Shelix head for DeWalt 735

[Mike Henderson]

Some time back, Julie Moriarty contacted me about the DeWalt 735 planer. As part of that exchange she mentioned the shelix head for the planer. I've been using the stock blades for years in my 735 and have been satisfied but her mention got me to looking at the shelix head.

I found that there's two Byrd shelix heads. The "standard" one is a bit smaller than the straight blade head that comes with the planer. It's smaller so that you can install it without having to remove all the cutters (40). People report that with the smaller shelix head, the rollers put too much pressure on the wood. So Byrd also makes an "OEM size" head but to install it, you have to remove all the 40 cutters so you can get it through the hole in the side of the planer.

My questions to those who have the Byrd shelix head for the DeWalt 735 are:

1. Which head did you buy? The smaller one or the OEM size one? If you didn't know about the OEM sized head, you probably have the smaller one.

2. If you bought the smaller one, do you experience any problems because it's smaller?

3. Any other comments will be appreciated. Do you think the upgrade was worthwhile? Does it do a better job than the straight blades (independent of blade life)? Any problems with popping breakers with the shelix head? Anything else?

Mike

[Also, I remember there was a distributor who would give a discount if you mentioned you were a SawMill Creek member. Who was that? Holbren?]

[Steve Demuth]

I've have the smaller head in my 735 for two years. The only drawback I can see to the smaller diameter is that it seems to limit the depth of cut I can get - the delta from the table to the top of the feed window is only just more than 1/32" greater than that from the table to the plane of cut. You can't feed a board into the machine if you adjust to where you'd be taking off more than that 1/32". That's not a problem for me, because I mostly use the 735 as a finish planer. I can see it being a drag for some users though.

The motor loading is different, because it's basically cutting continuously in small increments, rather than 3 times per rotation in one big chip. Some people make a deal out of that. I don't see any impact (particularly given that I can only cut 1/32" max per pass).

I sometimes use my planer successfully for thin stock for bent lam construction - or I used to - by bending the stock up severely at the infeed and outfeed. I think that's been less successful with the helical head - either way you get occassional spectacular failures in which the head chews up the thin stock and spits out toothpicks. I say I think because it seemed to happen a bit more often with the helical head, but I switched to doing final stock prep for my lams on a drum sander sometime after I got the Byrd, and I'm not sure I've got a big enough sample size to reach a solid conclusion.

Otherwise I love the Byrd head. The cutters stay sharp seemingly forever - a light user of a 735 will easily go years between rotations - and hold up to abuse I wouldn't put steel knives through. The machine is overall much quieter, though not as dramatically so as some people led me to expect. Installation was simple (if you have mechanical skill - could be a bit daunting to people who don't routinely take things apart and put them back together, although there are instructional videos on youtube that should get even most novices through it).

[Victor Robinson]

I bought one a month or two back but haven’t gotten around to installing it yet since it lives at my auxiliary shop at my parents’ house. I assume it’s the smaller version. What’s a good way to tell?

Good info Steve.

[Mike Henderson]

I bought one a month or two back but haven’t gotten around to installing it yet since it lives at my auxiliary shop at my parents’ house. I assume it’s the smaller version. What’s a good way to tell?

Good info Steve.

My understanding is that if it will fit through the hole where the bearing ride, with the cutters attached, it's the smaller one. If it won't fit, it's the OEM one. You can probably find the exact sizes of the two on the web somewhere.

Mike

[I found the measurements. The small version is 46.88mm in diameter and the OEM head is 49.03mm. Difference is 2.15mm]

[Jack Lemley]

I got a Byrd head for my 735 about 8 or 9 years ago from Holbren (they offered a discount for Creekerrs then and I think still do). They only show one size Byrd head. I installed mine without taking out the cutters. I have not rotated the cutters in the time I have had it so am very happy with the life of the carbide cutters. I haven't noticed a mechanical limit on the cut depth that Steve mentions but the depth of cut is limited to a 32nd or less due to motor power. I love the shelix and would not even consider going back to straight blades. The cut is outstanding with near zero tear outs.

