Dewalt 735. Upgrade or Replace?

[Keegan Shields]

I’m not saying they don’t work.
I have a one in my planer the most boring machine i use.
The point I’m making its not a upgrade Like everyone is reporting. Carbide knives are better. I had a jointer with a insert head. I also had a 735 with carbide knives.
Don’t get all butt hurt Keegan. I’m not saying you wasn’t your money.
Good Luck

To be clear, you’re saying the Byrd heads do work, but they aren’t an upgrade? Do you have personal experience with a Byrd head in a 735?

I no longer own a 735, but the helical head performed well and didn’t require an insert rotation in the 2 years I owned it. The downside, as I stated, is the light passes required. I’ve read feedback from other users that rotating the inserts can reduce the finish quality, but have no personal experience with that.

[Andrew Hughes]

I have a bryd head in my powermatic planer.
I’m posting two pics can you guess what side is with a insert head that’s less then 10 years old and a knife head that’s over 50 years old.
Its obvious I’m not going to convince you that knives can perform as well as I say. It took me some time in years to figure out how to mill with high speed steel. First step buy good Hss say no to low quality cheap knives on Amazon.

[Brian Gumpper]

I’ve read feedback from other users that rotating the inserts can reduce the finish quality, but have no personal experience with that.

I'm willing to bet that those uses didn't follow the procedure to seat the inserts, didn't clean the seats and/or possibly didn't torque them down. Seating the inserts properly has a procedure and despite what some of my customers have done, you cannot take a ratchet to them and go full bore.

[John Kananis]

No experience with the Byrd head but I still own my 735 with straight knives and also own a 3hp floor standing machine with helical head. Run a spalted maple board through a straight knife machine and then the other side on a planer with helical head. The difference will be quite large. For instance.

Andrew, that second pic looks very, very wrong. Something isn't working correctly there.

Edit: sorry, forgot to comment on the OP...I would upgrade to a larger more capable machine when I could and keep the straight knives in the machine (and your money in your pocket).

[Andrew Hughes]

That's the surface a bryd head leaves on soft wood like port orford cedar. This planer is almost done with its second seton inserts.
Everything torqued to speck and clean. If your insert head doesn’t leave a surface like this give it time it will eventually
Good Luck

[Keegan Shields]

That's the surface MY bryd head leaves on soft wood like port orford cedar. This planer is almost done with its second seton inserts.
Everything torqued to speck and clean. If your insert head doesn’t leave a surface like this give it time it will eventually
Good Luck

Clearly, your inserts are ready to be rotated or you have some other issue going on...

I've had four machines with insert heads, 3 Byrd, 1 Felder, and none of them have had any trouble with tear out in any hardness of wood, including pine, cedar, and basswood. I've rotated the inserts on two of the machines.

As far as surface finish goes, yes sharp straight knives leave a better finish in most woods. However, a thickness planer's job isn't to leave a finish ready surface. Its job is to reduce the thickness of a workpiece and leave a surface with no tear out. I hate sharpening knives and setting them. Insert heads excel at that all three.

Lets not move the goal posts eh?

[Keegan Shields]

I have a bryd head in my powermatic planer.
I’m posting two pics can you guess what side is with a insert head that’s less then 10 years old and a knife head that’s over 50 years old.
Its obvious I’m not going to convince you that knives can perform as well as I say. It took me some time in years to figure out how to mill with high speed steel. First step buy good Hss say no to low quality cheap knives on Amazon.

Its clear you don't have personal experience with a DW735/Byrd head combination, which was what the OP is asking about.

Try not to get out over your ski's friend...

[Andrew Hughes]

I have enough experience to suggest a better combination. The op isn’t asking for anyone to validate his choice anymore now my words carry on to the passer bye.
Keep your 735 a knife machine if the awful oem knives aren’t good enough try the infinity after market blades. The carbide tipped will absolutely satisfy. In the past I’ve posted a simple fixture to sharpen dewalt knives. If you want to see it and can’t find it let me know. I can post it.
Thats my message.
Good Luck

[Curt Harms]

BS. There are thousands of satisfied customers using the 735 Byrd head in question. There are tens of thousands of helical heads in use on the US jointer/planer market. I’ve owned both and they both worked very well. Many others on this forum have had the same experience.

