Benchtop planer

[DanesRFun]

I’m contemplating a planer
Have been traveling down the woodworking path more this year… albeit slowly.
Urban, high density area, basement hobbyist/DIY’er, so limited on space, access, and sound level is very important.
From my reading it sounds like a helical head on a benchtop will improve the sound by magnitudes, so that seemed like a minimum requirement.
There’s a regular market of used Dewalt 734 and 735’s on fb marketplace near me for ~$500+ Adding the Byrd Shelix cutterhead adds another $500+.
Or… there’s this Findbuytool FB131H lunchbox planer that comes with a helical head and report of 83db sound level and currently on sale at $658 all in for the US version.
Unfortunately, I don’t know enough to know what to look out for…
I’ve seen nothing but good reviews on the FBT… but all from “influencers” or other social media unknowns… as if the company has been paying for a push. But I don’t know… I’d never heard of the company until recently.
I’ve read the Dewalts are well thought of solid machines…, that the option for slower speed is helpful for good results with difficult boards, and that the Shelix adds a little draw on the motor so thinner passes may be needed on wider boards.
Do I just go for the easy/fast/cheap FBT and get on with what a planer can add for as long as it works out? Or would I be happier finding a well cared for Dewalt 734? 735? And going to the trouble to change out the cutterhead to the Byrd Shelix?
I’m not doing a lot of projects currently or very quickly as I’m still very limited in physical strength (long story), and the current phase of rehab is I’m better off doing less rather than more… and this phase may not change very quickly. Would the disassembly and reassembly of a used Dewalt with a new cutterhead be too much to manage? I am concerned the Dewalt route may be too much trouble given my lack of mechanical experience, and limited physical issues combined with the exorbitant cost of physical therapy. (Doing things I shouldn’t requires more PT to fix what I make worse). I can follow instructions… but if they’re not written well, and I struggle, will I end up spending $$$ to recover from that struggle.
So do I try the cheap and easy FBT… and get on with life as it is… or am I unlikely to be unhappy with the ability/quality of such a planer?
Another choice is that Byrd sells a Dewalt 735 with the Shelix already installed, but then the cost jumps to $2015 all in… which then makes better planers sound less out of reach financially.
Or should I continue awhile longer doing without a planer until such time that I can justify and manage the expense, size &weight of one of the better planers I’ve read about here on FOG?
Hefting my old 1/2” Dewalt router around is not likely doing me any favors on the PT front... but as mentioned, I’m not doing a lot of projects or very quickly. And I suppose I could set up a dedicated router sled area with that Dewalt instead of a planer stand. I haven’t been using it anyway because of the weight (I bought a little Makita trim router over the summer that I’ve been using instead).

And added to the equation is that it’s very likely that I will move within the next 1.5 years.

Any and all thoughts and advice is much appreciated.

I’m so tired of this very long rehab process, I worry I’m letting myself be seduced down the easy and impatient path, and then will regret it. I don’t trust myself to make a good decision…

 

[Vtshopdog]

I'm going to skip commenting on specific machines but focus on your repeated mentions of physical limitations. Benchtop planers will likely be 60-80 pounds plus fairly bulky and awkward to lift and move about. I suspect the sound level quoted in specs is the machine running - they all howl like a banshee when a piece of wood is passed through. (Segmented cutter head will be less so). Planing is VERY loud in general and I think fairly physically demanding if one is pushing through a fair bit of stock.

Is there a local wood supplier that can do milling when you purchase stock? My local supplier has capability to do milling and panel cutting. Fairly costly when one owns his own machine, but in your case this might be a good half measure to allow you to build your projects with custom thicknesses and not hurt your body. This route would require you plan ahead and limit your flexibility at home.

 

[luvmytoolz]

As posted above, the noise of brushed motor benchtop planers is practically jet engine loud. Even my good quality one with a spiral head is so deafening it absolutely puts me off using it except in dire circumstances. And depending on how much you plan to use it it can also really p**s off the neighbours. I actually stopped using mine long ago for this reason.

