I need some advise on Dewalt 735

[adugas]

Hello
I was able to recently acquire a used Dewalt 735 13" thickness planer that is in really good shape and a more than reasonable price. Since I got I have a few questions:
- What are some problems you have had with your machine to give me a heads up incase happens with mine?
- What is a good helical cutter head to get to replace the blades? Is it worth replaceing the blades for a helical cutter head?
- what kinda cart or stand do you use? I was thinking of trying to make a flip top cart to optimise the small space in my garage. Please post pictures and plans if you have them, thx

I know there is alot of information on here about the same planer,  I just find it hard to search it all and thought id make one post. Please help post link to other threads if you have answer these questions on here before.

Cheers

 

[jbasen]

I don't own a 735 but have been doing research as I'm considering buying one. The only spiral cutter head I have found is the Byrd Shelix

http://www.amazon.com/Byrd-Tool-Shelix-cutterhead-Dewalt/dp/B008CS2QAE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411183868&sr=8-1&keywords=Dewalt+735+helix

 

[#Tee]

i have the 735 and im still on the steel blades. i dont use it enough to justify for the price tag of the helical cutter which is worth it if you use it all the time. i also dont use it enough to make a cart or stand for it, stead i just put mine on a small dolly and slide it away when its not in use.

ive encountered snipe a few times on some hard maple and did nothing to correct it lol..its hit or miss. if you want to spruce it up you can mount a wixey gauge  on it. its been a great planer for me just make sure you have some hearing protection!

 

[Sparktrician]

I will be getting the Byrd Shelix sometime soon.  I'm also going to be building a roll-around cart that will have the 735's infeed/outfeed tables at 900mm AFF so I can use the MFTs as extension tables.  The cart will also have a place to put the Dust Deputy's bucket. 

 

[Claimdude]

Cross-cut,

I have the DeWalt 735 and installed the Shelix Byrd Head over a year ago (bought it from Holbren, they give a 10% discount to creekers I think). Outstanding results and worth the money. I can take as big of a bite in a pass but the cut, noise, and everthing else is far superior to the old straight knives. I haven't even thought about turning the inserts so they are still on the 1st of 4 sides.

Jack

 

[jbasen]

There have been a lot of comments on the 735 on this thread

http://festoolownersgroup.com/other-tools-accessories/thickness-planer-choices/msg341287/?topicseen#msg341287

 

[adugas]

There have been a lot of comments on the 735 on this thread

http://festoolownersgroup.com/other-tools-accessories/thickness-planer-choices/msg341287/?topicseen#msg341287

Thx, I been following that thread also,  but just thought talking about the dewalt 735 specifcally was really the main topic for the title. Thought by starting this thread all info related to the dewalt 735 would be linked or posted here.

Please add any input have about this machine so myself other cam learn from your knowledge.
Cheers

 

[grbmds]

This might not be the appropriate thread for this question but. . . How difficult is it to install the Byrd cutter head? Is there a description somewhere or an online installation manual that would show me? I have an 8" jointer with a similar cutter head and the results are amazing. While I have always gotten good results from the 735 with the regular cutter head and steel knives, I have considered switching but was concerned that it might be a big job to do so.

 

[jbasen]

This might not be the appropriate thread for this question but. . . How difficult is it to install the Byrd cutter head? Is there a description somewhere or an online installation manual that would show me? I have an 8" jointer with a similar cutter head and the results are amazing. While I have always gotten good results from the 735 with the regular cutter head and steel knives, I have considered switching but was concerned that it might be a big job to do so.

If you do a search on youtube for

dewalt 735 planer

You will find a bunch of videos on how to change the cutter head.

