DeWalt 733 planer died today

[David Falkner]

I bought it new in 1997 and used it off and on for the first 17 years but in the last 3 I have used it a lot, sometimes daily. It has always run fine but today I turned it on and it ran for 1/2 a second then quit. Here's what I know:

1) It is getting power, I even switched to different circuit altogether
2) I pulled the switch out to verify that it is good
3) The brushes, though original, are still 1/2" long and show no signs of chipping or abnormal wear
4) The wires on the brushes are intact and the springs have plenty of tension
5) The motor is easy to spins (took the side covers off to verify)
6) The 18 amp built-in breaker on the top of the motor is in the position it should be in
7) In shining a light onto the commutator I see no chips or bridged arcs between segments

I don't really want to spend the money on a new planer and would rather get this one running again. I can order new brushes just to rule that out but again, the current ones look fine to me.

Ideas?

David

[glenn bradley]

Sounds like you are being thorough. I will just add that I had a tool with brushes that looked fine. Blew everything out real well, ordered new brushes, got bored waiting and put the original brushes back in . . . yep, it started working and has been for some time now. At least I have new brushes for when they finally do wear out.

[David Falkner]

Thanks, Glenn, but I did that, too. Ugh!

David

[Bruce Wrenn]

"It's getting power." Did you check with a volt meter to see if power was going to switch? Then check to see if it passing thru over load device. Next check at brushes, both in and out of armature. Narrow down your choices to the correct one.

[David Falkner]

I pulled the switch completely out, plugged the planer in again, and checked power on both sides of the switch and there's a full 120 volts on the motor side of the switch. I didn't check at the brushes, not sure I've ever done that but I assume it would be the brass threads for one lead and ground for the other.

This is the position of the breaker switch, looks to me like that's where it's supposed to be. And it doesn't want to move at all other than a slight rocking back and forth but it's always been like that. And it has never tripped.

368143

368144

David

[Doug Garson]

Can you bypass the breaker switch? If it won't move so you can trip and reset it maybe it is defective.

[David Falkner]

I had never tried to move it before, Doug, so no reference as to how or if it even moves. The only way to bypass it is to do a complete breakdown and I can't do that right now - no time. Maybe by the end of the week I can get to it.

Thanks!
David

[Bill Dufour]

The cheap AC/Dc motors from harbor freight often come with a spare set of brushes and springs. I think the springs can lose temper with heat. I would turn it on and push both brushes in with a stick of dry wood. Wood not a pencil with conductive graphite.
Bill

[George Makra]

Have you considered the possibility that you may have an open winding?
Before I go any further with this do you have a volt meter?

[Bob Bouis]

Sounds like a bad capacitor to me.

[David Falkner]

These motors don't have capacitors, Bob. It's just like your router motor. Thanks, though.

I got to thinking that maybe I can see the breaker through the switch opening if I remove the switch and I can see it just fine, no disassembly necessary. And the good thing is that the breaker is closed so I can rule that out. I still don't really have time to break the unit down to get the motor out so that may have to wait.

368187

David

[Charles Lent]

Can you get a voltmeter voltage reading by testing from one brush mount to the other with the power connected and the switch on? (be careful, because the planer might start without warning) If there is significant voltage across the brush holders, you either have bad brushes or springs, or a defective armature. Brushes and springs are easy. A defective armature will be expensive to replace. If no voltage reading from one brush holder to the other, your problem could be the circuit breaker, power switch, broken wire, etc. For broken wires, try carefully wiggling them with the power connected and switch on. Again, be careful, since the planer may start without warning. Checking from a voltage pin to (green) ground doesn't work reliably. Always use the neutral (white) wire for one probe and the other probe to sample various electrical connections, but use both probes when testing from one brush holder to the other..

Charley

[David Falkner]

I didn't try that before I took the motor out, Charley. I did check at each brush holder to white neutral and there's no voltage present.

I took the time to take the motor off after I figured out that I didn't have to disassemble the entire unit (makes sense that it would come off without that...).

So here's what I have:
1) The two white leads in the photo are open and show no value.
2) There is no short or value between either lead and the commutator.
3) I went through the brush openings and checked resistance across the commutator segments 180° apart and all read the same.
4) It appears that going much further in this disassembly may require special tools, puller, etc. I can get the gearbox off but that's not going to do much for me at this point.

