the planer how much it would knock the noise down on the planer. I also would like to know what the actual noise difference between the two heads is. The Powermatic I had, was really quiet and when I turned the dust collector on the air noise over the head changed and got louder but it wasn't enough to save the neighbors. Also I think the biggest thing with the 735 on noise is the internal fan. If I didn't sell mine I was going to take it out.

[Joe Spear]

I put one in mine a few months ago. I got a real good deal on the planer from Sears because the Craftsman planer I had kept breaking down, and they couldn't fix it. So they gave me new DeWalt on my warranty. And I got the Byrd with a 10% discount, so the whole thing ended up cheaper than just buying the 735 would have been in the first place.

It is quieter, but I have to run it on a 20-amp circuit now because it often blows the breaker on a 15-amp. I didn't understand why until I read an article in a magazine a short while ago (Fine Woodworking, I think). It had something to do with the fact the spiral array of cutters always has contact with the wood, while the individual blades allow a split second between cuts when no cutter is engaged with the wood, for a sort of coasting effect, if you could call it that. That said, I'm glad I made the switch, especially for highly figured woods. I ran some birdseye maple before the change and after. The tearout is now non-existent, whereas before it was a problem.

[glenn bradley]

Trust me, it's an investment I'm definitely eyeing down the road, but not in the next year.

I've waited longer than that for a decision that made good sense to me. I too was after a spiral for my lunchbox and received much of the same advice you are getting. I went with the G0453Z and am very glad I did. There is a bit of an adjustment to a machine made to handle much larger material than a small shop usually gets involved with. The serrated feed rollers can leave marks if not properly adjusted for the stock being run. Fortunately, the machine is made to be adjusted for the type of stock you are milling and I have been very successful with it. Despite the massive increase in power, the noise is much lower than the lunchbox screamer. I have had it long enough now that I have finally stopped cringing when milling reversing grain ;-) The built-in mobile base belies the machine's weight. It moves about easily.

[Van Huskey]

One other thing the universal motor (and the blower) put out a huge amount of sound compared to a induction powered 15" planer, even one with a Byrd head will still be a screamer. Most of the frequencies are relatively high which means foam and fiberglass insulation will do a good job knocking it down. If you are concerned about your neighbors build an insulated cover for it, being mindful of airflow to the motor.

[Jeff Monson]

Put in a byrd head and remove the blower if you have a decent DC. That is what I did when I owned a DW735, it was VERY quiet without the blower, the byrd head cuts the noise considerably more. I really liked the cut quality of the head also. If you have your mind set on a 110 volt machine then IMO its worth it.

[Victor Robinson]

Put in a byrd head and remove the blower if you have a decent DC. That is what I did when I owned a DW735, it was VERY quiet without the blower, the byrd head cuts the noise considerably more. I really liked the cut quality of the head also. If you have your mind set on a 110 volt machine then IMO its worth it.

Since you used the past tense, did you sell your DW735 + Byrd? If so, were you able to sell it at a decent price?

[Jeff Monson]

Since you used the past tense, did you sell your DW735 + Byrd? If so, were you able to sell it at a decent price?

The byrd heads were new at the time, high demand and short supply, so I had no problem selling it. I took a $75 loss on the head. The planer I had owned for a couple years, I think I sold it for $350. You may get lucky and sell it as a complete unit, I had better luck removing the head for resale.

I will say I loved my DW735 when I had it setup the way I described. Not having a jointer to match the width of a planer was the deal breaker for me. I went to a 12" Hammer A3-31 J/P combo after selling off my seperates, I love the machine but miss the spiral cutter head. Its a constant progression for me, I want a 16" J/P combo now, AD741 is on my "have to have it" list. Its a never ending battle : (

[David Omatick]

Jeff,

So are you saying you liked DW735 with spiral to the Hammer A3-31? What was "better" - smoother finished surface?

