problems with new planer...need help!!

[John Kali]

Hello everybody I just picked up my new dewalt 735 planer yesterday and started using it today. I had passed only a few boards through it and all of a sudden the rollers stopped working. The machine was right in the middle of a board and the rollers just stopped, leaving the board stuck in the machine with the blades still going. So far the thickest slice I have taken was 1/32 which I think the machine should handle with ease!
Has this happened to anyone else, and is there a quick easy fix? I hope I didn't get ripped off!
Thanks in advance for any and all help!!!!!!

[John Hedges]

Did the board get thicker in the middle. That happened to me once or twice when I was taking off just a little when measured on the end, and by the time the middle of the board got to the planer it was thicker than the maximum thickness the planer would remove, so you have to raise the cutterhead to get the rest of the board thru. For boards fresh off the jointer, I now check the thickness in several places before setting the depth for my initial cut.

If that isn't the problem, just exchange it for a new one. It is brand new.

[Pat Germain]

Did the rollers actually quit working, or did your board just get stuck?

I was having similar problem just two days ago. I've had my planer for awhile, but this was the first time I was working with 8/4 hardwood. I recommend you do the following:

- Back off the cutting heads and remove the stock. Start the machine and look inside to see if the rollers are indeed turning. Dollars to doughtnuts they are

- Unplug the machine and wipe off any sawdust collected on the rollers. CAREFUL! Those blades inside are sharp! You might want to wear leather gloves while you're wiping off the rollers

- With the machine still unplugged from power, put a good coat of wax on the the beds. Let the wax dry a few minutes, then buff it out thoroughly. This will make a HUGE difference with how well wood slides through

- Set your planer to the same height as your wood. Fire it up again and run the wood through. It should go through easily with little or no cutting

- Lower the cutting heads just a *tiny bit*; no more than 1/4 turn of the wheel. Run the wood through again. It should go through easily while the heads shave just a little off the top. I find this is optimal.

The amount of material you can effectively remove in one pass varies by wood hardness, width of the stock and a few other variables. Therefore, I find it's best to always remove just a tiny bit at at time. This will make your planing efforts take longer, but they will also be much more safe and effective.

That's my take!

[John Kali]

That was not the problem, I was running some cutting boards through that I had previously glued up. They were straight just needed cleaned up a bit.
I cannot return it, I bought it from a board member who said it had never been used. It had been used I could tell because there was dust on the inside of the dust collection port, but other then that the machine looks new, (even the blades). I made sure it ran before I payed him but apparently I didn't check everything. I am beginning to think this is why he sold it to me:(

[John Kali]

Thanks pat...I already did all of the above except for the waxing. The rollers have actually stopped functioning. I stopped the machine lifted the cutters and backed out the board, turned the machine back on and rollers don't move.

[glenn bradley]

My DeWalt has a sticker on it apologizing for any sawdust in the machine as they test each one. That being said, mine has stopped once or twice. A cleaning of the rollers and a waxing of the bed were the cure. I've also had some irregular feed on wood that was slightly oily or dusty. There is quite a bit of pressure exerted by the rollers so something is amiss. If clean rollers, wood and waxed beds are not the fix I would test on some scrap just to have a comparison before preceding. HTH.

Oops, I was posting this as you posted your last entry. There should be an exploded diagram in your manual to help you get a look at the drive mechanism. If not DeWalt's site has good online documentation.

[Rick Moyer]

Do a search here for dewalt 735 planers, some had sprocket issues. check your serial number. If it falls in a particular range dewalt will send you new sprockets.

[fRED mCnEILL]

This happened to me on a 733 that I HAD. What happens on Dewalt's is the gear that the chain runs on to turn the rollers breaks. It appears to be a weak point and the problem appears to have never been addressed although its been known for some time.

Mine broke on a Sat. afternoon and I could'nt get a new one until the next week so I welded it (brazed it actually). I eventually bought a spare gear but never needed it.

If you take the side covers off you can see it clearly. For someone mechanical it is no big deal.

If you are stuck I would buy some JB Weld from the hardware store(kind of like a metal epoxy) and that would probably work-at least until you could get a new one.

This is just ONE of the reasons I don't buy ANY Dewalt stuff anymore(although I really like the color)I have had problems with EVERY Dewalt product I have owned.

Fred Mc.

[fRED mCnEILL]

I should also mention that the gears are CHEAP-obviously in quality but also in price.

[John Kali]

Thanks for all the help guys...tomorrow I will see if I can get this darn thing fixed!

