WEN spiral planer v DeWalt

[brad hays]

Is the WEN PL1326 spiral planer comparable to the Dewalt 735 w/ spiral head upgrade? Looking at buying my first planer and I understand the advantage of going with a helix head, but is the DeWalt in this case worth paying more than twice the price, $427 vs over $1K? I've read good reviews about this WEN planer as well as their customer support.

WEN PL1326 thickness planer...

https://wenproducts.com/products/wen-pl1326-15-amp-13-inch-spiral-benchtop-thickness-planer

[Adam Herman]

look at wahuda tools as well. they have some spiral head options.

the wen looks like it compares to the 734 and not the 735.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

As Adam stated, it may be comparable to the 734. The DW735 is a completely different planer, generally regarded as the best bench top planer made. I have one with standard blades and couldn’t be happier. I haven’t found a reason to install a Shelix head in it.

[Richard Coers]

Did you read the "why not Wen" post? Lots of love on here for Wen. For a thickness planer, the amount of stock you run a year is a big part of the equation.

[brad hays]

Thanks for the Wahuda suggestion. Unfortunately they've shut down production for a bit due to some kind of shipping problems. Oh well.

Tried to search for the why not Wen post but the search engine didn't like the short search terms so I wasn't able to find it. I've read enough positive reviews of WEN planers that I'm fairly certain they're worth the money.

Anyone know if Byrd makes a spiral carbide cutter head upgrade for WEN? Apparently the one I linked to uses HSS cutter inserts and not carbide.

Also, someone suggested this Oliver planer. Any opinions on it?

https://olivermachinery.net/12-5in-planer

[Earl McLain]

Here's the "Why not Wen?" thread: https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?291641-Why-not-Wen

I've used a Dewalt 735 with Byrd head for several years, probably 200-300 bf/year. Probably time to do the first rotation on the cutters. Just a wild guess--but i'd probably have spent close to the cost of the head in replacing knives since i changed the head. Keep the bed waxed and the 735 performs well. Benchtop machine with universal motor--any brand or model--will be loud, so wear hearing protection.
earl

[Adam Herman]

Thanks for the Wahuda suggestion. Unfortunately they've shut down production for a bit due to some kind of shipping problems. Oh well.

Tried to search for the why not Wen post but the search engine didn't like the short search terms so I wasn't able to find it. I've read enough positive reviews of WEN planers that I'm fairly certain they're worth the money.

Anyone know if Byrd makes a spiral carbide cutter head upgrade for WEN? Apparently the one I linked to uses HSS cutter inserts and not carbide.

Also, someone suggested this Oliver planer. Any opinions on it?

https://olivermachinery.net/12-5in-planer

looks the same as the wen, but i did not even know they were still around. interesting. all the smaller stuff looks like typical overseas tools. i would feel better about ordering from wen or griz for the customer service.

i have a wen 8 in grinder and have been super happy with it. it came with out the tool rests and they sent the parts right away with no hassle.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I would not pay twice the price for a spiral unless I knew that I would be milling a lot of difficult wood. I get great results from my Dewalt with the straight blades and some other options (I am told) require more work (sanding or hand planing). Those few times that I end up with that difficult wood I momentarily think otherwise.

[Robert Hazelwood]

As Adam stated, it may be comparable to the 734. The DW735 is a completely different planer, generally regarded as the best bench top planer made. I have one with standard blades and couldn’t be happier. I haven’t found a reason to install a Shelix head in it.

It does look more like a 734, which is a great planer as well. The 735 has some extra bells and whistles that I don't think I'd ever use, so for me the 734 is a better buy.

However, this WEN does not seem to have the carriage lock that the 734 has. This manually locks the cutter head block to the posts and increases rigidity, which seems to work well because I almost never get snipe with my 734. If the WEN has something like this I can't see it and couldn't find it in the description. That would be my concern, otherwise looks like it could be a really good deal.

[Robert Mayer]

I have been impressed by how smooth the 735 with straight blades works. Still might upgrade one day, but i still have 2 sets left. The best part of the 735 is no carriage lock, big base (especially with the feed tables), and 2 speed feed. Buy the 735 and when the straight blades run out decide if you even need the spiral. The only downside to the 735 is that it is loud.

[Richard Coers]

looks the same as the wen, but i did not even know they were still around. interesting. all the smaller stuff looks like typical overseas tools. i would feel better about ordering from wen or griz for the customer service.

i have a wen 8 in grinder and have been super happy with it. it came with out the tool rests and they sent the parts right away with no hassle.
Oliver is not "still around". The brand name was purchased and they are an importer of Asian machinery like Grizzly.

[David Buchhauser]

The best part of the 735 is no carriage lock

Just curious why the absence of a carriage lock would be an advantage?
David

[brad hays]

Here's one to consider...the Laguna PX 12 with carbide cutters for $599 ...

https://lagunatools.com/classic/planers/px12/
(https://lagunatools.com/classic/planers/px12/)
Any thoughts on this Laguna vs. the Oliver?

[Robert London]

I have a Cutech with the 26 inserts and a lot of these machines are very similar made under different names.

The wen and others like my Cutech are not true helical / spiral cutters. They have 26 individual knives that mimic those heads, but it’s not the same. Gives you a much clean cut over straight knives, but not as good as a true helical or spiral cutterhead.

The Oliver has a real Byrd 36 insert cutter-head, that’s why it’s closer to $800, not ~550.

[Bruce Lowekamp]

I have the Oliver scheduled to arrive on Tuesday. Hopefully will get some time to put some cherry through it and report back. I’m replacing a 20yo 734, which I’ve been very happy with except for tearout on figured wood. Assuming that the head lock works as well as the 734 has, I’m hoping I won’t hear the dreaded pop, pop, pop anywmore.

I had been thinking about getting a 735 and then putting a byrd head in, but that’s a few hundred more and requires me to do surgery on the planer, whereas this hopefully gives me the same performance out of the box.

Bruce