Suggestions for an Entry Planar

[ear3]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] Thanks.  Was there a big difference in terms of performance as well?  I know the 735 has two speeds, but I've never really thought the single speed on the 734 compromised its performance.  I've surfaced all manner of hardwoods on it by this point, and with one or two exceptions never got any tear-out.  And since I sand everything afterwards I don't really need the "glass-finish" promised in the 735 specs on the slow speed.

I think I asked once before on a previous thread the differences between the Dewalt 734 and 735, and got mixed responses, but the overall consensus was that the 735 wasn't "that" much better than the 734.  But some of the comments here, and certainly the magazine review, suggests that it is? 

Edward,
I owned the Dewalt 733 which is basically an earlier version of the 734. I've owned the 735 for the last 10-12 years. There is no comparison between the 733/734 and the 735. Two completely different tools. Think moped vs motorcycle. The 733 was kind of toy-like, being made from fabricated sheet metal and the manual carriage lock was always an issue. The 735 is very well built and a solid performer.

However, when I owned the 733, I'd move it from job to job if I needed it because it wasn't that much trouble. I've yet to move the 735 from out of the basement. It may be only 12# heavier, but it is just too bulky/heavy/clumsy for one person to move, especially up and down stairs.

 

[semenza]

  I had the 733 (two knife) in use up until a couple weeks ago. The feed rollers needed replacing so I took the opportunity to upgrade to the 735 instead. I have only had it in use for a couple weeks but it is much nicer. The three knives leave a better finish in the fast feed rate and the slow feed rate produces a really smooth finish. I know that it will reduce, and in some cases eliminate sanding.

  I highly recommend the table extensions. There is very little sticking out of the planer housing to start a board on with out them.

The 734 is basically a three knife version of the 733.

I don't think you will find a better choice any where near the price of the 735 but the 734 could be a very close second for a couple hundred less.

Seth

 

[Cheese]

[member=37411]Edward A Reno III[/member]
I think there are 3 reasons to upgrade to the 735 and 2 reasons not to.

Upgrade if having a more enjoyable user experience is important to you. 

Upgrade if dust collection is important. The 735 has its own blower and in conjunction with a 4" DC setup, will collect at the same rate as the Kapex.

Upgrade if you need or want to use a Shelix head on figured wood. I found out that I got tons of tear-out on birds eye maple. Just about every "eye" got ripped out.

Don't upgrade if mobility is important.

Don't upgrade if money is dear or if you only use the planer once in a while.

Whoops...almost forgot, as Seth said, the extensions are not optional but MANDATORY.

 

[ear3]

Got it [member=44099]Cheese[/member] .  Thanks.  As I said, I'm pretty happy with my 734 (maybe 5-6 yrs old now?), so I'll hold off until it completes its natural life cycle.  Mobility is actually important, since I have to stow it under the lathe stand when not in use.  I can handle the 734, but I do have occasional back issues that make frequent bending down to grab a 90+ lb. tool off the ground not necessarily the wisest move.

[member=37411]Edward A Reno III[/member]
I think there are 3 reasons to upgrade to the 735 and 2 reasons not to.

Upgrade if having a more enjoyable user experience is important to you. 

Upgrade if dust collection is important. The 735 has its own blower and in conjunction with a 4" DC setup, will collect at the same rate as the Kapex.

Upgrade if you need or want to use a Shelix head on figured wood. I found out that I got tons of tear-out on birds eye maple. Just about every "eye" got ripped out.

Don't upgrade if mobility is important.

Don't upgrade if money is dear or if you only use the planer once in a while.

Whoops...almost forgot, as Seth said, the extensions are not optional but MANDATORY.

 

[ear3]

Thanks Seth.

  I had the 733 (two knife) in use up until a couple weeks ago. The feed rollers needed replacing so I took the opportunity to upgrade to the 735 instead. I have only had it in use for a couple weeks but it is much nicer. The three knives leave a better finish in the fast feed rate and the slow feed rate produces a really smooth finish. I know that it will reduce, and in some cases eliminate sanding.

  I highly recommend the table extensions. There is very little sticking out of the planer housing to start a board on with out them.