[John Kali]

OK, today I went and bought a brand new planer from lowes in hopes of returning the faulty planer in the new planers box, however the new planer doesn't work properly either...I followed all the instructions assembling the whole three pieces that needed installed, and the crank wheel that adjusts the height of the planer wont crank. I went in there and adjusted the tightness of the chain several times to no avail. has this problem happened to anybody before? Is there something that prohibits the hight adjustment on new machines that I missed. I am beginning to regret this purchase all together, Please help!!!

[Dennis Meek]

John

If it won't crank look very closely at the bottom portion of the planer. When I got my first one, it wouldn't crank and then I discovered it had a broken frame. It was difficult to spot at first but it had evidently been dropped in shipment. I took it back to where I bought it and they gladly gave me a new one. But this time I opened it up and took it out of the packing box to make sure that it was not broken before I left the store.

Good luck!

[John Kali]

Thanks dennis....I have been trying to figure out what was wrong all night and have given up...im going to exchange it tomorrow!

[Rick Thom]

OK, today I went and bought a brand new planer from lowes in hopes of returning the faulty planer in the new planers box, however the new planer doesn't work properly either...I followed all the instructions assembling the whole three pieces that needed installed, and the crank wheel that adjusts the height of the planer wont crank. I went in there and adjusted the tightness of the chain several times to no avail. has this problem happened to anybody before? Is there something that prohibits the hight adjustment on new machines that I missed. I am beginning to regret this purchase all together, Please help!!!
This may sound stupid but did you check that the depth stop is set at a thickness less than the current setting on the planer??

[Randy Davidson]

As a previous poster said, check the sprocket. I had one break in the middle of planing a board. Pretty simple to get into the side and look. Might have a look at the chain while your in there.

[Richard Wolf]

OK, today I went and bought a brand new planer from lowes in hopes of returning the faulty planer in the new planers box,

Sounds like your problem is with your morals and ethics. You have all but announced here, that you intend to steal one from Lowes, to make up for what you feel is, you getting ripped off by someone else. Why don't you find out what the problem is with the planer you have and address the situation like an adult. If it is a small fix as a result of poor parts, fix it, if you feel the person that sold it to you mislead you, confront them. Or chalk it up to a learning experience of buyer beware.
I don't mean this as a personal attack, but how is Lowes the fall guy here.

Richard

[Dave McGeehan]

I fixed one of these for a friend who was experiencing the same problem. It was a broken sprocket that cost about $5.00.

Regarding your Lowes return: No offense but remind me never to buy a used tool from you.

[Rick Gooden]

Thank you Richard, I couldn't agree more! Why should Lowes get stuck with the problem. I was shocked when I heard the intentions. The new morality?

[Ted Calver]

John,
",,,in hopes of returning the faulty planer in the new planers box.."
That ain't right.

[Sean Kinn]

Sounds like your problem is with your morals and ethics. You have all but announced here, that you intend to steal one from Lowes, to make up for what you feel is, you getting ripped off by someone else. Why don't you find out what the problem is with the planer you have and address the situation like an adult. If it is a small fix as a result of poor parts, fix it, if you feel the person that sold it to you mislead you, confront them. Or caulk it up to a learning experience of buyer beware.
I don't mean this as a personal attack, but how is Lowes the fall guy here.

Richard
I agree!!

Is it possible you messed up something with your tinkering? I mean it is possible to have two bad ones in a row...but it seems pretty unlikely. Why don't you just call Dewalt?? Are you sure you are using the machines properly? They have more than taken care of me on several occasions. Twice now I called (knowing fully that my piece of equipment was well out of warranty) and they immediately shipped out $100+ or replacement parts at zero cost to me. They didn't even question me, and just said " we appreciate you're business and we want to make you happy." Actually, they never even asked for a serial number, purchase date, etc. I became a Dewalt fan by coincidence due to a string of Amazon deals, but they have won me over for good with their outstanding warranty service.

[CPeter James]

Thank you, Richard Wolf. The cost of things we buy is higher because of people like this, ripping off the merchants. The annual cost to merchants for stunts like this is beyond your imagination and we, the honest people pay for it. He should be arrested and tried like a common criminal.

CPeter

[Don Bullock]

Richard, I have a lot of respect for your work. Now, I respect your character even more.

To the OP:
Please don't take these remarks personally. I know how frustrating it is to have a "new" tool break. Unfortunately that's part of the world we live in today when we expect "great deals" on our tools. Give DeWalt a call. I'm sure that they will help you out and please return the planer you purchased form Lowe's to them explaining that it doesn't seem to be working correctly. Thank you.