Jack

[Earl McLain]

I've had mine for 4 or so years, it's the small version. Since I've had it, I've not rotated any cutters (though I have broken two on a gnarly knot). I was using a set of knives every 3 or 4 months--so there is a bit of return on investment. If I were doing it again--i'd remove the cutters even with the small head. They are sharp enough to cut skin without knowing it, and I bled a lot before I realized it. Added several minutes of clean-up to the install.

The smaller diameter also meant having to reset the depth stop. Not difficult, and really it didn't matter as I measure anyway.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Tear-out is pretty much non-existent, and can often go to 220 grit or a card scraper off the machine.

earl

[Julie Moriarty]

Some time back, Julie Moriarty contacted me about the DeWalt 735 planer. As part of that exchange she mentioned the shelix head for the planer. I've been using the stock blades for years in my 735 and have been satisfied but her mention got me to looking at the shelix head.
Mike,

My deepest apologies for planting that $400 seed in your head. Now I'm hoping I don't get bit by the same bug. ;)

[Mike Henderson]

Mike,

My deepest apologies for planting that $400 seed in your head. Now I'm hoping I don't get bit by the same bug. ;)

LOL, I'll let you know if the seed takes root and, if so, how I like the shelix head. I found the added complexity of the two different sized heads so that delays making a decision.

Mike

[Julie Moriarty]

DISCLAIMER!
The author of this post is in no way egging anyone on to buy the Shelix nor is the author selfishly attempting to obtain any benefit from this post :rolleyes:

I just ran across this video that might help your buying decision, Mike. He brings up two issues - 1) The effect of snipe with the Shelix vs standard knives, 2) How the smaller Shelix head affects the measurements incorporated in the planer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB9yphGfyKc

[Victor Robinson]

So what's keeping you from going with the larger size, Mike? Just having to remove and reseat the cutters?

[Mike Henderson]

So what's keeping you from going with the larger size, Mike? Just having to remove and reseat the cutters?

If I decide to go to a shelix head, I think I will go with the larger cutter head. Haven't made a decision yet. I've been satisfied with the straight blades so I may be chasing a solution to a non-existent problem (for me).

Mike

[Steve Demuth]

He's right about the "depth gauge" of course. That's inevitable with a smaller diameter cutter. But the gauge is adjustable with a Phillips screwdriver. You might find you need to file the screw slots a bit to get the full adjustment needed - 1/32" read is the total freedom of movement in the design - but it's a few minutes' job to get it zeroed if you care.

As for snipe, in a lunchbox planer with short beds, no pressure bar as such, and rubber rollers, snipe is a complicated phenomenon to understand and adjust out. I don't think the head is an important contributing factor, but if it is, the smaller diameter probably contributes to less snipe. Either way, a two-cut test on a machine that was substantially disassembled between the test cuts tells us next to nothing. What I do know is that I get snipe-free performance out of my 735 with a Byrd head routinely - until one day, or one board, I don't. Cleaning and tune up makes me feel like I did something at that point, but I wouldn't bet it's not just random factors in the first place, and that me efforts aren't just theater.

[Julie Moriarty]

I recently purchased the 735 but I have yet to give it a test run. When I was assembling it (what little there is to do) I noticed the infeed and outfeed tables are angled up. Internet searches resulted in people saying the tables are designed that way to reduce snipe. If so, I would think the engineering of that design would have included the diameter of the cutter head.

A smaller cutter head would require the head to be lowered, which in turn would cause the feed rollers to raise. Maybe there's something in the travel of the feed rollers that would affect more than just the thickness of the board. The unit was engineered with a specific cutter head diameter so what changes in the operation of the unit would occur when the diameter of the cutter head is reduced? I don't know the answer to that.

Maybe we can get Matthais Wandell in on this one...

