Advantages of the lunchbox design for planers?

[Stephen Tashiro]

I can read the list of features for lunchbox planers like the DeWalt 735 and compare them to the simpler type of planer like the DeWalt 734, but, in general, what advantages are there to the lunchbox style of surface planer vs the simpler style. (What would you call the simpler style? - "washing machine ringer"?)

[Matt Day]

I think that every planer that doesn't have its own built in stand/cabinet is considered a lunchbox planer. The dw734 is an excellent example of the typical lunchbox planer, while the 735 is a step up but still a LB planer.
The advantages of a LB plane over a stationary planer are that is cheap and portable, great for hobby use. A stationary planer will be quieter and able to take a bigger/deeper cut, and usually will have a bigger/wider capacity.
Are you asking for a comparison between the dw734 and dw735?

[Mike Heidrick]

I can read the list of features for lunchbox planers like the DeWalt 735 and compare them to the simpler type of planer like the DeWalt 734, but, in general, what advantages are there to the lunchbox style of surface planer vs the simpler style. (What would you call the simpler style? - "washing machine ringer"?)

The lunchbox is the simpler machine. The 735 is a lunchbox. Lunchbox = all portable planers. Their lightweight build design usually means a urethane feed roller so you can actually take lighter passes than a floor machine and not have feed marks. They are also cheaper and more portable as they typically weigh less than 100lbs (that weight is not an advantage when you actually use it). Zero other advantages. They are horribly loud and really take up most of the footprint of a floor standing machine once on a stand.

[William C Rogers]

I have a Mini Max FS35 and a Dewalt 735. I initially only had the Dewalt, then bought the Mini Max. I did not sell the Dewalt because if necessary I can tweak in the dimensioning better with the Dewalt. Also if I just needed to plane one or two boards I use the Dewalt. However if I am joining and planning a lot of wood I use the Mini Max as it is much faster by taking off more in a pass and feeds faster. I got by with the Dewalt for a long time with a 6" jointer, but got a good deal on the Mini Max and it is a combo machine.

[jonathan eagle]

I have a 13yo delta lunchbox planer 506 (but there was a lower lunchbox model 504. Kind of like your 734/735. At the time, it had better dust collection capability.
It actually results in a great finish and the dust collection is excellent. I also have a grizzly combo helix JP which I use just as a jointer. The lunchbox planer is quite noisy, but just because you need to put it on a stand to use it, you don't have to leave it that way. So space, and price are its advantages. I suspect that some of the lower level model lunchbox planers might be used by contractors who don't need good dust collection at a work site. But that's just a guess.
jonathan

[cody michael]

I had a ridgid 12 inch and a craftsman 15 inch lunchbox style planer. the ridgid was basically useless to me (even with sharp blades) it could take off about 1/64 of an inch, and sometimes seemed to struggle, I sold it in favor of the craftsman which was bigger, slightly better but still so slow it almost made me give up on wood working.

I then bought a craftsman (foley-belsaw) 220 volt planer and it worked quite well, made woodworking alot more enjoyable, but I didn't like the 12 inch limitation. so now I have a grizzly 20 inch have used it very little, because I just got it, sharpened blades, adjusted all the rollers etc. but it seems to be working the best so far.

If I was doing it again I would have saved my money and went directly to a real planer, and this was when I only had a 10x16 inch shed.

[Stephen Tashiro]

Are you asking for a comparison between the dw734 and dw735?

The specifications make most of differences between the planers clear. I just don't understand why the features of the 735 require that it have such a different shape.

I would like to know about the ease of changing knives on on the two planers. I have an old 12" Craftsman planer that is similar in shape to the DW734. It requires a lot of fiddling and adjusting to change the knives. I have the impression that the Dewalt planers have a quicker system.

[Chris Fournier]

Cost, portability, and fits in small shop. Unless these three criteria were on my list I would not choose one of these machines over a full size floor model. But I would own one if I needed it.

[scott vroom]

The specifications make most of differences between the planers clear. I just don't understand why the features of the 735 require that it have such a different shape.

Perhaps it is this: "The second major difference is seen in the carriage lock mechanism, which is an essential component for reducing the effect of snipe. The DW734 features a manual, four column carriage lock. This means that you will have to turn the lever through several revolutions to lock the board in place. On the other hand, the DW735 comes with ‘automatic carriage lock’, thus removing the need for user engagement."

[Matt Day]

The 735 also has two speeds.

