Planer for helical cutter head

[John Piwaron]

Hi

I'm considering buying a new planer in which to put a helical cutter head. I've been looking at the DeWalt DW735. But unlike the DW733 (which I currently have) or the newer DW734, I'm not seeing cutter knife access. Even with the many cutter inserts, at some point one or more of them will have to be replaced or rotated to a new edge. Is this possible with the DW735? Obviously it's can be done with the DW733 or DW734. I'm thoroughly familiar with that design.

Also, FWIW, in your opinion is the DW735 a significantly better machine than either the DW733 or DW734?

What say you?

[Clint Baxter]

The top comes off and the you remove a shroud over the cutter head. Easy access. I installed one in my 735. Ended up selling it and getting a Hammer A3-31 when I became unhappy with the power of the Dewalt. Trying to plane wider hard maple would cause the planer motor reset to trip unless I took an extremely small cut. Was otherwise happy with upgraded planer.

YMMV

Clint

[Dave Stuve]

I've got a 735 and I installed a Byrd head in it (from Holbren) and I really like it. There are multiple 'how to' pages and youtube videos on how to do the swap, and it wasn't too difficult. The planer is quieter and has less tear out than before. Of course I'd love a bigger planer like my brother's Hammer A3-31, but since I went back to school to get another degree my 'toy budget' isn't what it used to be.

[Steve Demuth]

I have a 735 with a Shelix head. Great combination, and access to the cutterhead is quite simple. Not that you'll need it very often, unless you run a nail through the thing. The carbide cutters are tough and hold their edge extremely well.

[John Piwaron]

I have a 735 with a Shelix head. Great combination, and access to the cutterhead is quite simple. Not that you'll need it very often, unless you run a nail through the thing. The carbide cutters are tough and hold their edge extremely well.

So you're happy with the amount of power?

Currently when I plane hard maple I'll be running a board 7 or 8" wide and take maybe 1/64 to 1/32 off at a pass. Obviously a full width chip with the straight knife. And just as an aside, it's hard maple that's got me thinking of a helical cutter head. Curiously, hard maple makes that full width chip - kind of a "stick" if you will. It clogs the input to my dust collector at the input. Cherry, oak, cedar, etc. do not. Those break up into smaller pieces that make their way through.

[Myk Rian]

HF dust collector?
I removed the cross in the inlet.

[daryl moses]

HF dust collector?
I removed the cross in the inlet.

Yep, I did the same to mine. Haven't had a blockage since.

[John Piwaron]

HF dust collector?
I removed the cross in the inlet.

Delta collector. It's not all the collector, sometimes somewhere along the corrugated hose is the choke point.

[Bryan Lisowski]

I would probably save a little more to see if I could find a larger planer with a helix head (new or used). Even though I have heard the results are good, I just think buying a $600 planer and immediately dropping another $600 for the head doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but isn't my money.

[Steve Demuth]

So you're happy with the amount of power?

Currently when I plane hard maple I'll be running a board 7 or 8" wide and take maybe 1/64 to 1/32 off at a pass.

I am satisfied, but it's still the small machine you started with after you put in the helical head. I wouldn't typically go for a depth of cut beyond 1/32" on an 8" board. It's rare for me to plane more than 25 or so bf for a project, so I can live with the shallow cut.

[John Piwaron]

I would probably save a little more to see if I could find a larger planer with a helix head (new or used). Even though I have heard the results are good, I just think buying a $600 planer and immediately dropping another $600 for the head doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but isn't my money.

I think about that from time to time. But I just don't have room anymore large machines. For me, it has to be a lunchbox.

Then there's the issue of work height. I like how high the lunchbox is when I put it on top of the table saw.

[Bryan Lisowski]

John, I think Rikon makes a lunchbox with helix head in it already. I'm not sure of how well the cut quality is, but might be worth looking into.

[Erik Manchester]

If you looking at a lunchbox planer, the 735 is probably as good as you will find, but I assume that the OP is only going to use this once in a while and not for any large jobs, and would like to be able to put aside when not needed. These little planers are not designed for any real heavy use.

For the price of a 735 with extension tables and a segmented head, you can easily find a used cast iron planer in the 12-15" range with an induction motor that will be able to take a full width cut of more than 1/64" in hard wood and run all day.

I had a basement shop and a 13" lunchbox planer and I couldn't stand the scream of the universal motor so I bought a small planer made of cast iron with a 2 hp motor that was much nicer to use and could work all day without overheating. But the rub is I couldn't hide it under a bench when not in use.

My current planer is a 25" surplus industrial machine that weighs almost a ton, but I don't have a basement shop anymore.