[Michael Alu]

If I decide to go to a shelix head, I think I will go with the larger cutter head. Haven't made a decision yet. I've been satisfied with the straight blades so I may be chasing a solution to a non-existent problem (for me).

Mike

Keep us posted on the route you go and the performance. I've been eyeballing this upgrade as well.

[Steve Demuth]

Julie,

Yes, but again:

1. The table tilt is designed to be very simply adjustable.
2. The small head puts the cutting plane 1/32" or so "deeper" relative to the feed rollers than the factory 3-knife head. The board bounce or deflection that causes snipe has to be more severe to get snipe with the small head than with the factory head.

[Julie Moriarty]

Julie,

Yes, but again:

1. The table tilt is designed to be very simply adjustable.
2. The small head puts the cutting plane 1/32" or so "deeper" relative to the feed rollers than the factory 3-knife head. The board bounce or deflection that causes snipe has to be more severe to get snipe with the small head than with the factory head.

Steve, where my thoughts went was with the feed rollers. Does that extra 1/32" they are depressed into the head have any effect on snipe? What kind of travel for the feed rollers did Dewalt engineer into the unit?

The only reason I even thought of that was I have read some people who went with the smaller Shelix cutter talked about snipe being present where it wasn't before the upgrade. I haven't run across anyone installing the OEM Shelix cutter making that claim, though they may be out there.

As for the tables, I have not seen any way they can be adjusted, but I stopped looking after I read they were engineered that way to prevent snipe.

[Randy Heinemann]

I've used the 735 for years and, with the extension tables angled slightly upward to the outer edges, I get no snipe (at least none that makes any difference). I researched installing the Shelix head or having the head installed. For me, it's difficult to justify the cost when the planer, as purchased, does such a great job on almost all the woods I work with. In all the years I've had the planer I have only had 2 instances where the surface had to be finished up with a drum sander. If you do a lot of work with figured woods, like birds eye maple, I could see a need. I also understand the argument about the Dewalt blades not getting great wear and that would be extremely important for me if I were a woodworker making my living at it. Then, however, I would likely have chosen a heavier duty planer than the 735 anyway with a spiral cutter head. Don't get me wrong, I have a spiral 8" jointer with carbide inserts, which I truly love, but I've always been a firm believer that tools work best when use as they are equipped from the factory as they are designed and tested.

[Steve Demuth]

As for the tables, I have not seen any way they can be adjusted, but I stopped looking after I read they were engineered that way to prevent snipe.

Julie,

The extension feed tables are attached to the extension support arms with slotted screws, which allow you to align them on the planer-side edge to be planar with the fixed feed table, and to elevate the outboard edges as required for snipe management. There is, as with the depth gauge, a possibility that you'll want more adjustment than the slots allow, and I actually made some little blocks that could be used at the attachment point of the extension tables to rotate the table slightly upward as a whole for use when planing when thin stock, but they haven't really been necessary - I took them out and haven't seen any consequences.

I agree that people report snipe after the upgrade. But here's the thing - you've disassembled and probably manhandled the whole device to install that head. Expecting it's adjustment to be "factory spec" after that is a pretty big ask. I adjusted mine a bit after the upgrade, and have not really had significant snipe issues since.

[Dan Schocke]

So what's keeping you from going with the larger size, Mike? Just having to remove and reseat the cutters?

The smaller size head is ~$75 cheaper right now (at least from what I've seen) -- probably to clear out stock. I ordered one last week since I'm currently doing quite a bit of work with curly and birds eye maple.

I've gotten by without the shelix on prior projects, but it was time to make the switch given the cost of the figured lumber. I realized that I've been buying figured maple and cherry for years (basically buying a few boards whenever I ran across decent stock) and squirreling it away because it's somewhat difficult/rare for me to find locally. I have way more money tied up in that lumber than the $375 I spent on the shelix. I probably would have talked myself into the large size shelix if I had known about it before placing my order.

