DeWalt vs Delta Planer

[Tyler Schnuckel]

I'm looking at a bench planner. The DeWALT DW735(X) is the FineWoodworking winner. A local store has the Delta 22-590 for $150 less than the DeWALT. The Delta is discontinued, but is it the right choice for only $400?
Thanks for any thoughts!

[Matt Day]

What's the price of the DW735 you have? It's considered to be the best benchtop planer out there by many.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I wouldn't buy a new Delta anything. The horror stories of Delta tools being unusable due to broken parts and a lack of availability of parts are too numerous to ignore.
Pity - Delta was such a grand old name that once stood for high quality.

However - better check the DeWalt's price again.
That price might not include the in/out feed tables.

[Frederick Skelly]

There has been a lot said here about the problems with Delta and getting Delta parts. (Search here and other sites.) I have not checked into it personally, so factor that into my input here.

I bought a Delta lunchbox planer about 10 years ago, and if it fails it sounds like I will be unable to get it repaired for lack of parts. I keep hoping Delta will pull through, but if I was buying TODAY, Id buy the Dewalt just to avoid a potential problem. It sounds like Id have a better shot at getting warranty service and parts in the future. If money is tight, Id look for a used planer from Dewalt or other manufacturer who is more fully supporting their customer base.

Another thought though- if you really want the delta, why not call one or two of their service centers and ask them if they get the parts they need in a timely fashion? Its always possible that things have improved and I just havent heard about it. But do your homework before you buy, to understand what the situation is.

Good luck!
Fred

[jack duren]

I would buy the one I wanted. $150 is just a few dollars more and I would look at current production vs old production. Most want the newest thing but often they use cheaper parts. Delta is just a brand like dewalt, in the current price line it is what it is.

[Mike Heidrick]

You can buy a byrd for the 735.

[Jon Nuckles]

I owned a Delta lunchbox 20 years ago. I shared use of a 15" Delta planer and a DW735 over the past 5 years. I liked the DeWalt better than either of the Deltas and, faced with the need to buy a new planer a month or so ago, I bought another DW735. Just my opinion. (Note to Rich: the DW735X is the package with the infeed/outfeed tables and extra set of knives, and you can find it for $547 online.)

[jack duren]

I owned a Delta lunchbox 20 years ago. I shared use of a 15" Delta planer and a DW735 over the past 5 years. I liked the DeWalt better than either of the Deltas and, faced with the need to buy a new planer a month or so ago, I bought another DW735. Just my opinion. (Note to Rich: the DW735X is the package with the infeed/outfeed tables and extra set of knives, and you can find it for $547 online.)

The Delta 15" isn't in the same catagory as the DW735. Price nor qualty. Disliking is personal and understand but the Delta 15" muck more workhorse than the Dewalt.

[Dan Kopack]

General International 13", outstanding piece of equipment.

[lowell holmes]

The Dewalt 734 is a $400 machine. I replaced my Delta planer with a DW734 instead of a 735 and saved a couple of hundred dollars.

The DW734 had higher ratings than the DW735 had at the time. It is a tough machine, much stiffer than the Delta was. I liked the Delta and mourned it's passing.
There is no snipe in the DW734 and it measures thickness to 1/32". I've had the DW734 for about 6 months now and I am extremely happy with it.

[Jon Nuckles]

The Delta 15" isn't in the same catagory as the DW735. Price nor qualty. Disliking is personal and understand but the Delta 15" muck more workhorse than the Dewalt.

I certainly recognize the differences, but my preference for the DeWalt has a reasoned basis. I found the surface produced by the DW735 to be better and knife changes are far easier because the height is set automatically. The Delta costs much more and has a history of leaking oil. What you give up is two inches of width capacity, the ability to take off a lot of wood in a single pass, and the cost of some good earplugs. The reports that the 735 is loud are certainly well-founded.

[jack duren]

I certainly recognize the differences, but my preference for the DeWalt has a reasoned basis. I found the surface produced by the DW735 to be better and knife changes are far easier because the height is set automatically. The Delta costs much more and has a history of leaking oil. What you give up is two inches of width capacity, the ability to take off a lot of wood in a single pass, and the cost of some good earplugs. The reports that the 735 is loud are certainly well-founded.

