DEWALT DW735 Planer Review: Is This 13-Inch Thickness Planer Right For Your Workshop?

Overview: Diving Deep into the DEWALT DW735 Thickness Planer

Hey everyone! I know a lot of you in our group have been asking about thickness planers, especially for those of us getting more serious about our woodworking projects. Well, I’ve been putting the DEWALT DW735 13-Inch Thickness Planer through its paces, and I’m excited to share my honest thoughts. This isn’t just any planer; it’s practically a legend in many home workshops and small professional settings, and for good reason!

If you’re like me, you’ve probably spent countless hours trying to get perfectly flat and uniform lumber. Whether you’re reclaiming old barn wood, milling rough-sawn timber, or just wanting to ensure your project pieces are precisely the same thickness, a good planer is an absolute game-changer. The DW735 promises to deliver on that front with its robust features, and after testing it out, I can definitely see why it’s so highly rated.

It’s designed for serious woodworkers who need precision, power, and reliability. Forget about the frustration of uneven boards or spending ages with a hand plane. This machine is built to make quick work of surfacing lumber, ensuring your projects start with the best possible foundation. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty!

Product Snapshot: DEWALT DW735 Planer

DEWALT Planer, Thickness Planer, 13-Inch, 3 Knife, Two Speed (DW735)

★★★★★ 4.7 out of 5 stars (Based on 2202 reviews)

Price: $549.00 USD

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Key Features & Specifications

Alright, let’s talk about what makes the DEWALT DW735 stand out from the crowd. When we’re investing in a big tool like this, we want to know it’s got the goods, right? Here are the features that really caught my attention and make a difference in the workshop:

• 13-Inch Cutting Capacity: This is huge for anyone working with wider stock. Many planers max out at 12 inches, but that extra inch on the DW735 can be incredibly useful, allowing you to plane wider boards with ease. This means fewer glue-ups for wider panels, saving you time and effort.

• 3-Knife Cutterhead: This is one of the standout features. Instead of the standard two knives, the DW735 sports a three-knife cutterhead. What does this mean for you? It means a smoother finish with fewer knife marks. This significantly reduces the amount of sanding you’ll need to do afterward, which is a huge time-saver in any project.

• Two-Speed 20,000 RPM Motor: This isn’t just a powerful motor; it’s a smart one. The two-speed gearbox allows you to optimize cuts per inch (CPI). The faster speed (20,000 RPM, 10,000 RPM cutterhead speed) is great for production work, getting more material removed quickly. The slower speed (18,000 RPM, 9,000 RPM cutterhead speed) is perfect for achieving that ultra-fine finish on hardwoods or tricky grain, minimizing tear-out. It’s like having two planers in one!

• Corded Power: Being a corded machine, you get consistent, reliable power for those long milling sessions. No need to worry about batteries dying mid-project, which is a blessing when you’re in a rhythm.

• Automatic Carriage Lock: This feature helps reduce snipe (the slight recess at the beginning or end of a board caused by the cutterhead). It automatically locks the cutterhead in place, which contributes to a more consistent cut across the entire length of your material. Our community loves anything that minimizes post-planer work!

• Material Removal Gauge and Thickness Scale: These are incredibly helpful for precise adjustments. The gauge indicates the amount of material being removed with each pass, helping you avoid taking off too much at once, while the thickness scale ensures you hit your target dimensions accurately.

• Fan-Assisted Chip Ejection: This is a crucial, often overlooked feature. The built-in fan ejects wood chips out of the machine and into a dust collector. This not only keeps your workspace cleaner but also prevents chips from clogging the mechanism, maintaining optimal performance and extending the life of your planer.

These features combine to create a powerful, precise, and user-friendly planer that can handle a wide range of woodworking tasks, from rough stock dimensioning to achieving final, super-smooth surfaces.

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Pros & Cons: My Honest Take

After spending some quality time with the DEWALT DW735, I’ve got a pretty good handle on what it excels at and where it might fall a little short. Remember, no tool is perfect for absolutely everyone, but this one comes pretty close for its category!

The Good Stuff (Pros):

• Exceptional Finish Quality: This is where the DW735 truly shines. The three-knife cutterhead, combined with the two-speed motor, allows you to achieve incredibly smooth surfaces with minimal tear-out, even on challenging woods. I was genuinely impressed by how little sanding was required after a pass, especially on the slower speed.

• Powerful Motor: The 20,000 RPM motor (10,000 RPM cutterhead speed) means this planer eats through material without bogging down. I’ve used it on oak, maple, and even some reclaimed walnut, and it just powers through. This makes dimensioning rough lumber a much faster and less frustrating process.

• Minimal Snipe: Thanks to the automatic carriage lock and robust design, snipe is significantly reduced compared to many other portable planers. While it’s almost impossible to eliminate snipe entirely, the DW735 does an excellent job of keeping it to a bare minimum, which means less wasted material and less cleanup.

• Effective Dust Collection: The fan-assisted chip ejection system is a lifesaver. When connected to a proper dust collector (or even just a large shop vac with a suitable hose), it keeps the chips moving and out of the machine. This prevents clogs and keeps your shop much cleaner, which our community definitely appreciates!

• Durable Build Quality: This machine feels solid and well-built. It’s heavy, which contributes to its stability during operation, and the components seem designed to withstand years of regular use. It’s an investment, and it feels like one.