Even though space and money might be tight, springing a little more for an induction motor planer, or even a cheaper combo planer/thicknesser will give you a machine you'll be able to use frequently without hating it.

Definitely look at some reviews online, the DeWalt I've heard is great, but is deafening. I've bought a lot of gear from FBT and have been very happy with the quality, I've also seen the thickies they have and they look solid to me, no different to most on the market here. But that 83 decibels I'm assuming is unloaded, once you start putting timber through it will dramatically increase the noise level.

 

[DanesRFun]

I'm going to skip commenting on specific machines but focus on your repeated mentions of physical limitations. Benchtop planers will likely be 60-80 pounds plus fairly bulky and awkward to lift and move about. I suspect the sound level quoted in specs is the machine running - they all howl like a banshee when a piece of wood is passed through. (Segmented cutter head will be less so). Planing is VERY loud in general and I think fairly physically demanding if one is pushing through a fair bit of stock.

Is there a local wood supplier that can do milling when you purchase stock? My local supplier has capability to do milling and panel cutting. Fairly costly when one owns his own machine, but in your case this might be a good half measure to allow you to build your projects with custom thicknesses and not hurt your body. This route would require you plan ahead and limit your flexibility at home.

Good points… while I was figuring I would hire out the delivery of a small planer to my basement, I was kinda forgetting about the negative toll of moving bigger boards through with multiple passes. And if the sound is still super loud, that’s not good either. I’ll check with my local suppliers, but I bet there’s at least one who would be happy to mill and cut down for a fee… which will probably turn out to be cheaper in the long run anyway. Thank you!

 

[DanesRFun]

As posted above, the noise of brushed motor benchtop planers is practically jet engine loud. Even my good quality one with a spiral head is so deafening it absolutely puts me off using it except in dire circumstances. And depending on how much you plan to use it it can also really p**s off the neighbours. I actually stopped using mine long ago for this reason.

Even though space and money might be tight, springing a little more for an induction motor planer, or even a cheaper combo planer/thicknesser will give you a machine you'll be able to use frequently without hating it.

Definitely look at some reviews online, the DeWalt I've heard is great, but is deafening. I've bought a lot of gear from FBT and have been very happy with the quality, I've also seen the thickies they have and they look solid to me, no different to most on the market here. But that 83 decibels I'm assuming is unloaded, once you start putting timber through it will dramatically increase the noise level.

Thanks so much. Jet engine loud definitely won’t work!

 

[onocoffee]

I have the 735 and I like it overall. It's certainly no floor mounted Powermatic but it's solid. But it is LOUD. Like 96dB loud. Frickin' LOUD. So much so that sometimes I will wear ear plugs underneath the IsoTunes Aware Link headphones. It's so damn LOUD. It's also 96 pounds, so it's not pleasurable if you have to move it - and before I build a custom cart for it, that was a real PITA.

The other thing about the 735 that I never hear anyone talk about is the dust blower. It has a built-in blower motor that blows as hard as it is loud. The chips BLAST out of the planer. When I got it, I connected it to my shop vac with dustopper. It would blow the lid off the Dustopper. Then I tried the Oneida Dust Deputy and it would blow the Deputy and lid off the bucket. It was utterly miserable - BUT, if you wanted to run a 50 foot hose off the thing to a pile outside your workshop, it would blow the chips to that pile with no problem. On the cart, I ended up mounting a Dust Deputy with a 32ga container below it and a 2.5" hose with a hard 180 degree bend and the force is still strong enough to blow some chips between the container rim and the very snug fit to the underside of the top. It's annoying but I live with it and use a blower to blow it clean after planing.

The best thing is what you noted. There's a lot of them on the used market. I know you're in the Bay Area so I don't know the scene there, but here in the Mid-Atlantic, I see them come up under $500 pretty regularly. Mine is a 2014 build that the seller was asking $400. I asked if he would consider $250 and we had a deal. When I got there, I asked him if he had the key that sits in a slot on the top of the planer - he said he didn't and then dropped the price to $200. Fantastic. Even if I bought the Byrd, the overall cost would be great. The planer itself was in good shape. Seller hadn't used it in years and it was a bit dirty but nothing some cleaning didn't address. So take your time on the used market, ask for a better price and be ready to jump. It's a solid planer that I think is worth the money.

