I need QUICK advice about a DeWalt planer

[Chris Allen]

Hey all, this is my first post.

I found a lightly used Dewalt 13", three blade planer for sale locally. I'm supposed to go pick it up in an 2 hours, so I could really use some quick advise.

The only planer I've ever seen or touched was in high school, years ago. What should I look for? How do I check the blades? He says they are sharp, with no nicks, but I'd rather not just take his word for it. How much are replacement blades? Any other advise about buying this machine?

Any quick help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Anthony Whitesell]

Easiest thing to do is run a flat board through it and see how it comes out. The board doesn't have to be long (14-16") but you'll need enough boards to span the width. If it's flat already then you can compare how it went in to how it came out. It's possible to hide a nicked blade by shifting them around, so you'll have to pull the cover and look to be sure.

[Matt Meiser]

Take a few short boards, and run them through. If it does what it is supposed to, you should be in good shape. You can probably get blades for that planer at Lowes since they sell the planer. I know I can get them for my old 12" Dewalt 733 there and it isn't even made any more.

[Chris Allen]

Thanks for the replies.

Unfortunately, I am meeting him halfway(he lives 100 miles from me) so I won't see it in action. He says that he has an AC converter in his truck so he can hook it up and turn it on for me, but I won't be able to run wood through it.

Should I hesitate buying this planer if I can't see it plane a piece of wood? The price is $300.

[Eric Fuller]

Hard to say how much new blades are since you didn't give us the model number, but in general they're probably $40-$50 for a new set.

If it's a DW733 make sure you get the gauge / spacer blocks which are used to set the knives. Also you may want to pull back on the board a bit as it feeds to simulate the resistance a larger board will give it - you're checking to see that the rollers grab like they should. Run the board all along the width of the planer if you want to check the knives well. Bring some earplugs - these machines are loud.

Not much to go wrong with these things...they either work or they dont.

EDIT: Just saw your last post. I wouldn't buy a used tool without seeing it work. $300 may or may not be a deal depending on how used the tool is and which model it is. If it's anything but a nice condition DW735 I'd say it's not much of a deal - you can buy 733/734's for close to that new.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

If it's a DW734, I'd probably shy away from it - all you need to find out is that you need a new set of blades and you're probably up to where a brand new one would cost (WITH a full warranty). If it was a DW735...hmm, that might be tempting. I don't understand why he'd be able to turn it on but not run a board through it. I don't know I've ever seen a 12v->120V converter than can push out 15A, but maybe that's just me.

[Jason Beam]

The 733 is only a 12" planer.

The 734 is a 12 1/2"

The 735 is a 13" planer - so i suspect this is the one yer lookin' at.

300 would be WAY too much for the first two, used. The 735 retails for around 450-500 without tables or dust shroud. If this has both, you've got a fair deal assuming it runs right.

The 735 has a bit of a history with snipe, too. It has what dewalt calls an "Auto Head Lock" or some such. It's supposed to lock the head in place automatically to reduce snipe. Turns out, sometimes this lock fails to actually ... lock... so you get some pretty tough snipe (up to 1/16" i've heard). Without the tables, this issue is VERY severe. The tables really do help reduce any snipe you get, though. If it don't have the tables, that's at least another $50.

I'd wanna run a board through it, myself. I'd hate to get excited over a reasonable deal (plus driving distance) and have it become a mediocre purchase. It's not a screaming price, if it's in great shape. If it needs new blades, that's another what? 40 bucks? ... so being able to run something through it IS important.

Yeah, i'd probably shy away ... it's right on the edge of a decent deal ... but the new models (with full warranty and fresh blades) sometimes get down to the low 400s - still need tables, but heck, if you consider that I wouldnt' expect to pay more than 250 if it were heavily used and/or had no tables.

[Matt Meiser]

If its really 13" then it has to be a DW735. DW733 and DW734 are 12-1/2". The 733 only has 2 knives.

Edit: I see Jason posted the same info while I was looking it up.

I'd find somewhere to plug it in and run a board. Got a generator?

[Chris Allen]

I greatly appreciate all the replies and info. Yes, it is a 735(13" blades).

Unfortunately(or maybe fortunately) the deal fell through. The guy is a real screwball. He wants to try to meet up again tomorrow. But after reading the rest of these posts, I'll tell him he needs to bring it to my house, hook it up, and run a board. This guy wasted half my day today, and I'm more than a little unhappy about it. Anyways....

It's probably for the best. Again, thanks for the quick help!!!

[James Suzda]

For one thing I wouldn't worry about having any nicks in the used blades. I honesty think that 90% of the planers used by the people on this forum have nicks in their planer blades. A planer is used to mill the lumber to a final thickness, not to get a final finish on the stock.
Don't get me wrong, I like to have my lumber come out of the planer nice and smooth, and I get all "anal" when I see a ridge in my planed lumber right after putting in a new set of knives, but that's life in the woodworking shop. I'm not going to rip the knives out and get them sharpened or replaced just because there is a small ridge in the board.
But, do check the rollers for any undue wear or cuts. If the planer is a 735 it only takes a minute to pull the cover off and check the condition of the screw heads to see if this guy was a "heavy handed" user. (The "T" handled allen wrench should be in the cover.)

[Mike Heidrick]

Need a small hijack from Dewalt 734 planer owners. On the Dewalt 734 does anyone know what size screws hold on the dust collection shroud?