Cutter head for DW 735 Planer

[steve-norrell]

I have been having problems with the blades for my DW 735 planer. (The same problems that have already been discussed on this and other forums/reviews.)

I have looked at graphite blades and the Shelix helical system and both seem to be quite expensive.

Nevertheless, the way the DW blades have been behaving, it won't take too long to spend lots of dollars on replacement blades. (I don't have the equipment, expertise or desire to learn how to reliably sharpen the DW blades.)

Any comments about the graphite blades or Shelix cutter head would be welcome.

Regards, Steve

Yes, I do mean carbide! Thank for the correction. SN

[Tom Slick]

Graphite? do you mean carbide?

Just to be a bit pedantic, a planer uses knives, not blades.

[steve-norrell]

Tom, go ahead, be pedantic! Anyway, thanks for the corrections.

Now, to be purely philosophical, what is difference between a blade and a knife? We probably need a long session with many cases of good beer to solve that one.

Regards, Steve

[Tom Slick]

My shop or yours? I'll bring the beer!
I don't know why they use different nomenclature but saws use blades, jointers and planers use knives. Shelix, and helical styles generally don't use the knife terminology and call them inserts.

Insert cutters work very well and are significantly quieter than straight knives. They can be expensive though.

[Salty]

I didn't know the spiral or helical replacements were available for the DW735. Infinity tools has a better replacement in steel and, if you want to pay the price, a carbide as well.
I wonder if they are going to make a replacement set for my tool, the R4330.

[jessrice]

I installed a byrd cutter head in my dw 735, i bought it from Brain at Holbren tools.

It was pretty easy with the included directions. It does cut very well,although i think i take off less each pass than a set of knives/blades. It has also quited the machine down. The cut is very smooth.

When I bought mine it came with and without bearings. I bought with the bearings for not much more and i didnt have to worry about removing and installing the old ones.

I think you can find instructions on holbrens website.

Let me know if i can answer anything else.

Jesse

[steve-norrell]

Salty: Holbren offers the Byrd Shelix Planer head for the DW735 for about $447, but with the Holbren BT310 discount code, its 10% cheaper. Here is the website for the DeWalt head: http://www.holbren.com/byrd-shelix-h...35_planer.html

He also sells heads for other manufractures. See http://www.holbren.com/planer/ for the list. I don't know if your planer is on this list.

I will look into what Infinity Tools have to offer.

Jesse: Thanks for the input. I have downloaded the instructions. The only offering listed at this time is with the bearings installed. If I do get it, I will take advantage the Holbren offer.

Regards, Steve

[Holbren]

Byrd told me customers were calling in because the bearings were so close to the cutterhead body that they couldn't get a puller around them. So, they negotiated a good deal on the bearings being they'll be supplied with every had and raised the price so the bearings are a pass through.

I think the head went up $8 with the bearings pressed on where they were an $18 adder before.