Other than general cleanliness, be prepared to spend an additional $70 on new straight blades or get the FindBuyTool helical head. I've heard from more than a few owners (who bought them, not YouTubers) who like the FBT head. And it's $250 so the price is great and just as easy/hard to install as the Byrd. If you do get one, a couple things to inspect are the drive chains under the black housings on both sides of the planer. Just make sure they aren't too loose. There's also a drive belt inside the left side (when looking at the front) housing that sometimes wears out. I understand the replacement is pretty cheap. I think those are the main items that could be prone to failure depending on how old and how abused the planer.

I do think it's a good/great planer and would buy another if needed. Though I would like to upgrade to the 15" Oliver planer that looks very similar to the 735. I also added the Wixey Digital Readout when Woodcraft had them on sale in September. Installation was pretty straightforward and I think it will help, but I don't really rely on the scale or readout when dimensioning lumber, so I really haven't used it.

But do you really need this?

Honestly, I think it will be better for you, in the long run, to focus on your PT and recovery than much around with any of this equipment. What you don't want is regression. Truth is, these planer deals, whether new or used, will always be there. That "sweetheart deal" will come around again. It's not worth saving the cash if you end up injuring yourself further.

As far as installation, it's relatively straightforward, but if you don't feel mechanically inclined, this is one way to help you overcome that feeling. Lots of people have installed them and I keep telling myself I will buy the FBT head (I've been sidetracked by things like used RS2 and LS130 sanders) and a year later, I still haven't bought the shelix head. That said, I do find the stock straight blades to work perfectly fine, so don't feel pressured to get the shelix head.

When it comes to the Byrd version of the 735, I wouldn't spend the money on that. The Oliver 15" is the insanely better buy at that price point (but it like 160 pounds in weight). Mainly I wouldn't get the Byrd because I once messaged them asking what the difference was with their installed head and they basically said "nothing" - and not in the most pleasant manner, so I wrote Byrd off because of that interaction.

If you decide to go with the FBT planers, I don't think you'll be disappointed. I do prefer the four post style of the 735 and the Machorool FB132H, but I've also used my friend's old Delta two post with great results. In fact, we were just using that old planer last week and it surfaced the white oak perfectly fine. So I would expect the FB131H to be perfectly fine.

 

[luvmytoolz]

@onocoffee The Oliver is a sensational machine, if I was going to buy another lunchbox planer that would be it. Everything about it just screams better in all regards.

 

[DanesRFun]

I have the 735 and I like it overall. It's certainly no floor mounted Powermatic but it's solid. But it is LOUD. Like 96dB loud. Frickin' LOUD. So much so that sometimes I will wear ear plugs underneath the IsoTunes Aware Link headphones. It's so damn LOUD. It's also 96 pounds, so it's not pleasurable if you have to move it - and before I build a custom cart for it, that was a real PITA.

The other thing about the 735 that I never hear anyone talk about is the dust blower. It has a built-in blower motor that blows as hard as it is loud. The chips BLAST out of the planer. When I got it, I connected it to my shop vac with dustopper. It would blow the lid off the Dustopper. Then I tried the Oneida Dust Deputy and it would blow the Deputy and lid off the bucket. It was utterly miserable - BUT, if you wanted to run a 50 foot hose off the thing to a pile outside your workshop, it would blow the chips to that pile with no problem. On the cart, I ended up mounting a Dust Deputy with a 32ga container below it and a 2.5" hose with a hard 180 degree bend and the force is still strong enough to blow some chips between the container rim and the very snug fit to the underside of the top. It's annoying but I live with it and use a blower to blow it clean after planing.