 

[Dunn wood]

I have a Dewalt 735. The outfield tables are a must. I have mine on a Dewalt stand and the only problem is when you put the third roller up to move the machine it always tips and the rubber foot on the single roller side hits the floor, a little annoying, but a nice stand. Once after running 6" of 1 x 4 maple through and having the just sharpened Dewalt blade leave a line I got a Shelix head. Pretty easy to install, http://www.byrdtool.com/files/Download/Dewalt735.pdf. Only problem be prepared for a lot of sanding after. Ran about 500 ft of 1x4 ample through it, fast, very quiet. This was stained black. Went ahead and gave it light sand, 120 then 180, felt good and smooth to the touch, stained it, all looked good. Put the first coat of lacquer on, let it dry, and what a mess. The Shelix head leaves a very visible scalloping. Had to sand everything starting with 80 and then up. Very difficult to get rid of all the scallops. I just wish Dewalt made a better blade, the straight blade does a far better job but does not last and and is very noisy compared to the Shelix, but the sanding that must be done with the Shelix. Next time I would NOT install the Shelix, just invest in more blades. The planer though is in my opinion one of the best small planers on the market. There is someone making carbide knives for this machine, if I can find them I will add it here. I think they are about $150.00

 

[jbasen]

I have a Dewalt 735. The outfield tables are a must. I have mine on a Dewalt stand and the only problem is when you put the third roller up to move the machine it always tips and the rubber foot on the single roller side hits the floor, a little annoying, but a nice stand. Once after running 6" of 1 x 4 maple through and having the just sharpened Dewalt blade leave a line I got a Shelix head. Pretty easy to install, http://www.byrdtool.com/files/Download/Dewalt735.pdf. Only problem be prepared for a lot of sanding after. Ran about 500 ft of 1x4 ample through it, fast, very quiet. This was stained black. Went ahead and gave it light sand, 120 then 180, felt good and smooth to the touch, stained it, all looked good. Put the first coat of lacquer on, let it dry, and what a mess. The Shelix head leaves a very visible scalloping. Had to sand everything starting with 80 and then up. Very difficult to get rid of all the scallops. I just wish Dewalt made a better blade, the straight blade does a far better job but does not last and and is very noisy compared to the Shelix, but the sanding that must be done with the Shelix. Next time I would NOT install the Shelix, just invest in more blades. The planer though is in my opinion one of the best small planers on the market. There is someone making carbide knives for this machine, if I can find them I will add it here. I think they are about $150.00

Interesting about the carbide blades.  I found them on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/DeWalt-DW735-Carbide-Tipped-Planer/dp/B004D9L9AO

 

[Dunn wood]

I have a Dewalt 735. The outfield tables are a must. I have mine on a Dewalt stand and the only problem is when you put the third roller up to move the machine it always tips and the rubber foot on the single roller side hits the floor, a little annoying, but a nice stand. Once after running 6" of 1 x 4 maple through and having the just sharpened Dewalt blade leave a line I got a Shelix head. Pretty easy to install, http://www.byrdtool.com/files/Download/Dewalt735.pdf. Only problem be prepared for a lot of sanding after. Ran about 500 ft of 1x4 ample through it, fast, very quiet. This was stained black. Went ahead and gave it light sand, 120 then 180, felt good and smooth to the touch, stained it, all looked good. Put the first coat of lacquer on, let it dry, and what a mess. The Shelix head leaves a very visible scalloping. Had to sand everything starting with 80 and then up. Very difficult to get rid of all the scallops. I just wish Dewalt made a better blade, the straight blade does a far better job but does not last and and is very noisy compared to the Shelix, but the sanding that must be done with the Shelix. Next time I would NOT install the Shelix, just invest in more blades. The planer though is in my opinion one of the best small planers on the market. There is someone making carbide knives for this machine, if I can find them I will add it here. I think they are about $150.00

Interesting about the carbide blades.  I found them on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/DeWalt-DW735-Carbide-Tipped-Planer/dp/B004D9L9AO

Great, now I don't have to look for it.

 

[grbmds]

This might not be the appropriate thread for this question but. . . How difficult is it to install the Byrd cutter head? Is there a description somewhere or an online installation manual that would show me? I have an 8" jointer with a similar cutter head and the results are amazing. While I have always gotten good results from the 735 with the regular cutter head and steel knives, I have considered switching but was concerned that it might be a big job to do so.

If you do a search on youtube for

dewalt 735 planer

You will find a bunch of videos on how to change the cutter head.

After getting to Step 19 on the second of three videos, I think I'll pass on the Shelix cutter head replacement. I will use up the remaining sets of 3 knives which I bought for around $50 per set and, when I get to the end of life on those, I will look for carbide tipped replacements. Since I see that they seem to be in the $150 range, I would expect that this may be as economical as the Shelix head even given the longer life. I think the Shelix head may give a better surface, but my steel knives already give a great smooth surface. It's just the blade life which is a small problem.