I had the 734 for years and it is a great planer. I'm not sure what exactly Scott means by several turns to lock a board in place. It becomes second nature on the 734 to give the handle a couple turns then quickly lock the lever, plane, unlock, repeat. Blade changes are very simple on the 734, I can't speak to the 735 but I think it has the same design.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Stephen: Blade changes on the 735 are very easy. There is no setting up. The blades fit on pins in the head. The blades are two sided. When both sides are dull, they are thrown away. They are not made to be sharpened, although you can get a bit more life out of them by honing them carefully.

Many users replace the stock head with a Helix head. The head cost almost as much as the planer, but it does quiet it down quite a bit. It's a screamer stock. According to Dewalt, putting a helix head on the 735 voids the warranty, as it puts more stress on the motor.

[Jon Nuckles]

The 735 is a big step up from other lunchbox planers. If you don't need to take off a lot in one pass, you won't be disappointed.

[Jim Matthews]

Machines like the Dewalt punch above their weight class, for the money.

They have twin benefits; lower cost and portability.
Most American woodworkers use power tools in a garage
or shed, where space is at a premium.

I doubt the utility of the surface planer, unless you're rendering your own lumber.
Most lumberyards have supplied me with "skip planed" lumber
that takes minutes to dress by hand.

Unless you're in a production shop, or working with REALLY long boards
it's cheaper to let someone else own the planer and clean up in your shop.

[Jon Nuckles]

I am going to disagree respectfully with Jim's view, at least with respect to the hardwood dealers I have used. You can use a hand plane to clean up boards that the dealer has planed and you can even hand plane them to uniform thickness. If you don't want to work with standard thicknesses, however, you will have to exert some effort to get there by hand. I like being able to design with the freedom to make a shelf 13/16" thick or a drawer side 5/16" and, while I certainly could use the exercise, I don't want to have to sweat to get there.

[Jim Matthews]

Totally reasonable to exchange electrons for time, or customize your materials.

I bought most of my dressed lumber from Downes and Reader. They use an ancient planer the size of a car wash.

I can't afford, or store something so large.
A lunch box planer tops out around 12" widths,
And this lift had boards near 18" wide.

Nominal 7/8ths skip planed from them easily dresses to 3/4 by hand.

[Peter Quinn]

Go back to the beginning, the "lunch box" portable IIR was introduced by Ryobi, then a new creative Japanese company developing solid interesting wood working tools, not a cheap brand in a big boxes stable. Chief advantage...portability. Lets you easily take a device that runs on house power to a job site and take control of stock thickness. Big leap forward for custom field carpenters or small shop cabinet makers. Floor planer was a big investment in cost, space, weight. So the lunch box was born..soon everybody was selling their version. Looks like a giant lunchbox, light passes=good results. The dewalt 734 is a lunch box. The 735 is trying hard to be a portable 4 post planer. Longer table, bit wider, 3 knives, bit more power, and a few other neat features. Dust ejection, locking head, quick knife changes, etc. Dewalt was trying to hard to bridge the gap between lunch box and floor planer, sort of a best of both worlds approach. not strictly "portable" but more easily "movable" than a stationary planer. I could easily carry my 735 out of the basement with a helper to a job site as needed....my 15" floor poster...not so easy.

Its a pretty clear set of choices. Cheap, light, portable, bit slower versus big, heavy, powerful, stationary, more expensive. Take your pick based on your needs.

[Art Mann]

I think Peter's comments are right on target.

[Ole Anderson]

I have the Delta 580 LB. But I buy 90% of my boards planed to 1/16" over my finished thickness, letting the mill wear out their blades and generate the huge amounts of chips you get when milling rough stock. And they charge almost nothing for planing while I wait. With my add-on Wixley, I get finished thickness within a few thousandths.

[lowell holmes]

I replaced a Delta 22-250 with a DW 734 after the Delta finally cratered.

I am completely happy with the DW 734. I bought in preference to the DW 735.

[Joe Spear]

If I was doing it again I would have saved my money and went directly to a real planer, and this was when I only had a 10x16 inch shed.[/QUOTE]


That is one tiny shop.

[Andrew Joiner]

I love lunch box planers. They're a great value moneywise. They leave a smooth finish using rubber not serrated metal rollers. The bed stays at the same height. This is a big advantage for planer sleds. It's like a power feed jointer,but no heavy lifting. I use a thin sled that flexes, but my infeed and outfeed tables are flat. It works so well I don't even hot melt or tape the shims.

My $200 planer has flattened and surfaced over 600 bd ft of rough lumber and it's still producing very smooth faces with the original blades.