• User-Friendly: Despite its power, it’s quite intuitive to operate. Changing knives is straightforward, and the depth adjustment is smooth and precise. Even if you’re new to planers, you’ll get the hang of this one quickly.

Things to Consider (Cons):

• Weight and Portability: At around 92 pounds, this is not a lightweight tool. While it’s considered a ‘portable’ thickness planer, moving it around frequently can be a chore. If you need something you can easily take to different job sites, you might want to consider a lighter option or invest in a mobile base.

• Noise Level: Like most planers, the DW735 is LOUD. You absolutely need hearing protection when operating this machine. This isn’t a dealbreaker for most, but it’s something to be aware of, especially if your workshop is in a residential area.

• Dust Collection Requirement: While the fan-assisted chip ejection is great, it’s almost mandatory to connect it to a dust collector. Without one, the chips will quickly overwhelm your workspace and potentially clog the machine. This means an additional investment if you don’t already have a robust dust collection system.

• Knife Longevity: While the 3-knife system delivers fantastic results, some users report that the knives can dull relatively quickly, especially when working with very hard or knotty woods. Replacement knives aren’t cheap, so it’s something to factor into the long-term cost of ownership. However, they are reversible, giving you two cutting edges.

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Who Is the DEWALT DW735 For?

Our community is diverse, and this planer isn’t for everyone, but it’s perfect for a specific type of woodworker. Based on my experience and what others in our group look for, here’s who I think would absolutely love the DEWALT DW735:

• Serious Hobbyists and Weekend Warriors: If you’ve moved beyond basic projects and are starting to work with rough lumber, create fine furniture, or tackle larger woodworking endeavors, this planer will be a massive upgrade. It offers professional-level results in a package that fits well in a home shop.

• Small Shop Owners / Professional Woodworkers: For those running a small custom furniture shop or a woodworking business where space is a premium but quality cannot be compromised, the DW735 is an excellent choice. Its performance rivals much larger, more expensive industrial machines for many tasks.

• Anyone Who Values Finish Quality: If you hate sanding (and who doesn’t?), the superior finish provided by the 3-knife cutterhead and two-speed motor will save you countless hours. This machine is designed to leave your boards ready for minimal final prep.

• Those Working with Wide Stock: The 13-inch capacity is a significant advantage for anyone frequently milling boards wider than 12 inches. It opens up possibilities for larger tabletops, panels, and other projects without the need for extensive glue-ups or multiple passes on a narrower machine.

• Woodworkers with a Dedicated Workspace: Given its weight and the need for robust dust collection, the DW735 is best suited for a workshop where it can be set up more or less permanently, or at least on a sturdy mobile base. If you’re constantly moving your tools, this might be a bit cumbersome.

If you fit into one or more of these categories, then the investment in the DEWALT DW735 will likely pay dividends in terms of project quality, efficiency, and overall woodworking enjoyment. It’s truly a workhorse!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I’ve gathered some common questions that pop up in our group about thickness planers, and specifically the DEWALT DW735. Let’s tackle them!

1. Does the DEWALT DW735 come with a dust hood?
   Yes, the DW735 typically comes with a reversible dust chute that can be directed to either the left or right side, making it easier to connect to your dust collection system. It’s designed for efficient chip ejection.

2. Are the knives reversible or disposable?
   The knives on the DW735 are reversible, meaning you get two cutting edges per knife. Once one side dulls, you can flip them over for a fresh edge. They are disposable in the sense that once both sides are dull, you replace the set.

3. How effective is the snipe reduction feature?
   The automatic carriage lock on the DW735 is very effective at minimizing snipe. While it’s nearly impossible to eliminate snipe entirely on a portable planer, the DW735 performs exceptionally well in this regard, leaving only a very minor, often imperceptible, amount of snipe that can be easily sanded out.

4. What’s the difference between the two speeds?
   The two-speed gearbox allows you to choose between 96 cuts per inch (CPI) for dimensioning and 179 CPI for a finer finish. The higher CPI (slower feed rate) results in a smoother surface, ideal for final passes on delicate or figured wood, while the lower CPI (faster feed rate) is great for quickly removing a lot of material.

5. Is this planer suitable for a beginner woodworker?
   While it’s a powerful and professional-grade tool, the DW735 is relatively straightforward to operate and has excellent safety features. A beginner with a serious interest in woodworking and a willingness to learn proper planer techniques will find it a rewarding investment that they won’t quickly outgrow.

Final Verdict: A Top-Tier Performer for Your Workshop

After all the passes, all the dust, and all the perfectly dimensioned lumber, my verdict on the DEWALT DW735 Thickness Planer is overwhelmingly positive. This isn’t just a tool; it’s an investment in the quality and efficiency of your woodworking projects. Our community, myself included, truly appreciates tools that deliver on their promises, and the DW735 does just that.

It brings together power, precision, and thoughtful features like the 3-knife cutterhead and two-speed motor to deliver results that often surpass other portable planers on the market. Yes, it’s a bit heavy, and you’ll definitely need good hearing protection and a robust dust collection system, but these are minor considerations when you weigh them against the performance it provides.

If you’re serious about woodworking, frequently work with rough lumber, or simply want to achieve the smoothest possible finish on your projects with minimal effort, the DW735 is an outstanding choice. It’s built to last, performs consistently, and will quickly become one of the most valued machines in your shop. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking to elevate their woodworking game. You won’t be disappointed!

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