Do I have to use cutterhead lock each pass?

[Phil Thien]

Well, my shop reduction is progressing. The Inca planer/jointer was picked up on Saturday, the 16/32 sander was gone before that. In their place is a Dewalt DW734 planer that I still have to make mobile.

The first thing I'd like to say is that it isn't nearly as loud as I thought it would be. It is only moderately louder than my Inca (which had an induction motor). It is a higher (universal motor, router-like) pitch. I wear ear protection anyhow, but from reading the reviews I thought it would be a helluva lot louder.

I've read the manual but have a question:

The DW734 has a cutterhead lock. With it locked, there is zero snipe. Is there any problem with not engaging the lock except for the final pass or so? If I don't lock it, I do get a bit of snipe. But it seems like it would be a pain in the rear to lock/unlock it for each pass. And one pass w/ the cutterhead locked is all it takes to clean-up any snipe that was there from the pass before.

Any other tips or techniques I should be aware of?

[Matt Day]

You'll get so used to locking/unlocking it each pass you won't think twice about it.

The process I usually do is with it unlocked, I'll raise the cutter 1/4 - 1/2" or so above the height of the board, put the board 1/2 way through the planer so it's sitting there by itself with no support, then come down slowly with the cutterheard (unlocked of course) until the rollers start to pull the board through. After it's out and clear, I lower the cutterheard about 1/2 a turn then it's at about the right height to start planing.

Regarding your question about the cutterhead being locked or not, I don't think it matters, but after using the machine for 5-6 years I don't know why you wouldn't lock it down.

[glenn bradley]

Locking and unlocking becomes an automatic part of the depth adjustment maneuver after a few times doing it. Not an issue in the years that I have used mine. Counting on only getting an amount of snipe that you could then clean up with the last couple of passes is a bit of a gamble IMHO. The fraction of a second it takes to lift or press that bar is not worth the remake of a part ;-)

[Bill Geibe]

I often don't lock the cutterhead on my 733 (similar model) until I get to the final pass or two. No worries.

I've never used Matt's method for determining the first cut. I just tickle the machine's 'Material Removal Gauge' with the stock and go from there.

Bill

[Matt Day]

Bill, I don't use it all them time but it can come in handy if you have a very rough sawn board. For instance, if one side of the board is thicker than the other and you put the thinner side through first, it can really work the planer hard at the thick end. Using the method above is a good way to feel where the thick parts are.

[Jerome Hanby]

Could not using the lock cause snipe on other model planers, like the Ridgid? I haven't been using he lock and I do get a little snipe.

[Kirk Poore]

You'll get so used to locking/unlocking it each pass you won't think twice about it.

This was my experience also when I had a 734. Locking became part of changing the cut depth. I had a Delta 22-560 before that, and it was the same way--just part of adjusting the height. Though as far as I was concerned, the 22-560 lock was a more positive lock that gave better results. I wore out the first one, and would have bought another except they'd stopped making them.

Kirk
who makes do now with his little old Oliver 399...

[Ben Hatcher]

I don't lock mine on the first few passes because I'm lazy like that. I use the material removal gague, too but I like Matt's technique for setting the depth. I may start doing it that way.

[Chris Tsutsui]

+1 on Matt's sharing of lowering the planer into the middle of a board until it starts to move. I'll give that a shot. haha

I usually measure both ends of the board and the middle with a caliper on all my boards, then mark the high points and sort them from tallest to shortest.

Then determine the height of the planer so it only removes about 1/32nd from the tallest board. Then I go from there. Somewhat time consuming, but it sure beats jamming the planer with a wedge shape piece that gets stuck...

[Curt Harms]

I often don't lock the cutterhead on my 733 (similar model) until I get to the final pass or two. No worries.

I've never used Matt's method for determining the first cut. I just tickle the machine's 'Material Removal Gauge' with the stock and go from there.

Bill

Locking the last pass or two makes sense to me. When I had the Delta 22-580 I never locked the head and never had discernable snipe. Of course I didn't take much off per pass either, 1/4 turn per pass on wider boards.