This thread along with the Combo vs Separate thread has hit home with me. I was thinking of the DW735 (good price on the package that includes table and blades right now) with a 12" jointer to follow, or the Hammer, Jet or Grizzly combo's and the final option of the 15" Grizzly 453Z planer and 12" jointer. So many choices!

I would assume the Grizzly pair with spiral heads would be the pick of the litter if space and cost are no object, followed by the combos - is a spiral option Grizzly combo a better choice than the straight knife Hammer? And the 3rd would be the Dewalt 735 planer and Grizzly jointer.

[Neil Brooks]

I've got the Ridgid 4330. Good enough planer, but ... I've often thought of the comparable upgrade.

To do it ... for ME, though ... means I have to make peace with throwing away a fair bit of coin. I don't believe it would become my last-ever planer, so ... yeah ... resale means something.

If you're in a position where recovering much of that investment doesn't mean that much to you, then ... why not ?

But ... from a purely financial standpoint ... I've decided that I'm better off limping along until I can buy a big-boy planer that does everything that big-boy planers do.

Good discussion.

[Jeff Monson]

Jeff,

So are you saying you liked DW735 with spiral to the Hammer A3-31? What was "better" - smoother finished surface?

This thread along with the Combo vs Separate thread has hit home with me. I was thinking of the DW735 (good price on the package that includes table and blades right now) with a 12" jointer to follow, or the Hammer, Jet or Grizzly combo's and the final option of the 15" Grizzly 453Z planer and 12" jointer. So many choices!

I would assume the Grizzly pair with spiral heads would be the pick of the litter if space and cost are no object, followed by the combos - is a spiral option Grizzly combo a better choice than the straight knife Hammer? And the 3rd would be the Dewalt 735 planer and Grizzly jointer.

I dont miss owning a lunchbox planer at all. I do miss the spiral head, its quiter and without argument less tearout on figured wood. Straight knives are fine for 95% of the planing I do, I prefer to use my drum sander if I need to thickness figured wood (I know, I know, a drum sander is not a planer). My Hammer A3-31 is a great machine, accuracy is spot on plus I can take off as much material as I want without loosing power or finish quality. If I had a huge shop with a wallet to match, I'd own seperate machines, with matching capacities.

[Victor Robinson]

Some really useful thoughts here, thanks everyone.

I think it makes sense for me to go ahead with the Byrd on my 735. I'm lucky not to have paid full price on the DW735. If I had, there's no way in heck I'd be putting close to $1k into a lunchbox.

If I can just quiet down the DW735, it will do me fine until the itch for the big boy planer gets too bad. Jeff, was removing the blower easy enough, and would it be easy to put it back in? My DC is my shopvac + separator, so I have a feeling it won't be able to pull the heavy chips. The question will be whether the mess is detrimental to the cut/machine or if it's just an issue of extra cleanup, which I will tolerate for the sake of noise reduction.

[keith micinski]

If your only using a shop vac I would say leave the blower on because I could see you running into an issue with chip build up on the piece with only a shop vac.

[Victor Robinson]

If your only using a shop vac I would say leave the blower on because I could see you running into an issue with chip build up on the piece with only a shop vac.

You're going to make me cry, Keith. But you're probably right...

Soundproofing "box" it is...

[keith micinski]

Well the good thing is you can remove it and your not out anything because you can just put it back in. My guess is they built it with that freight train on there for a reason though. That thing would pressurize my dust collector with it turned off.

[Jeff Monson]

My guess is they built it with that freight train on there for a reason though.

Thanks for the laugh Keith!

Victor I'm afraid he is correct, you need good DC with a planer to avoid chip buildup in the cutter head and the feed rollers. The DW735 has enough issues with chips and roller slippage without adding more to the mix. I originally ran mine with a 700cfm Delta DC about 5 feet away from the planer (without the fan) and it worked great. Its very easy to remove...but I think in your situation it will need to be there. Just my .02