--Dan

[David Utterback]

You may have just answered my question, Dan. I was wondering if the shelix head from Holbren was the small one. It is priced at $375 but is currently backordered for 8 weeks. Sounds like a good deal nonetheless and I have one more set of replacement knives I can use in the meantime.

Thanks
David

[Greg Parrish]

I ordered the larger one last week and it should be here tomorrow. Got mine via Amazon.

Looking forward to it after just installing one in my powermatic 54a jointer.

[Mike Henderson]

I ordered the larger one last week and it should be here tomorrow. Got mine via Amazon.

Looking forward to it after just installing one in my powermatic 54a jointer.

After you get it installed, let us know how it works. I'm interested in hearing from someone who installed the larger cutterhead.

Mike

[Greg Parrish]

After you get it installed, let us know how it works. I'm interested in hearing from someone who installed the larger cutterhead.

Mike

will do Mike. Might take me a few weeks but I will circle back.

[Julie Moriarty]

FWIW, I ran some boards from my new 735 today. I have not adjusted the outfeed wing table so I relied on the stock tables and roller stands. I did a test run with a short piece of 2x6 construction lumber and it was silky smooth. It looked like birdseye pine, if there is such a thing. But then came the real test.

I had a piece of hard maple that was 15/16" thick. I resawed it in half and ran the pieces through the 735. The pieces were around 4" wide and over 5' in length. Before I added the outfeed roller stands, there was snipe at the end of the boards. After I added the roller feeds, I saw no snipe. But I did see chipout. The boards are fairly straight-grained hard maple. No figure at all.

I work with a lot of figured woods. If these results are typical, the Shelix may be in my future.

[Randy Heinemann]

I think there will always be the possibility of some tearout on figured woods with straight steel knives. I can usually minimize this by taking a couple of light passes at the end, but sometimes it just can't be eliminated. Birdseye maple seems to be especially troublesome for me. I doubt that tearout can be completely eliminated without going to a helical cutter head. Just my opinion . . .

[Mike Henderson]

FWIW, I ran some boards from my new 735 today. I have not adjusted the outfeed wing table so I relied on the stock tables and roller stands. I did a test run with a short piece of 2x6 construction lumber and it was silky smooth. It looked like birdseye pine, if there is such a thing. But then came the real test.

I had a piece of hard maple that was 15/16" thick. I resawed it in half and ran the pieces through the 735. The pieces were around 4" wide and over 5' in length. Before I added the outfeed roller stands, there was snipe at the end of the boards. After I added the roller feeds, I saw no snipe. But I did see chipout. The boards are fairly straight-grained hard maple. No figure at all.

I work with a lot of figured woods. If these results are typical, the Shelix may be in my future.

When I encounter a board that chips out easily, I finish the thicknessing with my drum sander. However, I'd be interested to learn how much improvement the shelix head provides.

Note to Julie - you can often find a used 16/32 drum sander for about the price of a shelix head - maybe a bit more. But, of course, that takes up more room in the shop which might be a problem.

Mike

[Julie Moriarty]

When I encounter a board that chips out easily, I finish the thicknessing with my drum sander. However, I'd be interested to learn how much improvement the shelix head provides.

Note to Julie - you can often find a used 16/32 drum sander for about the price of a shelix head - maybe a bit more. But, of course, that takes up more room in the shop which might be a problem.

Mike
I have a 16/32 drum sander, Mike. It's been the go to when I need to flatten figured boards but it is painfully slow.

With my old Delta planer I could creep up on the final thickness in minuscule increments, but again, very time consuming. When I bought the 735 knowing I can change out the head with a spiral cutter eased the buying decision. I can count on one hand the number of projects that went to finishing without sanding. There's something the finish on about a properly planed board.