I think I have sharpened the blades 2-3 times in about 10 yrs. My truck leaks a bit of oil with 274k on it. I could fix it but I can also keep an eye on the dipstick too. Maintenance on your equipment should be a given. I have changed oil on the Delta planer 2-3 times in the same time. Not a lot of work. I spent more time packing my bearings in my truck this weekend than the maintenance on my planer.

[Art Mann]

Most of the lunchbox style planers leave a superior surface finish compared to most cast iron planers. In many applications, no further sanding is required. That could be important to some people who don't have a drum or wide belt sander.

[Lee Reep]

I've had a DW735 for over 5 years and it is one of my favorite power tools in my shop. It leaves such a great finish on wood.

[Jon Nuckles]

I think I have sharpened the blades 2-3 times in about 10 yrs. My truck leaks a bit of oil with 274k on it. I could fix it but I can also keep an eye on the dipstick too. Maintenance on your equipment should be a given. I have changed oil on the Delta planer 2-3 times in the same time. Not a lot of work. I spent more time packing my bearings in my truck this weekend than the maintenance on my planer.

Jack, if you've only sharpened your planer knives 2-3 times in ten years, you either don't plane a lot of wood or you have a high tolerance for dull and nicked knives. With respect to the leak issue, it is more the continual mess than the hassle of adding oil that bugged me. I agree with you that maintenance is necessary; I just prefer it to be quick and easy so I can get back to woodworking.;)

[lowell holmes]

I replaced the worn blades in my Delta planer (r-i-p) when I had it. I would never attempt to sharpen one. I will not sharpen the blades on my DW734 either. It is a replacement for the Delta.

I turned them around when dull. They last long enough that it's not an issue in my mind.

[Jon Nuckles]

I replaced the worn blades in my Delta planer (r-i-p) when I had it. I would never attempt to sharpen one. I will not sharpen the blades on my DW734 either. It is a replacement for the Delta.

I turned them around when dull. They last long enough that it's not an issue in my mind.

The knives in the DW735 are disposable. You use both edges then buy new ones to replace them. Many larger planers have knives that have only one sharp edge and can be sharpened several times before they need to be replaced. With those, you remove the knives and most people have a sharpening service do the sharpening. Because the knives lose a little height with each sharpening, and maybe not the same amount, setting the height when putting them back in is a little trickier than popping in the disposable knives.

[jack duren]

At the time I planed a lot of wood for face frames, but not the face but the edge ganged together for width. About a 1/16 on each side. A lot of cabinet shops don't use planers but get pre-sized stock for production. In most shops a overhead is sufficient. I can see the leak on my planer. Its from the drain plug.

How thick are the knives on the dewalt? There 1/8 thick x 1" on my Delta...

[lowell holmes]

The DW-734 knives are about twice as thick as those that were on my Delta 22-560.

Infinity sells knives for the DW-734. They are supposed to be more robust than the ones that came on the planer. And as I said, the ones that came on the DW-734 are more robust than the ones that came on the Delta 22-560.

Another point is that there are three knives on the DW-734, while Delta had two. The DW-734 is a more robust machine. Also, there is no snipe.

Understand that I was completely happy with my Delta planer. It lasted for about 10 years. I don't really remember the year it was purchased, it was close the the turn of the century. I have no complaints.

[Roy Turbett]

I wouldn't buy a new Delta anything. The horror stories of Delta tools being unusable due to broken parts and a lack of availability of parts are too numerous to ignore.
Pity - Delta was such a grand old name that once stood for high quality.



+1 Our local Delta dealer dropped Delta after waiting more than a year for parts to repair a planer they sold new. I recently picked up a Delta 12" disc sander and can only get NOS parts or aftermarket parts for it. That said, I have a 12" portable Delta planer that works fine. Its simply a jobsite planer as I use a 15" Jet in my shop.

[John Coloccia]

I wouldn't buy a new Delta anything.

I wouldn't either, unless you're looking to buy a disposable tool. Unrepairable tools are disposable.