Planer Choices -- Grizzly G0505 or the Dewalt 735x?

[Jay Michaels]

As Christmas approaches, my father has offered to purchase a planer for me -- a huge and welcome addition to my shop.

He has already tagged for consideration the Grizzly G0505 (~$500) or the Grizzly G1037Z Planer/Molder (~$1100).

I have very little (if any) use for a molder; I cannot anticipate using it in the future. With that said, if I'm not going to use the molder aspect of the G1037Z, it seems to step up to that price point (it is double the price of the G0505 or the Dewalt) would be a bit of a waste, would it not? Is there some other difference between the two I may be overlooking?

The one I've had my eye on for quite some time was the Dewalt 735X (~$550); that one wasn't on my dad's radar.

So what I'm really wondering is how the DeWalt 735x and the Grizly G0505 stack up against one-another. What say you, SMC?

Edit to add: Perhaps I should also be entertaining the Grizzly G0815 15" 4-post machine -- which I assume would be an appreciable step up from the Dewalt? It doesn't have the molder capacity (that I don't need) and runs around $1K.

[Cary Falk]

The advantage of the

Grizzly G1037Z Is that it has a induction motor instead of a universal motor. It will last longer, have more power, and will be quieter. I would buy the Dewalt over the

Grizzly G0505 simply due to the known history. I would choose the 815 0ver the 1037 due to hp and width.

[Patrick Varley]

I'd take the G0815 without hesitation. The 735x is the best mahine in it's class, but it's not a fair comparison to the G0815. Same for comparing the 735x to the G0505, which is more comparable to the DW734.

The other option would be to look around for an old Delta/Rockwell RC-33 or Delta 380, which should be in your price range.

[Andrew Seemann]

I've got the G0453, the enclosed stand version of the G0815; it is a nice machine. Too bad you are not in MN, I've got a Delta 22-580 listed for cheap.

[Charles Lent]

I think it will depend more on what you do as to which planer will be best for you. In the end, you may find that you want both. Other than both being planers, they really are quite different in their capabilities.

I have the 735X and mostly use it for shorter lengths of re-sawn hardwoods. I like it because of the almost non existent snipe and the very smooth planned surface that it creates. I have owned two other planers before buying the DeWalt and snipe was my biggest complaint with them.

If you will be using your planer for larger quantities of longer boards and losing 5-6" of the end of each board isn't important, a larger planer with an induction motor should work better for you. For me, the 735X has been perfect for me. I've owned it for about 8 years and use it several times a month, but again, only on a few shorter 2-4' boards at a time. My 735X is mounted on a Delta Miter Saw / Planer stand that folds into a hand truck shape. I store it on end in the corner of my shop, so it only takes about 3 square feet of space. It always gets used outside my shop in the parking area with the DeWalt hose barrel cover accessory attached to a plastic 55 gallon barrel. My shop is very small and my dust collector incapable of handling the volume that the 735X produces, so this works best for me. The internal blower in the 735 does a great job of blowing the chips into the barrel and there is no mess, unless the fabric cover comes loose from the barrel. You don't want to use the 735X without some kind of chip collection because the blower can throw the chips about 15' straight out of the port. DAMHIKT. Other planers just let them fall to the floor if no collector is present.

Charley

[Lisa Starr]

I have a older version (G1021) of the G0815 and love, love, love it. With careful setup, it does a great job planing everything from heavy, old rough sawn 3" x 14" Joists I'm re-purposing to relatively short (18") thin stock. Provided the in and out feed tables are set correctly and you provide additional support when planing long stock, you will experience minimal snipe.

[Rege Sullivan]

I have the DW735 but I've used some other larger, more commercial like that did not leave nearly as nice a surface as the Dewalt. I really can't say which is better but I'd be tempted to give one of the Grizzlies a shot if I were in you enviable position. Either one does really well holding their value so how bad of a mistake could either a Grizzly or Dewalt planer be? Not sure I'd give up my DW735 to try another brand at this point unless I need something bigger than 13 inches wide.

[Jay Michaels]

Thank you all for the excellent input; I greatly appreciate it.

I think I'll be passing along that the best options would be either the Dewalt 735x or the Grizzly G0815...but any other input people have is always welcome.

[Charles Lent]

Your choices are good, but you need to decide if you will be planning a lot of lumber to dimension or will be doing smaller amounts and want near perfect results. Once you determine this, your choice will be easy. I know a finish carpenter who has a Delta 15" planer in his shop and a 735 "in his truck "for finish work". He says the big planer is nice for planning rough sawn stock to dimension, but the quality of finish achieved with the 735 is why he owns both. My first post was my own opinions combined with his comments about why he has both.