Before committing to the 735 I looked at the floor models in the same price range as the 735 with the Shelix adder. I couldn't find any with a spiral cutter. But the killer was floor space. Right now, there's already barely enough room to change my mind. :rolleyes:

[Dan Schocke]

I'm probably not really adding new information here, but I received the shelix head for my 735 from Holbren late last week. I assume it's the original (smaller) size since i was able to install without removing all of the carbide inserts. It took me about an hour and a half to do the install -- not difficult at all. Removing and reinstalling the inserts would add a considerable amount of time, but you're only doing the install once anyway.

Consider me a convert. The planer is still loud because of the universal motor and blower, but the cut is significantly quieter. Whereas it used to be very loud on startup and then MUCH LOUDER when feeding in a board, now it's loud on startup and doesn't get noticeably louder when cutting. That alone makes it worth the added cost for me.

The cut quality was very good, no tear out at all on the hard maple I used for testing. Not completely unusual for this planer with new, sharp blades, but hopefully will last longer with the carbide inserts. Snipe wasn't any worse than what I've experienced before with this planer -- I've always had 2-3 thousandths on the leading edge no matter how I try to adjust the infeed table. One pass of a hand plane will clean it up if i need to use the whole board. Trailing edge had no noticeable snipe.

Overall I'm impressed. I can't remember the last time I installed an aftermarket accessory and just thought "WOW", and now I'm thinking about getting a byrd head for my jointer too.

--Dan

[Julie Moriarty]

I was running some boards on my new 735 today and already I noticed lines in the finished board. I've been really careful about the wood I have fed into the planer but apparently something nicked the knives. I have read DeWalt's knives don't keep an edge well but this is a bit much. The carbide versions run over $200 which makes the Shelix seem like the better option.

[Chris Parks]

This is a heads up for some who it may affect. I was asked to help fit a helical head to a combination machine a while ago and after we fitted it the head was below the out feed table when set up as a jointer, not a big deal but this machine did not appear to have any height adjustment on the OF table. The gotcha is that a conventional straight head has its outer cutting diameter defined by the blade protrusion above the drum and if that is not allowed for the helical head if specified by drum size can be too small because the cutters are fixed.

[Greg Parrish]

After you get it installed, let us know how it works. I'm interested in hearing from someone who installed the larger cutterhead.

Mike


got it installed and buttoned up so its ready to go. Will run some boards through it tomorrow. Biggest pain was putting all the cutters back on.

http://txbonds.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p2604133210-3.jpg
http://txbonds.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p2604133025-3.jpg
http://txbonds.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p2604132938-3.jpg
http://txbonds.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p2604170149-3.jpg

[Mike Henderson]

How hard was the swap over? Any problems you want to pass on to us?

Mike

[Greg Parrish]

How hard was the swap over? Any problems you want to pass on to us?

Mike

Mike, the only issue I incurred was a stripped screw head. The lock tab that holds the old cutter head from turning doesn't go back in with the new cutter head. That said it has Phillips screws that have blue loctite on them. I destroyed the head on one and had to ultimately use vice grips to get it out. No worries, no longer needed.

Tips - the OEM sized one comes with same instructions as smaller one and they say to wrap cutter head with plastic sheet before inserting into machine to protect blades. This cutter head will not fit without removing blades so don't try to force it with the plastic wrapped. I'm assuming the smaller one will though.

For instructions I googled and found some good picture by picture guides for disassembly. It made a big difference and helped the process go quickly as my dewalt instruction manual didn't have instructions or schematics. https://shelixheads.com/installation/InstallDewalt735.pdf

Make sure you have a snap ring tool on hand. Lowes/HD carry the channel lock one which works great. You'll need to both compress and expand rings on this disassembly and reassembly.

Last tip is to lay parts out in logical way as it makes it easier to reassemble without guessing which way they went on. Notice my one picture as I tried to keep items grouped but also together like the chain and pulley assemblies.

