New Planer..

[Hans Reed]

I had a spur of the moment purchase today while walking HD...the Dewalt 13" planer. :o :( :confused:
I didn't open it, as once I got home, I wondered...is this the right choice...is there a better planer for the money??? Should I have gotten something different...a small drum sander???

I don't have a planer, so I need one...but is this a good one, or should I go with something different?

Thanks for the input...

Hans

[jonathan snyder]

Hans,

I assume you got the 735? It is a great planer, but I don't know if I would buy another one. The Dewalt blades suck! They don't last very long, they are expensive, and are very thin. Infinity tools is now making blades for the 735. I just ordered a set, but don't have them yet.

There are many old threads here on the creek about this planer. I would do some reading before I opened the box.

Good luck with what ever you decide.
Jonathan

[Paul Greathouse]

Jonathan

You just validated a doubt I had about the Dewalt blades. Please let us know how the Infinity blades work out for you. I've been toying with the idea of replacing my old 12" Delta planer. The 735 looks great for a lot of reasons but I just didn't trust the HSS knives.

My Delta came with HSS knives and I quickly replaced them with solid carbide. I asked a Dewalt tool rep if carbide blades were available for the 735 but he didn't know. Are the Infinity blades carbide and if they are, who did you order them from.

[Ian Abraham]

The DW735 is maybe the best 'lunchbox' planer out there (big lunch :D )
Is it the best value for money... dunno :confused:

There are lots of cheaper options that work nearly as well, but I think you have the best machine.

Now.. what are you going to do with all the wood chips it makes :D

Cheers

Ian

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I agree and I've never had a problem with DW blades. I am still working off the originals after 8 months with no issues.

[scott spencer]

The DW735 is maybe the best 'lunchbox' planer out there (big lunch :D )
Is it the best value for money... dunno :confused:

There are lots of cheaper options that work nearly as well, but I think you have the best machine.

Now.. what are you going to do with all the wood chips it makes :D

Cheers

Ian

Ian stated my view of the DW very well. Good planer...typically a premium price compared to a typical prices for a Delta 400 or 22-580, Ridgid, DW734, or Makita which also do an excellent job. Depending on what you actually paid for it, I often think the jump to an entry level 15" stationary planer is a worthy consideration when compared to full price for the DW.

[Hans Reed]

I have been reviewing as many of the past posts I could find on this topic, so here is where I am...my shop is my 2 car garage, so space is important..loml wants to park in there which I don't understand... :)

I have the DW735, paid full price, and haven't found any outstanding deals online yet to push me to take it back. I did find where I can get a free DW orbital sander as a mail in rebate, so think i will take that.

I don't think i will do enough work to warrant the step up to a floor model...I do have concern about the blades based on some other threads, so I am interested in hearing the reveiws of the replacement knives...

Thanks for your help....I think I will open the box tonight...

Hans

[John D Watson]

For a hobbiest, I find the 735 blades OK. When you think of all the trouble sharpening can bring, these double edged cutters are great. I have honed a set myself in order to get a few more boards thru and it worked fine. As well, the DW store where I by my replacements will sharpen the old ones, but I would not submit them for sharpening more than once. Its a good planer.

[Mike Henderson]

Jonathan

You just validated a doubt I had about the Dewalt blades. Please let us know how the Infinity blades work out for you. I've been toying with the idea of replacing my old 12" Delta planer. The 735 looks great for a lot of reasons but I just didn't trust the HSS knives.

My Delta came with HSS knives and I quickly replaced them with solid carbide. I asked a Dewalt tool rep if carbide blades were available for the 735 but he didn't know. Are the Infinity blades carbide and if they are, who did you order them from.
If you have the room, go with a 15 inch floor model. You can get one for a bit more than the price of a 735. The stock blades on the 735 will make you regret your purchase (of the 735).

