Popular Woodworking 2003-10 № 136, страница 30
DeWalt's DW735 13" Planer - Pricey, but Complete with All the Bells and Whistles Let me get this out of the way right at the start because I rarely say this: I can't find any feature missing (and have little to complain about) on this planer. DeWalt has done a nice job making a user-friendly, economically intelligent high-quality planer. Let's start with the features: • Three double-sided disposable knives that are easily changed and can be adjusted laterally to avoid nicks; • Two-speed feed rate (96 or 179 cuts per inch) for a better finish on the final pass; • Four-post chain-driven cutterhead height-adjustment system that is under spring tension to give you snipe-free planing (yes, really!) without a head lock; • Fan-assisted chip ejection system to keep chips out of the knives and rollers. Then there's the other smart stuff: • Single oversized table; • Material removal scale; • Well-designed depth stop (six settings); • Single on-board tool for all adjustments and maintenance. OK, my one complaint: The universal motor still is pretty loud (98 decibels). But beyond the noise level, the DW735 was a pleasure to test. Right out of the box I was able to produce snipe-free work taking 1/8"cuts in both maple and pine boards. The cutterhead's height adjustment is smooth, requiring little effort. All of the scales were easy to read and understand. Changing blades (or adjusting to avoid a nick) is easy thanks to an on-board tool, providing easy and ample access to the cutterhead. While this planer has a lot going for it, it's also the highest-priced one (substantially higher than many) in the category at $479. That said, we'd say the thought and engineering that went into this machine more than compensates for the price. — David Thiel SPECIFICATIONS DeWalt DW735 13" Planer Street price: $479 Motor: 15-amp universal, 10,000 rpm Knives: 3, M2 laminated, 2-sided, disposable Cuts-per-inch: Two speeds: 96 or 179 Speeds: 14 or 26 feet per minute Table size: 13" x 193/4" Weight: 92 lbs. Performance: ••••• Price range: $$$$$ DeWalt: 800-4dewalt (800-433-9257) or dewalt.com Aftermarket Chipbreakers an Amazing Upgrade No matter how much you fine-tune your Bailey-style plane, there is one part that will almost always give you fits. I'm talking about, of course, the plane's chipbreaker. Screwed to your plane's iron, the chip-breaker is supposed to reduce tear-out and clear shavings from the plane's mouth. If it's not mated perfectly to the iron, however, it will cause more problems than it solves. For years, Clifton in England has offered a heavy two-piece chipbreaker that has always performed well. Now two more manufacturers have come out with less expensive heavy-duty chipbreakers that solve all the problems of the wimpy stock ones. In my humble opinion, these chipbreak-ers are as important an upgrade as an after-market plane iron. Hock Tools and Lie-Nielsen Toolworks now sell thick, well-made chipbreakers that stiffen your cutting iron (to reduce chatter) and give you an airtight fit against your iron's cutting edge. Both brands of chipbreakers are available in the common sizes to fit vintage and new Stanley planes, as well as Lie-Nielsen planes. The two versions are a bit different in the details, but they both work exceptionally well, so I cannot recommend one over the other. In the photo at right you can see a stock chipbreaker (right), the Lie-Nielsen (center) and the Hock. After months of using both, I have found that these chipbreakers make the most difference in smoothing planes, where every bit of extra performance is important. So start by upgrading your #3, #4 and #412 planes. At press time, the Hock version was available in three sizes (13/4", 2" and 23/8") for $20 each. The Lie-Nielsen chipbreakers are available in two sizes individually or as an optional upgrade when you buy a bench plane. The 2" sells for $20; the 23/8" is $25. — Christopher Schwarz continued on page 32 SPECIFICATIONS Aftermarket Chipbreakers Street price: $20-$25 Width: 13/4",2",23/8" Thickness: Both are about .136" Performance: ••••• Price range: $ Hock Tools: 888-282-5233 or hocktools.com Lie-Nielsen Toolworks: 800-327-2520 or lie-nielsen.com 30 Popular Woodworking October 2003 |