Information on says to torque cutter blade screws to 45 in-lb. you will find that you can't get the torque wrench to move enough without using an extension to bring the wrench up out of the machine. When you do that be sure to find a conversion calc to reconfigure the torque setting with the extension. For my length torque wrench and extension I ended up with a setting of 30.4 in-lb.

after I was finished and tried running it this morning there was a squealing sound not previously there. A little diagnosis lead me to the main pulley that the rubber belt turns. At first I thought I might have gotten grease on it during the install but it turns out the upper pulley that is hidden by the shroud was not aligned. The groves belt was one grove off up top. Once I moved it over one it aligned with the lower pulley and the squeal and heat on the belt stopped.

Process took about 2 hours but I probably spent an hour putting the cutter blades back on.

Ill run run some boards through in a bit and circle back again.

[Greg Parrish]

Initial impressions are that it cuts beautifully. It's quieter during cut but you'll still need ear muffs as the machine itself is screaming away loudly. Probably the fan and motor.

Immediately I am noticing a smooth cut whereas my dewalt straight blades always left lines running down the wood due to micro sized blade chips. Time will tell if these hold up longer but at $55 per set the factory blades add up quickly enough that I've just been living with the aggravating little lines.

Ive only run some softer pine and cedar scraps through to test but will get some hardwood in it later. Note that a 1/16" cut on an 8" to 10" board certainly shows the motor struggling a little. Much safer to take smaller cuts but that's ok if you have time to wait.

On on cedar I notice less tear out than on straight blade at the board ends. But on a short piece I still get the little barely visible snipe line as I did on the factory blades. These are boards short enough to to fit on the bed without touching the feed trays.

Will keep updating as I use it more but I'm happy so far.

[Dan Schocke]

Information on says to torque cutter blade screws to 45 in-lb. you will find that you can't get the torque wrench to move enough without using an extension to bring the wrench up out of the machine. When you do that be sure to find a conversion calc to reconfigure the torque setting with the extension. For my length torque wrench and extension I ended up with a setting of 30.4 in-lb.

What kind of extension were you using? If you're referring to a straight socket extension that just moves the socket wrench away from the bolt vertically, you shouldn't need to adjust anything. The extension formulas for torque wrenches are only necessary when you're using something like a "dog bone" or "crow foot" type extension that makes the handle of the torque wrench effectively longer. I can't see how anything but a normal socket extension would be needed in this case.

--Dan

[Greg Parrish]

What kind of extension were you using? If you're referring to a straight socket extension that just moves the socket wrench away from the bolt vertically, you shouldn't need to adjust anything. The extension formulas for torque wrenches are only necessary when you're using something like a "dog bone" or "crow foot" type extension that makes the handle of the torque wrench effectively longer. I can't see how anything but a normal socket extension would be needed in this case.

--Dan

Its just a normal extension but I was under impression that lengthening the pivot point away from the socket still affected the torque output. Based on your comment it would imply torque remains consistent even if I applied a 50' long extension. Hmmmm.


edit: did some searching and common wisdom seems to support your comment so I need to retorque. Thanks. :)

[Greg Parrish]

So I've had some time to use the planer head and a few observations. It works great on soft wood like select pine boards. On hard wood like walnut and the like, it does ok but you can't take much of a bite on a wide piece. I was running some walnut slabs through that were highly figured and 13" wide at the widest. A 1/4 turn of the wheel didn't really even register as a significant cut on the scale but it will bog down easily. It also leaves some cut lines on the highly figured areas but they should sand out. The best thing is I can tell a huge reduction in noise. Overall it seems to work well and I'm still getting used to it.


The the above said but the shelix I put in my powermatic 54A jointer is not cutting square to the bed. I've double checked everything that I can, including the fence and as best I can tell the cutter doesn't sit level for some reason. Not sure why but I'll have to consider shimming the cutter mounting blocks I guess if I can't find another reason for the slight out of square cut I'm getting. It's only a few degrees but it's not square.

