jimmyG Posted June 3 Report Share Posted June 3 I've bought and returned the Wen and the Dewalt 734 planers before because I don't have a real dust collection system... Hear the Dewalt DW735X with it's powerful blower can be used without dust collection. What's really tempting is it's on sale -$180 off at Lowe's until the end of June. On Sale @ $599 with both tables and extra set of blades... Being a beginner using mostly the scroll saw projects 98% of the time I think I would feel guilty spending that amount of cash... kmmcrafts and OCtoolguy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill WIlson Posted June 3 Report Share Posted June 3 Well, it sounds like a pretty good deal, but whether or not you can justify it, only you can determine. I probably use my planer as much or more for scroll saw projects as other WW'ing stuff. Having the planer gives me all sorts of flexibility to use different thicknesses for different projects. I'd be lost without it. That said, dropping $600 on a tool is not a decision to be made lightly. You've already committed to spending several hundred $ on the Wen and Dewalt 734. Now the question is, can you realistically step up another couple hundred for the 735? Good luck. I hope you can find a way to make it work. OCtoolguy and Fish 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted June 3 Report Share Posted June 3 Guess it really depends on how much scrolling you do and if you have a local source for various thickness of boards that are readily available etc. I personally would be lost without my planer.. dang near every single project I make the board ends up going through the planer.. not always because I need a certain thickness but sometimes just to make the board freshly flat again after it has sat in the shop sometimes they get cupped etc. and it's nice to just be able to true them up before starting the project. For me when buying thin stock 1/8 - 3/8 by the time I get home with it it has already cupped.. nice just to take a 3/4" board down to whatever size I need and have it completely flat. My local source for project lumber is 30 - 35 mile away and it would cost me a fortune to make a special trip just to get a board at the certain thickness I needed.. so in that aspect I have saved a ton of money just in fuel. The tool I bought that I probably shouldn't have was the bandsaw.. I got it so I could resaw boards but the time and effort vrs the savings really ( for me ) wasn't worth it.. Most times when I need to resaw a board I have the wrong blade in and the set up time, resaw time, and then planning time etc to get the finished board I need for no more than I use it for the resawing purpose it'll take a very long time to pay off.. however that planer is done paid itself off several times over.. BUT as I said... really depends on your specific situation.. if you have a good selection very close by etc.. you may be able to do without.. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTTHECLOCKMAN Posted June 4 Report Share Posted June 4 17 hours ago, jimmyG said: I've bought and returned the Wen and the Dewalt 734 planers before because I don't have a real dust collection system... Hear the Dewalt DW735X with it's powerful blower can be used without dust collection. What's really tempting is it's on sale -$180 off at Lowe's until the end of June. On Sale @ $599 with both tables and extra set of blades... Being a beginner using mostly the scroll saw projects 98% of the time I think I would feel guilty spending that amount of cash... That is a very good price for that planner which is one of the best on the market these days. You can also get that price on Amazon for a limited time offer too if interested. It is a $700+ planner. I could never do without my planner. But as I have been accused here of talking about my tools as the best which is far from the truth, but what I do have is basically a full workshop of woodworking tools because I find each tool weather a planner or a drum sander or a bandsaw or good tablesaw they played a huge role in my scrollsawing business through the years. What I spend on tools can be made back in some form with being able to work rough sawn lumber. I am fortunate to have had a very good lumber mill where I bought both exotic woods and domestic woods over the years for good pricing. They closed due to a fire about 10 years ago now but have other sources that took their place. Now my scrollsawing has taken me through the years with making larger projects that took all sized lumber. I suppose if you do ornaments and smaller scrolling then larger tools are just not needed. But if you are into milling your own lumber it is imperative to have good quality tools and that Dewalt planner is one of those tools. yes making large purchases like that take some careful thought because of the risks and rewards. If you can find the budget it could pay off but again if you are dealing with Baltic Birch plywoods and smaller projects then it is a tougher decision. But you can check any of the woodworking sites or any reviews on that planner and it gets high marks. Good luck. (one other note, if you ever sell the shop you will get money back on that planner.) JackJones, OCtoolguy and jimmyG 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Simmons Posted June 6 Report Share Posted June 6 On 6/3/2024 at 8:00 AM, kmmcrafts said: The tool I bought that I probably shouldn't have was