The best thing is what you noted. There's a lot of them on the used market. I know you're in the Bay Area so I don't know the scene there, but here in the Mid-Atlantic, I see them come up under $500 pretty regularly. Mine is a 2014 build that the seller was asking $400. I asked if he would consider $250 and we had a deal. When I got there, I asked him if he had the key that sits in a slot on the top of the planer - he said he didn't and then dropped the price to $200. Fantastic. Even if I bought the Byrd, the overall cost would be great. The planer itself was in good shape. Seller hadn't used it in years and it was a bit dirty but nothing some cleaning didn't address. So take your time on the used market, ask for a better price and be ready to jump. It's a solid planer that I think is worth the money.

Other than general cleanliness, be prepared to spend an additional $70 on new straight blades or get the FindBuyTool helical head. I've heard from more than a few owners (who bought them, not YouTubers) who like the FBT head. And it's $250 so the price is great and just as easy/hard to install as the Byrd. If you do get one, a couple things to inspect are the drive chains under the black housings on both sides of the planer. Just make sure they aren't too loose. There's also a drive belt inside the left side (when looking at the front) housing that sometimes wears out. I understand the replacement is pretty cheap. I think those are the main items that could be prone to failure depending on how old and how abused the planer.

I do think it's a good/great planer and would buy another if needed. Though I would like to upgrade to the 15" Oliver planer that looks very similar to the 735. I also added the Wixey Digital Readout when Woodcraft had them on sale in September. Installation was pretty straightforward and I think it will help, but I don't really rely on the scale or readout when dimensioning lumber, so I really haven't used it.

But do you really need this?

Honestly, I think it will be better for you, in the long run, to focus on your PT and recovery than much around with any of this equipment. What you don't want is regression. Truth is, these planer deals, whether new or used, will always be there. That "sweetheart deal" will come around again. It's not worth saving the cash if you end up injuring yourself further.

As far as installation, it's relatively straightforward, but if you don't feel mechanically inclined, this is one way to help you overcome that feeling. Lots of people have installed them and I keep telling myself I will buy the FBT head (I've been sidetracked by things like used RS2 and LS130 sanders) and a year later, I still haven't bought the shelix head. That said, I do find the stock straight blades to work perfectly fine, so don't feel pressured to get the shelix head.

When it comes to the Byrd version of the 735, I wouldn't spend the money on that. The Oliver 15" is the insanely better buy at that price point (but it like 160 pounds in weight). Mainly I wouldn't get the Byrd because I once messaged them asking what the difference was with their installed head and they basically said "nothing" - and not in the most pleasant manner, so I wrote Byrd off because of that interaction.

If you decide to go with the FBT planers, I don't think you'll be disappointed. I do prefer the four post style of the 735 and the Machorool FB132H, but I've also used my friend's old Delta two post with great results. In fact, we were just using that old planer last week and it surfaced the white oak perfectly fine. So I would expect the FB131H to be perfectly fine.

Thanks so much, very helpful information.

 

[ChuckS]

Either Dewalt 735 (or 734 or Ridgid R4331). Buy it when it's on sale. Or, find them online. I saw new ones often because people buy tools and then lives change.

I put mine on a castered steel cabinet and wheel it around with ease. When handling long and heavy boards, I support them with roller stands.

Unless a milling vendor is close, the travel, the additional cost, and still the need to move the long boards are why we have our own thickness planers. They give us convenience.

If you deal with hardwood and plan to do it a lot, I would recommend having your own planer. The noise issue is easy to deal with: wear ear plugs AND ear muff at the same time. Do the planing between 10 am and 4 pm, with the garage door or, in your case, with any windows closed if the planing session is over half an hour long. My neighor does it on his driveway for years.

 

[DanesRFun]

Either Dewalt 735 (or 734 or Ridgid R4331). Buy it when it's on sale. Or, find them online. I saw new ones often because people buy tools and then lives change.

I put mine on a castered steel cabinet and wheel it around with ease. When handling long and heavy boards, I support them with roller stands.

Unless a milling vendor is close, the travel, the additional cost, and still the need to move the long boards are why we have our own thickness planers. They give us convenience.

If you deal with hardwood and plan to do it a lot, I would recommend having your own planer. The noise issue is easy to deal with: wear ear plugs AND ear muff at the same time. Do the planing between 10 am and 4 pm, with the garage door or, in your case, with any windows closed if the planing session is over half an hour. My neighor does it on his driveway for years.