[Andrew Hughes]

Since you cannot set the inserts level with the outfeed table like straight knives you'll have yo figure out how much to shim the whole head. Hopefully your tables are coplaner. This can get tricky since there are no round spots on the Bryd head to referance from.
This is one of the reasons I don't like a HH in a jointer. There's still no free lunch always a trade off.
Be sure to have a precision or reliable straight edge before trying to adjust anything or you will be chasing your tail.
Good luck:o

[Greg Parrish]

Since you cannot set the inserts level with the outfeed table like straight knives you'll have yo figure out how much to shim the whole head. Hopefully your tables are coplaner. This can get tricky since there are no round spots on the Bryd head to referance from.
This is one of the reasons I don't like a HH in a jointer. There's still no free lunch always a trade off.
Be sure to have a precision or reliable straight edge before trying to adjust anything or you will be chasing your tail.
Good luck:o

Thanks. I need to spend some time with it tonight to see if by chance it was the wood I was using but I'll take my time to run through options. It just doesn't make sense to me that it could be out of alignment since the spindle is centered on bearings in fitted blocks. Makes me think I don't have the blocks fully seated or that the head isn't perfectly cylindrical. Who knows but I'll do some diagnostics to narrow it down some.

i started a new thread on the jointer so as not to muddy this one up.

[Julie Moriarty]

...but you'll still need ear muffs as the machine itself is screaming away loudly.
If there's anything I dislike about the 735 it's that. All the great R&D they did on that machine and they left it jet engine loud. I need ear plugs AND muffs when it's running.

[Julie Moriarty]

So I've had some time to use the planer head and a few observations. It works great on soft wood like select pine boards. On hard wood like walnut and the like, it does ok but you can't take much of a bite on a wide piece. I was running some walnut slabs through that were highly figured and 13" wide at the widest. A 1/4 turn of the wheel didn't really even register as a significant cut on the scale but it will bog down easily.
Considering the issues I've discussed recently here, I began to once again consider the Shelix cutterhead. I went back on this thread and read what you wrote, Greg. Maybe the reality is this planer simply can't handle certain woods at its max. Now that I own it, it is better to go with the Shelix for surfacing quality and cost of cutter replacement or buy carbide knives or just keep buying HHS knives? I wish I had that sailboat...

[Greg Parrish]

It’s funny. I’ve since gotten comfortable running the planer without ear muffs with the shelix. It doesn’t seem as loud unless I’m really running wide stock or tough items. The other thing I’ve found invaluable is the drum sander to take the scallop marks out of some woods after planing. I still think the shelix head makes this planer better but it certainly is a compromise to a floor model. I’m dreaming of the day I can upgrade to a real one with a 3 to 5 horse motor, even if it has to be a combo jointer unit. :)

[Bradford Ritter]

This is a reply from Shelixheads to my request for information on the cut quality and power usage for the OEM and Undersized heads for the DW735.

Brad Ritter

-------------

Bradford,
The quality of the cut is the same with both versions. The power requirements are also the same if your cuts are the same. With the reduced diameter head, you can only remove 1/16" per pass maximum. With the OEM diameter head, you can remove up to 1/8" per pass. If you set this to remove only 1/16" per pass, the power requirement is the same as with the reduced diameter head. If you do remove 1/8" per pass, there are higher power requirements but this is not fair to compare as the other head does not allow such deep cuts.
The SHELIX head does require more power than the original head. If you cut stock up to 13" wide, you may only be able to remove 1/32" per pass without the machine bogging down. In this case, it does not make a difference what head version you use. If you cut narrow stock (roughly up to 4" wide), you can remove up to 1/8" per pass in respect to power requirements and that would only be possible with the OEM sized head.


Best Regards,
Steffen Morning
info@shelixheads.com
Toll-Free: 1-855-699-6635
Local: 250-589-5879
https://shelixheads.com

[John Goodin]

I bought the OEM sized head from Holbren about four months ago. It was a great upgrade and have planed sapele down to little less than a tenth of an inch with no issues.