Mike

[Gary Ratajczak]

Hello All:
I just purchased a Dewalt 735 about two weeks ago from HD. Was at the Springfield WW show this past weekend - a Dewalt rep there was offering a $60.00 cash rebate instead of the sander. The free sander deal ends on 1/31/07, and the next deal is just cash back. It starts 2/1.

I have a project started already, and decided to keep the 735 and get the free sander.

Another tip - I searched E-Bay for HD coupons, and bought a 10% off coupon for $9.00 - mailed to my door. I was able to apply it towards the 735, so I net saved another $41.00!!

Infinity tools has the new blades coming out for the planer. I read ALL the posts I could. I had an older 733 (1/8" sharpenable blades). Sold it to buy the 735 - wanted easier blade changes.

I see posts indicating very short life, as well as posts indicating 100's of bf run throught the unit. As they are thin, you can't hog out an 1/8" of material like a floor mount unit - as long as you remember that, blade life seems to be good. I'll be ordering a set of the Infinity replacements when these go dull - almost the same $$.

Ran a few boards through, and the finish cut did a great job on some tiger maple I could NOT run through the 733. So...... it did what I wanted, and very well.

Good luck - and save a $$ - you can buy more roughcut!!!!!

[Homer Faucett]

It sounds like Gary was able to get the DW 735 for about $300 out the door ($410 for the planer, minus 10% ($41), minus $60 cash back. At that price, I would think it is a hard sell to bump up to a floor model. Now, if you're talking about the $480-$525 I typically see them sell for, I would probably wait to purchase a beefier floor model planer. At the end of the day, the DW still has a universal motor, and it's going to eventually die.

The cheapest I've been able to find a floor model 15" planer is $600-$700 used. New, the Yorkcraft looks like about the best deal at $699 plus $130 shipping. I'm in the market for a floor model planer, so if there is a better deal out there, I'd be interested to hear about it.

[Gary Ratajczak]

Calculations for mine were:

$499.00 for planer - 10% = $449.00

$449 - $60.00 (palm sander / or cash after 2/1) = $389.00

$389.00 - $105.00 in HD gift cards = $284.00

Sold Model 733 for $280.00 = Net cost $4.00 (plus some NYS sales tax somewhere in there)


:D

[jonathan snyder]

Paul,

Infinity does not make the 735 blades in carbide. You can order HSS blades from them directly http://www.infinitytools.com/products.asp?dept=1111

Jonathan

[glenn bradley]

As stated here, the DW735 walks away with honors in the lunch box planer bake-offs and has for years. Although it was my dream planer I couldn't quite bone up for the extra $150 and took the DW734 which gives you the three knives, 12.5" and only a single speed. It has done everything I have required but I am just a hobbyist. I have yet to flip the knives after 14 months of maple, cherry, red and white oak but again, I am a hobbyist.

The step up to floor planers involves some things I am still learning about like not using rubber drive rollers and therefor leaving some indentations on the surface that would be sanded, scraped or hand-planed out. Speaking only from what I've read here the drive rollers may preclude planing very thin stock as there isn't enough material left to scrap out said indentations.

Guys if I'm misunderstanding these things, please set me straight. I don't want to add confusion.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Glenn...I share your thoughts. I have a very old Delta 12" lunchbox planer that keeps on going. It's the first generation of Delta's debut of the lunchbox planer. In fact, I was on a waiting list and paid $440 in the early 1990s!

Anyway, my planer is still runnig (and screaming) to support my hobby use. It produces silky smooth cuts. I've thought about a stationary planer, but I'm turned off by the feed roller marks reported by so many others. As a hobbyist, I'm more interested in quality versus speed. I don't have a drum sander nor room for one. And I don't like the idea of having to sand feed marks off boards in my basement shop.

Until somebody figures out an alternative feed roller design for 15" stationary planers, I'll stick to my portable lunchbox and put up with the brutal noise, crummy snipe and slow speed.

Feel free to enlighten if I'm wrong.

-Jeff :)