The 734 is basically a three knife version of the 733.

I don't think you will find a better choice any where near the price of the 735 but the 734 could be a very close second for a couple hundred less.

Seth

 

[ear3]

Quite fortuitously, found a great deal for the 735 this morning on craigslist. Ended up being 400 for a less than year old unit plus bed extensions plus mobile stand.  I'm kind of ambivalent about the stand -- the nice thing about the 734 was that I could tuck it underneath my lathe stand, as you can see from the picture.  With the stand I have to requisition some precious floor space for the planer.

I think it's a good choice ultimately though.  It gets to be a hassle breaking out the planer, having to set it up on my foldable sawhorses, attach the dust hood, etc.  Now it's basically just plug and play.

Just ran some tests on it, and already I can see its advantages of the 735 over the 734 (in addition to mobility).  You can do four point adjustment on each of the extensions, as opposed to only 2 on the 734. No need for a carriage lock on the 735.  Dust collection is far superior with the power blower -- even hooked up to my wall mounted dust collector, there were always a fair number of chips getting spit back towards the front of the 734.  No slop on the depth adjustment wheel.  And two speeds, the slower of which will come in handy when running larger beams that are less than well jointed.  Finish produced seems great so far, though I only tested some basic woods.

I don't think I would have upgraded, however, were it not for the possibility of adding the Shelix cutterhead.  In addition to getting a better finish, I know I annoy the heck out of the neighborhood whenever I run the planer, so anything that will cut down on the noise will be much appreciated.

And since I'm selling my 734 to a friend for 275, I'm really only out 125 plus the price of the Shelix. So overall, pretty good deal.

 

[Bob D.]

I have had that same setup, 735 with tables and stand for about 10 years. I lowered the shelf to the bottom and boxed in the stand. I then ran the planer chip output into this box which has two flaps on the top and a furnace filter to contain the chips and let air out but not dust. The planer can then be used portable without a connection to a dust collector if need be, but I also have a couple ports on the chip box to which I have connected my jointer and table saw which are nearby. They all feed into the box and have gates so I just swap between which tool I am running which works for me in my one-man shop. I ran some 4" PVC to redirect the exhaust over to the side so the hose no longer interferes with my workpiece as it exits the planer. I have some pictures which will explain it all better. If anyone is interested I will post them here or in a new thread.

 

[ear3]

I would be interested [member=60461]Bob D.[/member] Thanks.

I have had that same setup, 735 with tables and stand for about 10 years. I lowered the shelf to the bottom and boxed in the stand. I then ran the planer chip output into this box which has two flaps on the top and a furnace filter to contain the chips and let air out but not dust. The planer can then be used portable without a connection to a dust collector if need be, but I also have a couple ports on the chip box to which I have connected my jointer and table saw which are nearby. They all feed into the box and have gates so I just swap between which tool I am running which works for me in my one-man shop. I ran some 4" PVC to redirect the exhaust over to the side so the hose no longer interferes with my workpiece as it exits the planer. I have some pictures which will explain it all better. If anyone is interested I will post them here or in a new thread.

 

[Bob D.]

OK I'll get some photos tomorrow afternoon when I am in the shop.

 

[ear3]

Holy cow!  The Shelix on the 735 is AWESOME!!!!  I've been planing these reclaimed oak beams, on which the original knives dulled and chipped after only a few passes, and which sometimes struggled to pass through the planer because they are a bit wonky (don't have a jointer, so I flattened one side as best I could with handplanes).  They now pass through as smooth as butter.  And the noise?  If you had told me beforehand a planer could be that quiet I would not have believed you.  But it really is that quiet.  Which is a good thing since my shop is in my garage, and I've terrified the neighborhood for too long with the sound of my planing.

I'm still getting some snipe on some of the boards, but I think it's more a roller issue combined with the difficult wood.  Any advice on checking the rollers?  On some of the boards I can feel a bounce as the board is passed from one roller to another and out again.  EDIT: I think it might just be the wood.  As the boards get flatter, the snipe becomes less and less.

So happy I made the investment in the Shelix.