David

368236

[Chris Hachet]

I would be tempted to keep an eye on Craigslist-I have seen running DW 733 planers really inexpensive. That would also give you a parts machine in case Dewalt ever decided to stop supporting this.

[David Falkner]

Good point, Chris. For now I'm thinking there's a DeWalt 735 in my future.

David

[David Falkner]

Thanks to all for the suggestions and help! I may repurpose this planer; I'll let you know what happens to it.

David

PS - my new 735 will be here Monday

[Al Launier]

Sorry to see you have this frustrating problem, but great call on the DW735!

[David Falkner]

Well, I thought I was through with this topic but when I saw the blades I had to post a photo. I have not sharpened or replaced blades in the entire 20 years I've had this planer. This is the first time I've even seen them except to take a glance from the working side on occasion.

Not too bad after 20 years -
368276

David

[Charles Lent]

David,

It, difficult to follow your inspection/test procedures, but I think your problem is the brushes and/or springs. It might be worth the gamble to try a new set before buying a new planer.

Still, the 735 is a great planer and I'm certain that you would be very happy with it. I've had one for about 8 yeasr now, and have been very happy with mine, but it weighs about 90 lbs, so the handles on it should be used by two people at a time and not just one. I put my 735 on a Miter Saw/Planer Stand that folds like a hand truck, so it sits on end in the corner of my shop with the 735 attached. I have the Delta version of the stand, but the Dewalt version is actually improved over the one that I have http://www.dewalt.com/products/accessories/tool-accessories/saw-accessories/miter-saw-accessories-and-stands/rolling-miter-saw-stand/dwx726 . You will need to make an adapter to mount the 735, since the mounting rails of the stand are not the same spacing as the 735 mounting points. Mine is a piece of 3/4 birch plywood a little larger than the 735 base with the mounting hole pattern of the 735 as well as a hole pattern to fit the mounting rails of the stand. Then bolted together.

When I need to use it I wheel it outside, set the handle of the stand down on the driveway and then pull the stand lifting handle up into it's working position. The stand has a gas spring to make lifting easier. It latches in either of two up positions. I have the original hose / fabric barrel cover to collect the chips, and this works quite well, if the draw string around the top of the barrel doesn't loosen. The stand has in and out feed rollers, but I also have the in and out feed tables on my 735, and they all work together well.

To return the planer and stand to the shop I lift the stand slightly, while pushing the latch release, and then lower the stand to it's folded position. I can then lift the main handle, tilting the planer and stand into hand truck style movement and wheel it back into my shop where it again stands on end in the corner until I need to use it again, taking up about 3 square feet of shop space. Since the chip collector hose option is no longer available, B&D offers a hose and fabric drum cover for their leaf vacuum that looks very much like the Dewalt 735 hose and drum cover that had once been available. Since B&D and DeWalt are the same company, this leaf collector hose might fit the 735, but I haven't had the chance to compare them yet. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004R9TJ/ref=asc_df_B00004R9TJ5181766/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B00004R9TJ&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198070022856&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6990146967671341221&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009922&hvtargid=pla-349594857309

I hope the brushes fix your 733 planer, but getting a 735 will definitely be a step up, especially if you make it easier to move and use like I did. Good luck with which ever choice that you make.

Charley

[David Falkner]

Thanks for the info, Charles. My telling of the diagnostics may not have been fully complete and accurate but my testing was. The brushes are good, btw. Something is open in the field windings so the motor is now a boat anchor and I am in the process of repurposing the rest of the planer to be a veneer press.

I wish I had room for a stand like yours, any stand would be better. It will reside under my tablesaw extension and I'll get on my knees to run a couple of boards. If I have several boards or if they're longer boards then I'll lift the unit up and put it on top of the tablesaw extension. And yes, it is heavy. The 733 weighs 85 pounds so this will be jus a touch more. There is simply no room in the shop to keep it set up and at working level. And since the shop, our two-car attached garage, is climate controlled I never raise the garage door. Matter of fact, I use it as a wall. It can be opened but it takes about 30 minutes to do that so it only happens when I get new equipment that won't fit in through the front door of the house.

David