Dewalt D735 Planer

[wisardd1]

Keep it or take it back and get another?

[Sachbvn]

Take it back??? Is there a problem with it? Is it new?

It's a heck of a planer - I'd keep it unless it seems unfit for some reason.


Zac

[arcticfox46]

Are you joking?

[rrich]

Noisy... But other than that there probably isn't one better in a portable model.

[wisardd1]

Nope, it was a Santa Gift. I have been reading a lot of complaints about the knives, kind of disturbing. I just don't want Santa to feel bad because my wood no good!

[TDHofstetter]

Hmmm... there does seem to be quite a lot of talk about them, doesn't there? A drive sprocket, too. Pity.

Given a little time, I'm pretty sure DeWalt will sort both problems out. Heftier sprocket, sturdier knives.

Although... some folks haven't had any knife problems at all. Maybe one run of 'em was soft & another run was decent steel? Could be the case.

-- Tim --

Member of the
Robert "Limey" Bolton Memorial
International
Volunteer Mentorship and Assistance
Programme

[Cody Colston]

It's the best benchtop planer on the market.

I believe DeWalt has already remedied the plastic gear problem and if you are concerned about the reversible, disposable knives, you can get Byrd Shelix cutters for it. They are only about $400.

As a bonus, the Shelix heads also make it a lot quieter. ;)

Cody
Tyler, TX

[center][b]Jesus is the reason for the season!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...n/thCandle.jpg

[arcticfox46]

Dale,

I'm not sure if you know what you got.

If you really don't know what you got and are reading reviews - then you might not know what "reviews" are really all about.

Reviews:

1) Reviews are mostly written by unhappy people. People that for one reason or another are not happy with their product. Sometimes these people can never be satisfied, and will complain. Trying to get the biggest bang for their complaint - they go internet. BIG majority of reviews are written by these people. That is why is seems that reviews are about how bad something is.

2) Few happy people write reviews. After all - if you are happy with a product - why go out of your way to find a review board and write a review. Thankfully, there are a few people that will.

When you read reviews - take it with a grain of salt. Sure there may be some negative side to the DW735 planer, but that is about all you hear on the review boards. You will NOT hear from the mass of happy people.

For every bad review - just imagine - there is likely 50, maybe more, GREAT and happy campers with the same machine.

The review boards will give you a heads up to some of the common problems with the machine --- but --- they do NOT tell you if it is a good machine or a bad machine.

The only way you can get better - is to spend $2-3 THOUSAND dollars or more. That IS the best maching on the market in the home workshop category.

Consumer reports - "might" give you a "somewhat" impartial review.

I have the older Dewalt planer DW733. Yes it is noisy, yes the knives do stuff I don't want them to do. Yes there are issues with it. AND - so it will be with even a $10,000 machine. There will always be isues. Overall, I love the machine!! Wish I could afford the DW735 - I would buy it in a heartbeat.

What what I give for the DW735. Oooowwwww -- I am GREEN with ENVY. If I got that for a gift - I would be posting MAJOR GLOAT here. I would be jumping up and down!! I would roll over and woof! I would be super hugging my wife - even if she didn't get it for me. I would have already planed 100 board feet of lumber.

If you are not happy with it --- PLEASE - PLEASE - PLEASE -> send it to me!!

Get the picture?????

!!!! I DO hope you are only joking !!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------

OK - with THAT out of the way.

There is ONE issue that "I" think you will have and it has NOTHING to do with the machine. It has everything to do with the wood.

The issue is splintering of the grain.

After looking at the absolutely "gorgeous" clocks you made - and seeing the wood you used - I see the issue - blaring - in my face.

What happens is the same thing that happens with a hand plane. If you plane in the direction of the grain you are OK. BUT, if you plane "against" the grain, the grain will get pulled up into the hand plane and pull out of the wood, thereby leaving a big hole in the wood. This is especially a problem in wood with wild grain patterns. The grain direction reverses within one board. Crotch wood, wood around knots (which are desireable), and some woods like Tiger maple, birds eye maple, and walnut. I could go on and on.

I guess there are multiple ways to get around the grain pulling out and leaving holes. Lots of answers. None of which work for me. I even use prand new knives and take light cuts - and still the birdseye bulls out. There has only been one answer that has been told to me that makes sense - "sand" it. So - that puts "me" on a track to get a sander ($1000).

Would I scrap the notion of using a planer - no. I beleive every shop needs one.

However - on your clocks - you have some of that wild grain. Be mindful of the grain - as you use that gorgeous planer. When the grain pulls out - it is NOT the planer's fault.

[deepsplinter]

C'mon Leo, quit hum-hawin' around and tell us how you really feel. Take a stand!

[misanthrope747]

I got a good deal at Amazon on this planer a year or so ago. I had recently read an internet post about Amazon raising the price of a product if you leave it in your cart. So, when I checked the price at Amazon, I left it in my cart for a few days just to see how the price might change. It started about $425. I checked a couple days later and it had risen to $529. This seemed to confirm the internet post so I left it in my cart a bit longer. I checked a couple days later and it had dropped to $305. This was when Lowes had it for about $550 in the local store. I quickly made the purchase at $305. I'm not sure if they change the price based on what's in your cart or carts in general or if they just change it based on other factors. I guess the short point to this long post is if you have something that is a bit pricey for you, put it in your cart at Amazon and watch its price for a week or two. The price variations in this planer were over the course of about five days.

As for the planer, I like it a lot.

m747