 

[Dunn wood]

This might not be the appropriate thread for this question but. . . How difficult is it to install the Byrd cutter head? Is there a description somewhere or an online installation manual that would show me? I have an 8" jointer with a similar cutter head and the results are amazing. While I have always gotten good results from the 735 with the regular cutter head and steel knives, I have considered switching but was concerned that it might be a big job to do so.

If you do a search on youtube for

dewalt 735 planer

You will find a bunch of videos on how to change the cutter head.

After getting to Step 19 on the second of three videos, I think I'll pass on the Shelix cutter head replacement. I will use up the remaining sets of 3 knives which I bought for around $50 per set and, when I get to the end of life on those, I will look for carbide tipped replacements. Since I see that they seem to be in the $150 range, I would expect that this may be as economical as the Shelix head even given the longer life. I think the Shelix head may give a better surface, but my steel knives already give a great smooth surface. It's just the blade life which is a small problem.

The Shelix head does not give a better surface, although it is amazingly quieter and lasts a lot longer. Steel/carbide knives would do far better. The Shelix head WILL leave scallops that are difficult to sand out.

 

[grbmds]

With my 8" jointer, it has not been my experience that the helical cutter head produces a surface with scallops that are not sandable, but rather a smoother surface than my previous jointer with straight steel knives. There are "scallops", for sure. However, they are extremely shallow and very easy to either plane or sand. since I run the board jointed on one side through the planer (which now has steel knives) I get great results.

Actually, from reading a fair amount on this topic, it is possible that the straight carbide tipped knives will not produce as flat and smooth a surface as the steel knives with (when they are sharp and without nicks). I don't have any way to make that comparison right  now.

Regardless, the helical head installation seems to be a big job with a lot of disassembling and reassembling of the planer. I don't wish to do all of that. Before I'd do that I might see if I could ind a buyer for my existing 735 and buy a new planer with helical heads from the factory.

 

[Claimdude]

My 735 with Shelix run on slow feed speed leaves a surface that slicker than owl snot. I too had heard the tales of bad scallops. Not my experience though.

Jack

With my 8" jointer, it has not been my experience that the helical cutter head produces a surface with scallops that are not sandable, but rather a smoother surface than my previous jointer with straight steel knives. There are "scallops", for sure. However, they are extremely shallow and very easy to either plane or sand. since I run the board jointed on one side through the planer (which now has steel knives) I get great results.

Actually, from reading a fair amount on this topic, it is possible that the straight carbide tipped knives will not produce as flat and smooth a surface as the steel knives with (when they are sharp and without nicks). I don't have any way to make that comparison right  now.

Regardless, the helical head installation seems to be a big job with a lot of disassembling and reassembling of the planer. I don't wish to do all of that. Before I'd do that I might see if I could ind a buyer for my existing 735 and buy a new planer with helical heads from the factory.

 

[pmarcusm]

I have the 735 with the Shelix and I get no scalloping at all. It does take some time to change it out. I like to tinker with stuff, so it wasn't that bad. I would say to watch the youtube videos and use the instructions with the  Shelix.
I personally think it was well worth it. I will have to admit that I didn't use the machine with factory blades. I bought both new and installed the Sheilx before I even turned the machine on. I have a friend that told me about the Shelix and started researching and decided to just replace it while the 735 was nice and clean  [big grin]

Marcus, my 2 cents

 

[aju3169]

I bought a new dewalt 735 about 4 years ago and put in a Shelix head straight away.  I use it for very hard and abrasive Australian hardwoods such as redgum.  The main advantages are the low noise,  easier on the motor, and much longer lasting blades (I have only just rotated the insert blades after nearly 4 years). In that time, I have used it to thickness timber for making 2 beds, 4 side tables, entertainment unit, coffee table, spiral staircase, outdoor decking, plus many other smaller projects.  There is some minor scalloping of the surface but is easily taken care of with sanding, hand planing, or scraping.  Anyway, who uses timber straight from the planer without some extra level of surface preparation?