Thanks Chuck, I appreciate it. I had been imagining building a planer stand with hinged extension pieces. But separate heavier duty proper roller stands makes more sense for my current situation.

 

[Cheese]

I'll chime in to give some personal insight and to dispel some rumors. I've owned both the Dewalt 732 & 734 planers when I was doing on-site work for friends & family, they weighed around 65-70# and were fairly portable. For any in-shop use though, they still should be mounted on a mobile cart. That way you're working at a normal height rather than working off the floor. They both had manual carriage locks that need to be released and locked every time you change the material thickness. If you forget to lock the carriage you get a bunch of snipe across the entire length of the board.

When I became less mobile and more shop centric, I sold them both and purchased a Dewalt 735 with infeed & outfeed tables that was mounted on the Dewalt mobile stand. I installed a Wixey WR 510 DRO along with a Byrd Shelix helical head. The total package is really nice and the mobile stand is an absolute must as the 735 is around 95-100#. The Byrd Shelix conversion reduces the noise by 10-12 dB so that puts it in the low/middle 80's. The sound really isn't that bad and there have been times when I used it to plane just a couple of boards that I didn't even use hearing protection. It's a huge difference in reducing planer noise.

I plumb the exhaust from the 735 into a Jet DC 1100 and don't even bother turning on the Jet. The Dewalt simply pumps all of the chips/dust into the Jet DC for collection.

I've worked with a lot of birds eye maple and the straight blade head will tear out the eyes in the maple no matter how thin of a cut you take. The Shelix head on the other hand, leaves the eyes intact. I installed the smaller diameter Shelix head in my 735 but would install the OEM sized Shelix head if I had to do it again. The install was simple and straight forward except for removing/replacing one very large snap-ring. Taking your time, carefully reading the instructions and being methodical, it's probably a 2 hour process.

 

[Mike Goetzke]

I'm a hobbyist and work out of my garage. I started with the 735 and added a Byrd head but it is still very noisy as others have mentioned. Then I finally decided to tackle a big kitchen remodel and build all the cabinets myself. I got the approval to get a 15" floor standing planer (it is heavy but can be moved around on built-in casters). This machine doesn't take up much more room than the DeWalt on a stand. It is way quieter and for my cabinets I was surprised how many more door panels I could put through it compared to the 13". I added a DRO to it and couldn't be happier.

Something else to be aware of with a planer is you need a decent dust collector. I already had a cyclone dust collector but if you plan to use a vacuum that will add to the noise too.

As others have said it is probably less expensive to have the wood planed at a lumber yard but I actually enjoy milling my own lumber on a jointer and planer.

Good luck!

 

[ChuckS]

As @Cheese stated, the Dewalt (or Ridgid) comes with a built-in chip blower that requires no use of a dust collector for the machine. I connect the exit end of the blower directly to my green bin:

C

Post in thread 'Dust Collection & The DeWalt 735'

Dec 23, 2024

The 735 has a strong fan that can blow the chips directly to any dust bin. I hook up my Ridgid thickness planer to the green bin (for compostable wastes) and seal the opening/gap by wrapping a piece of cloth around it.

[attachimg=1]

• ChuckS

 

[Cheese]

That's one of the nice features of the 735...there's no fancy/expensive DC equipment needed to run the machine. The chip blower is strong enough to allow you to fill a 55 gallon drum WITHOUT dust extraction or some folks just pump the chips outside to use as mulch or as a soil amendment. As I already mentioned, I plug the 735 exhaust into my dust collector but don't turn the DC on...the 735 fills up the bag on its own.