the bandsaw.. I got it so I could resaw boards but the time and effort vrs the savings really ( for me ) wasn't worth it.. Most times when I need to resaw a board I have the wrong blade in and the set up time, resaw time, and then planning time etc to get the finished board I need for no more than I use it for the resawing purpose it'll take a very long time to pay off.. however that planer is done paid itself off several times over.. BUT as I said... really depends on your specific situation.. if you have a good selection very close by etc.. you may be able to do without.. The solution to this is not to regret the bandsaw, but to see in it the opportunity to get another bandsaw. I picked up a Laguna for resawing and other large work, but kept my dinky Craftsman with the shallow blade for small stuff. kmmcrafts and OCtoolguy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill WIlson Posted June 6 Report Share Posted June 6 8 hours ago, Matthew Simmons said: The solution to this is not to regret the bandsaw, but to see in it the opportunity to get another bandsaw. I picked up a Laguna for resawing and other large work, but kept my dinky Craftsman with the shallow blade for small stuff. I like the way you think! kmmcrafts and OCtoolguy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldmansbike Posted June 7 Report Share Posted June 7 I have to agree with Jt I would be lost without my planer. I too have a woodshop with all the tools I need to mill rough cut lumber because I build other things. I resaw and plane down all my scrollsaw wood to the thickness I need. Most of my tools are Jet and were bought in the late 90s new. My planer is a late 90s Dewalt 733 and I have never had a problem with it. OCtoolguy and JTTHECLOCKMAN 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Hotchkiss Posted June 10 Report Share Posted June 10 Jimmy, I have had the Dewalt 735x planer for 4 years now and love it, no problems at all. Yes a big investment but if taken care of should last you a lifetime and you will be amazed at how much you will use it once you have a planer. Best of luck with your decision and purchase. Richard Ashland, VA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyL Posted June 10 Report Share Posted June 10 I've had a Dewalt 735 for about 10 years. A word of caution - even though it has handles, it isn't portable at 95 lbs. unless two people (one on each side) are holding the handles. The built-in blower works great at removing the chips from the planer, but the first time that I ran it in my shop, the chips coming out of the planer hit the opposite wall at about the same height as the planer. A hose and collection method is an absolute must have. Since that first use, I bought the hose and barrel cover accessory that was being offered back then (discontinued), and I use the planer outside my shop in the driveway with the barrel cover attached to a 60 gallon plastic barrel. To make it easy to move the planer in and out of my small shop I bought a Delta Miter Saw / Planer stand (Dewalt now makes an improved version, the 736 model). The mounting holes in the planer base didn't match the rail spacing of the planer stand, so I made an adapter base from 3/4" cabinet Birch ply, and drilled holes in it for both the planer and the mounting rails of the stand and bolted the adapter to the stand and then bolted the planer to the adapter. This stand is easy to move with the planer attached, and stands on it's end like a hand truck with the planer still attached, in the corner of the shop when not needed. It wheels out of the shop easily like a hand truck and opens to working height with the help of built-in gas springs. The model of the DeWalt stand is 736. Inside in my small shop, this stand/planer combination only requires about 2 sq ft of floor space for storage. I keep the barrel upside down, outside and behind my shop until it need it. Don't try to use a shop vac as a chip collector for the 735. It is far from adequate and will plug the planer with chips in less than one pass. You need a 4" diameter hose to a big barrel as a minimum for chip collection. Black & Decker make a leaf vacuum with an accessory hose and barrel cover that looks identical to the original hose and barrel cover that was offered for the 735 planer. It may work without modification, if you want to try it. Here is a link for it https://www.homedepot.com/p/BLACK-DECKER-Leaf-Collection-System-Attachment-for-Corded-BLACK-DECKER-2-in-1-Leaf-Blower-Vacuums-BV-006L/202045620 Again, it looks to be a workable alternative and is nearly identical to the one that had been offered for the 735, but I haven't tried it. Charley JTTHECLOCKMAN 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe W. Posted June 10 Report Share Posted June 10 I've got the DW734 and a 12" Cutech jointer and enjoy the ability to salvage wood and use it for various items (i.e.; SG's Penny Drop game). Yes, it takes some time, but I get a kick out of working with the wood (retired with the time it takes), and saving a few bucks not having to buy wood. Do have a Jet bandsaw and considering getting a smaller one to keep from having to make blade changes. Just discovered power wood carving and I have a feeling that's going cut into some scroll sawing time. heavy sigh - not enough time to in the day to do it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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