Charley

[Chris Hachet]

Pretty much what everyone else has said. The 735 is an amazing machine. That being said....I wanted more power and an induction motor. I bought a vintage Powermatic 100 in great shape for less than the cost of a 735 and never looked back.

The 735 has a huge advantage in being light weight and portable. If needing to move it around your shop easily and not dedicate floor space to machine and mobile base is an issue....you will be very happy with the 735.

[Julie Moriarty]

The Dewalt DW735 is bone rattling loud! I measured it at 126dB under load. Some, including myself, have had problems with the head staying put. Dewalt claims it's self-locking but I found if the handle is at 90 degrees to the table, the weight of it can cause the wheel to rotate and the head to drop. Not good when planing! Dewalt knives are not known for holding an edge long and run about $80 a set. You'll appreciate the extra pair included in the 735X. You might want to consider carbide knives in the future. You can plane to the full width if you take miniscule passes. I was taking 1/8 of a turn on wide boards. With all those light passes, knife wear becomes an issue.

On the plus side, the 735 planes silky smooth. Pretty impressive for a straight knife planer. The infeed and outfeed tables included in the 735X have a slight uptilt on them to reduce snipe. It works pretty well but you'll need something more with long boards. If you don't have dust collection, you need something to catch the chips. The internal dust blower shoots the chips across the room. I installed the Wixey digital height gauge on mine which worked very well.

[Chris Hachet]

The Dewalt DW735 is bone rattling loud! I measured it at 126dB under load. Some, including myself, have had problems with the head staying put. Dewalt claims it's self-locking but I found if the handle is at 90 degrees to the table, the weight of it can cause the wheel to rotate and the head to drop. Not good when planing! Dewalt knives are not known for holding an edge long and run about $80 a set. You'll appreciate the extra pair included in the 735X. You might want to consider carbide knives in the future. You can plane to the full width if you take miniscule passes. I was taking 1/8 of a turn on wide boards. With all those light passes, knife wear becomes an issue.

On the plus side, the 735 planes silky smooth. Pretty impressive for a straight knife planer. The infeed and outfeed tables included in the 735X have a slight uptilt on them to reduce snipe. It works pretty well but you'll need something more with long boards. If you don't have dust collection, you need something to catch the chips. The internal dust blower shoots the chips across the room. I installed the Wixey digital height gauge on mine which worked very well.

Exactly why I bought the powermatic. Even without a helical head I can have a conversation with someone standing next to me while I am planing 12/4 wide oak boards....

[Ben Zara]

The dewalt planers are great as long as your shop is in a basement or you don't have neighbors.

Even in an insulated garage, the dewalt will make any close neighbors think that an air raid siren is going off. It's hard to impart just how freaking loud it is.

[Charles Lent]

"The 735 has a huge advantage in being light weight and portable. If needing to move it around your shop easily and not dedicate floor space to machine and mobile base is an issue....you will be very happy with the 735."

Light and portable? It weighs 95 lbs. Yes, it has handles, but I don't consider it portable.

Mine is mounted on a miter saw/planer stand that folds into a hand truck like form, so I can store both the planer and stand upright in the corner of my shop, yet easily wheel it outside and set it up for use. https://www.dewalt.com/products/acce...w-stand/dwx726. At the age of 76 and with my heart and knee problems I can no longer manage lifting and carrying a 95 lb item more than a couple of feet before having problems. A gas spring in this stand takes most of the lifting weight away, so lifting the stand into working height is relatively easy. It folds back down just about the same. Just lift it slightly and push the release lock, then lower it into it's folded position. Then I pick the handled end of the stand up and wheel it back into the shop, leaving it standing up on end with the 735 still attached and sitting in the corner of my shop until I need it again. My shop is small, so I always use it outside in the parking area. I have the DeWalt hose and barrel cover option, so it gets connected and attached to a 55 gallon plastic barrel. With the internal blower in the 735, this method of chip collection works very well, as long as the barrel cover stays attached to the barrel. I always wear hearing protection and safety glasses when operating the 735 planer, and have never had problems with the planer height adjustment changing while in use. Fortunately, I live on 3 acres and my nearest neighbor's house is hundreds of feet from where I use the planer. I also don't use it very often and never at night, so I have never had a noise complaint from one of my neighbors. It is very loud though, and I can see where it wouldn't be best to use it outside if you were very close to a neighbor. My main reason for outside use is because my shop is small and it would not be very easy to use it inside, especially with longer boards.

Charley

[andy bessette]

Neither. Look for an early Delta 13" 4-post planer. Zero snipe.