 

[DanesRFun]

Thanks so much @Cheese and @Mike Goetzke . Again, really helpful information.
I don’t have a dust collector… yet. I did see a 735 setup that just blew the chips into a giant bag sitting on the shelf below that looked like it was made of canvas. I only have an old Fein Turbo III shop vac with a dust deputy… (plus a couple of Festool DE’s).
A floor standing planer is probably not in the cards at the moment from a practical sense. I have not measured but I don’t think I could get one into my basement. 1914 house, narrow hall, hard left into a very small stairwell, with another hard left a few steps down. And the stairs are open. Seems not worth the risk at this point, especially given the likelihood of a move coming.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I'm kind of dealing with this too. I have a 735 now, with the standard straight knives. As stated, it is very loud. Part of that is the universal motor, part is the blades hitting the wood itself. The spiral heads change the "impact", but they also load against the motor more, because there is never a "free space". They are in constant contact, but with less of the blade, at that time. I'm totally on the fence about "upgrading." First, I would have to see/use one of those spiral heads, before spending any time or money. I love the spiral head, on my 6" jointer. I really wanted the longer bed of a dedicated machine, but those combo units are pretty attractive.
I have used a 15" PowerMatic, which is quite a bit quieter, even though it can run wider stock. At that point, you're stepping up to 220v, which is a serious limitation, to most users. Which is why the 12"-13" are so popular.
If you are not making money with them, the bigger machines are a big investment, which also includes proper dust collection.
I already have a bigger dust collector (220v) which cuts into my ability to go bigger with the planer. None of it is an immediate need.

For the original topic. I think I would wait, concentrating on PT. Maybe someone locally can help you with the milling?
The moving in a year or so adds to the complexity.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I really wanted the longer bed of a dedicated machine, but those combo units are pretty attractive.

I sold my long bed planer, which I did love and found invaluable, when I had the house rewired so I could finally use my Jet 10" combo. I still need to sort a spiral head for it which has turned out a bit of a pain to locate one economically, but a combo absolutely rocks! It's the best of both worlds, and as they're larger with more mass, and usually an induction motor, they are orders of magnitude more quiet.

If you get a combo, definitely get one that both tables lift as one, the separate table machines are a pain to calibrate.

 

[DanesRFun]

Thank you @Crazyraceguy and @luvmytoolz, more great info for now and future. Yes, I have read several threads on FOG about some of the free standing and combo setups with great interest… that and a potential move in my relative near future probably make waiting likely the better answer even without the whole PT part of the equation.
But after an already prolonged journey back, it’s hard to continue to be patient and not just want to jump/push ahead.

 

[Steve1]

I have a DW-735 and have used it with straight blades and with helical carbide head. Probably a bit quieter with the helical head, but darned loud in either case. I won't use it without first putting on hearing protection.

Do you have a dust collection system ? One advantage of the DW-735 is the built in blower. Planers make a lot of chips. I have a proper dust collection system now, but I used my DW-735 for several years with the planer exhausting into a dust collector bag which I fixtured right beside the planer. Others have done things like exhausting through a cyclone and into a garbage bin. Others discharge onto the floor and sweep up later.

When you start using the planer, you will learn about planer snipe. You will likely then find all sorts of perfect solutions on Youtube for the snipe. And then find they are not so perfect. On the benchtop sized planers, a lot of it is simply from the upper structure tilting a bit when only one roller is engaged. Fair chance an old used planer will have more play and more and more snipe than a new planer.

 

[Vtshopdog]

.....that and a potential move in my relative near future probably make waiting likely the better answer even without the whole PT part of the equation.
But after an already prolonged journey back, it’s hard to continue to be patient and not just want to jump/push ahead.

Danes - I'm in rehab boat myself and have spent pretty much all of 2025 recovering from surgery for a really nasty knee injury and do PT for 15-18 hours a week. Regressions and setbacks are part of the package but avoidable ones kinda stink.

YMMV, but personally I seem to be fairly bad at limiting my activity decisions on a daily/hourly basis and have found it best if life is arranged to remove as many temptations as possible from my existence writ large. These usually take the form of "mission creep" where I start out doing something reasonable then some expedience driven singularity emerges where I attempt to climb a ladder, lift too heavy an object or whatever. (Sort of like making "just one cut" without safety glasses in the shop or something similar....)

Depending on your injury and how disciplined you are an 80# bench top planer seems an invitation for mission creep that might ultimately set you back in long haul.