Review - Dewalt Thickness Planer, Two Speed, 13-Inch DW735X
Personal Experience
I have been using the Dewalt dw735x thickness planer for over 3 years and have used it extensively for numerous woodworking projects. It has performed exceptionally well, but it does have a few downsides which I will elaborate on in the following review. By adding the Dewalt dw735x to my workshop it has allowed me to build projects I would have otherwise not been able to accomplish. Also, the initial investment for a thickness planer may seem significant, but it has paid for itself tenfold with the ability to purchase rough cut lumber rather than S2S or S3S lumber. If you are looking for a thickness planer, the 13-inch Dewalt dw735x is an incredibly worthwhile investment and will serve your woodworking needs well.
Pros
Smooth Finished Results
Dual Speed Gearbox
Great Value
CONS
Very Loud
Knives Dull Quickly
Varying Snipe
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Specifications
Model #dw735 and dw735x
Dimensions: 24 x 22 x 18 inches
Weight: 92 pounds
Voltage: 120 volts
Knife Style: 3 Straight Knives
Planer Capacity: 13 Inches
Cuts Per Inch (CPI): 96 or 179
Base Size: 19 3/4 Inches
Dust Collection: Fan Assisted 2.5” and 4” ports
What’s Included
If you are purchasing the Dewalt dw735x, which I highly recommend over the dw735, it includes the standard planer assembly, infeed and outfeed support tables, and an extra set of reversible blades. The standard planer assembly which is the same in both the dw735 and dw735x comes standard with a set of reversible blades preinstalled. The planer also includes a dust port adapter which can use either a 2.5” or 4” hose. To assist in maintaining the planer and blade changes, Dewalt includes a hex wrench that also has magnets on the handle to grab the metal blades.
Assembly
Fortunately, the Dewalt dw735x comes fully assembled so no major work is involved in getting it ready for use. However, if you purchased the 735x you will need to install the two outfeed support tables. To do this you need a long straight edge or long ruler. Typically, what you do is raise the planer high enough to fit the straight edge on the planer bed and align the infeed and outfeed tables to be flush with your straight edge. I have found that if I slightly angle the tables upwards it reduces the snipe and counteracts the tendency for the table to give under the weight of larger boards. If you do plan to purchase the Dewalt dw735x planer, make sure that you have a dedicated place for this equipment. Even though it is advertised as a benchtop planer, it weighs 92 pounds which is hard to maneuver unless it is on a dedicated cart or workbench.
Features
The Dewalt dw735x and dw735 come with many unique features that stand it apart from the competition. The most beneficial in my experience has been the 2-speed gearbox that cuts at either 96 or 179 cuts per inch. This is unique to the Dewalt planers and offers flexibility for taking larger passes and dimensioning rough lumber as well as the ability to lower the speed to produce a perfect finish. I have found that on both speeds the cut quality is exceptionally smooth with no scalloping and is equivalent to a 120grit sanded finish. The slower speed is especially useful for harder wood species and produces a much smoother finish. The Dewalt also has indexing pins to easily shift the blades either left or right in the case you nick the blades. This feature has come in handy in my personal experience and extends the life of your blades if you happen to get a nick. One of the nice features that I use consistently is the turret depth stops which allow you to set a depth of 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1, and 1 1/4 inches. In my experience these depth stops are perfectly accurate and produce consistent results. The Dewalt also has an automatic carriage lock so when you adjust the depth you do not have to worry about the depth changing.
Performance
The Dewalt dw735 and dw735x perform flawlessly and provides amazing results from a benchtop planer. In my experience the boards do not need any additional sanding on either the fast or slow speed settings. Typically, I switch to the finishing speed on the last pass on either side to get the best surface possible. I have run through the planer, poplar, red oak, cherry, walnut, hard maple, and a few other exotic hardwoods and never had any issues. I would however caution taking more than 1/64 from boards larger than 10 inches in width. I have had some cases where the planer would overload and trip the breaker in the middle of a board causing a nasty divot. Taking shallower passes easily fixes this issue and I have not had that happen since. One major factor in how well the planer performs is by keeping a fresh set of blades installed. With the relatively low cost of the blades and the fact that they are reversible I change them out regularly if I am running a lot of boards through the planer. Overall, the performance of the dw735x has been great and I have not been disappointed. I do not plan to replace my Dewalt planer anytime soon, but if my needs change to a more production level quantity I would replace it with a commercial size planer.
With a planer one of the most important performance aspects is snipe. The Dewalt dw735x in my experience is not very consistent on the level of snipe. I have had times where it was around 3 inches of snipe to other circumstances where I had zero snipe. What I found is that for smaller boards with properly adjusted infeed and outfeed tables the snipe is greatly reduced. I also noticed that when running through longer boards the weight causes the infeed and outfeed tables to flex and not support the board causing roughly 3 inches of snipe. When I dimension lumber I always factor in a little over 3 inches of snipe just in case it does occur. This to me is one of the downsides to this planer but in all honesty every planer is going to experience snipe in some capacity. By consistently tuning your machine and planning for the snipe it won't impact your woodworking.