One guy burned out two motors and had overheating problems. From personal experience, I know it’s easy to take too thick of a pass on a DW735. With either type of head. If your machine is overheating, you are likely doing it wrong.

That sounds like an ammeter might be a good investment. I'm pretty sure an ammeter is cheaper than a replacement motor. A brief search on Ebay shows something that seems suitable for $13.99 free shipping

[James Jayko]

You two should meet out by the bus entrance and settle this like men lol

FWIW, I have the DeWalt with the Shellix head and it works great.

[Mark Wedel]

I actually remember some youtube video of someone comparing amperage draw of the 735 with helical cutterhead and straight knives. I don't remember the specifics of which helical cutter they used, but the results where the 735 draw a little less power when using the helical cutterhead vs straight knives. My recollection is that the test methodology seemed reasonable (as reasonable as you can get when you are feeding something that is never going to be 100% consistent like wood through the machine)

[Cameron Wood]

If the machine performed well for two years and now does not, even after replacing the knives (if this is correct), it would be good to figure out the cause of the problem before replacing more knives..

[Curt Harms]

I actually remember some youtube video of someone comparing amperage draw of the 735 with helical cutterhead and straight knives. I don't remember the specifics of which helical cutter they used, but the results where the 735 draw a little less power when using the helical cutterhead vs straight knives. My recollection is that the test methodology seemed reasonable (as reasonable as you can get when you are feeding something that is never going to be 100% consistent like wood through the machine)

Depth of cut would be one variable. I use the Jet jointer/planer as an example. Jet sells two machines, JJP-12 with straight knives (since replaced with a new model) and JJP-12HH with helical head. AFAIK they were identical except for the cutterhead. The feed speeds were different, 20 FPM for the straight knife and 12 FPM for the helical. The motors were the same, the reason for the slower feed speed for the helical head was said to be power requirement. Byrd makes a helical head to refit the Jet JJP-12. I asked about power and they claimed their (Byrd's) head would work at 20 PFM. I figured they would but at reduced depth of cut. Other people that retrofitted JJP-12s bought the parts to slow the feed speed. If I were to make that change, I'd probably get an ammeter to mount to the machine, simpler than replacing parts. If I don't exceed the rated amperage I shouldn't damage anything. I haven't so far felt the need for the helical head.

[David Kenagy]

I should have mentioned another factor that (I think) affects the labor we're putting that motor through: sharpness
I was tempted to leave the cutters as I received them until a chip or something obvious told me they were dull. But when I noticed that the boards were slowing down their pass rate, I figured the cutter wasn't removing enough and the outfeed roller might slip because of the excess remaining thickness. The slippage improved a lot when I rotated Byrd cutters that still felt sharp to touch. I suspect that such adds to the labor we're putting the motor through.

I think the higher amp circuit reduces the amount of tripping if the DW735 is drawing more than 15 A. But a 20 A breaker shouldn't reduce the amperage that the motor consumes, nor the heat if that amperage exceeds the engineered value. If I'm right, then the fact my motor burned out (and yours didn't) wouldn't be affected by a higher-rated breaker. In fact, if the breaker isn't stopping the abuse when we get > 15A, then I should be at greater risk of overheating and motor damage. Sharper cutters, though....

[Mike Congiusti]

It seems I ignited a storm. But it is good to have a conversation and discuss everyone’s opinion.

So, I ordered the Byrd head, and it came on Thursday. I installed it today and it took about an hour and a half. It was pretty easy.

My $.02. The sound of just running the machine sounds deeper. As I run work through it the high pitch sound is gone. I ran some oak and cherry, and the boards came out clean, no ridges and perfectly smooth. Does it run and sound like my old Powermatic 209HH….. not even close. LOL

For me, I hope this puts this to rest as I have several projects going on in the next few months.

Thanks all for your input.