Dust Collection
The Dewalt dw735 and dw735x has a built-in fan assisted chip blower, which I believe sets it apart from other benchtop planers. I found that if I have a bag or dust collector hooked up to the planer, I get a very minimal amount of chips or dust around the planer. I do however think the fan does play a role in how loud the Dewalt is in comparison to other benchtop planers. If you do not have a dedicated dust collection system in your shop the fan assisted blower will help you easily capture the chips. I would recommend getting a dedicated separator so that you are not constantly emptying your dust collector bags or shop vac. I use a trash can separator lid from woodcraft which I place next to the planer, and it work pretty well. If you do hook the planer up to your dust collection duct work make sure to close all the other blast gates, if not you may have the fan blow chips onto your other tools in the shop.
Warranty & Support
On the dw735x Dewalt offers a 3-year limited warranty and will repair without charge any defects due to faulty materials or workmanship. Dewalt also includes a one-year free service contract that will maintain the tool and replace any warn parts caused by normal use, free of charge and any time during the first year of purchase. Something that I really like from manufacturers is a money back guarantee, because sometimes a tool just does not live up to the expectations. The Dewalt dw735x has a 90-Day Money Back Guarantee and they will provide a full refund, no questions asked.
Value & Quality
The Dewalt dw735x offers a rather good value in comparison to other benchtop planers. As of this article the price is around $629 which is in line with the higher end benchtop planer models, but the Dewalt adds numerous features than the competition. The Dewalt has dual speeds, 13” capacity, automatic carriage lock, depth stops, fan assisted chip ejection, and the cut quality of a commercial level machine. The quality is among the best in comparison other benchtop planers and is of significantly higher level of quality compared to the lunchbox planers. Dewalt dw735x offers a commercial level quality of cut for the size and price of a benchtop planer. If you are looking for a step above a lunchbox planer but don’t need a commercial level machine the dw735 is a good compromise. If you are on the fence between the dw735x or the dw735, I recommend the dw735x. With the dw735x you are essentially getting a free set of blades for buying the infeed and outfeed tables.
Accessories
There are a few accessories that you can get with the Dewalt dw735. The most beneficial is the folding outfeed and infeed tables which come included in the dw735x. The extensions are not required but I have found them to be extremely helpful with longer boards. One downside is that you will need to periodically recalibrate the tables. I found when running heavy boards through the planer the tables will eventually sag and need re-adjusted, I believe the set screws are not strong enough to hold the heavy boards and it is a minor design flaw. One downside of the dw735x is the weight coming in at 92 pounds, making this more of a stationary planer rather than a lightweight benchtop planer. I personally purchased the Dewalt planer stand with integrated mobile base to save time and have a very solid base for the planer. The base is very well made and fits the planer perfectly, it is slightly pricey but if you are looking to save time it is a great upgrade. You also can upgrade the scale on the planer with the Wixey WR510 Digital Readout Kit. It is not a must have but it is nice to be able to specifically dial in the thickness. If you plane boards that are not in 1/4-inch increments which can easily be set using the built-in depth stops, the Wixey digital readout kit would be a great upgrade. I installed it on my planer, and it works as it should, but I do not typically need the added functionality. If you are purchasing the dw735 or dw735x you are going to want to pick up some ear protection as this planer is quite loud. I highly recommend the 3M Worktunes, I have tried others in the past and they never worked well, and the Bluetooth connection makes time in the shop go by mush faster.
Most Asked Questions
What is the difference between the dw735 and dw735x?
The Dewalt 735 and 735x are the exact same tool except the 735x comes with bundled accessories. The accessories included in the 735x are the two outfeed tables and an extra set of blades. The price difference is typically $35 and priced separately the outfeed tables and an extra set of blades would cost $70 to $90. The 735x is a better value and will save you money overall.
How long do the blades last?
The good thing is the blades can be offset as well as being double sided to make them last longer. Blade life depends on a lot of factors, but I found that I am offsetting the blades or replacing them due to nicks and dings before they get dull.
How hard is it to change the blades?
To change the blades is incredibly easy and the Dewalt 735 comes with a built-in tool to remove all the bolts and is magnetic to easily pick up and replace the blades.
Should You Buy It……
Yes if……
If you are a hobby woodworker and want a higher quality planer in comparison to the lunchbox planers, but you are not ready to spend the money on a commercial stationary planer.
No if……
If you are on a budget and do not plan to use if very often, the dw734 would easily meet your needs.
or
If you are in the woodworking business and looking for a planer for commercial use, I would look at a larger more stationary planer that would last longer.
Alternatives
It may seem like there are no alternatives to the Dewalt 735x since it is so popular and widespread, but a few good alternatives exist. If you are looking for something in a lower price range the DW734 is an excellent value and proves to be a very reliable tool. For something a step above, Rikon and Jet offer portable planers with helical style cutter heads. Also, Makita has a very comparable planer that has a unique Interna-Lok automated head clamp that is advertised to reduce snipe.
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