Building the Perfect Planer || Best Small Shop Planer

[@Bourbonmoth]

Use code BOURBON50 to get 50% OFF your first Factor box plus 20% off your next month of orders at bit.ly/40aoJr1

[@NaroiStudio]

Got this planer for my shop. I don’t regret buying it. I’m actually thinking about installing the shelix blades and this video helped me made up my mind. Solid upgrade.

[@LaFeuilleAF]

This is a nice improvement! Decibels (dB) are not linear, and the perceived loudness can change significantly with only a small change in dB, especially above the hundred, so going from 105 to 95/100 is pretty good already. Also, too bad you couldn't plug the dust collector: the biggest different will come when it's on and connected to the planer. Dust collectors generate a lot of wind/suction, and it amplifies a lot (!) the planer's noise. The helical head will significantly help with that, since the wind/suction passes through it way smoothly. Cheers from Switzerland!

[@ThreePedalCollective]

Came to explain this 👍

[@simon-d-m]

Every change of 3 in the dB(A) number is a halving or doubling of the sound power. So the 9 dB(A) that you noted is around 8X quieter. That's well worth having!

[@shaunmac983]

So minor correction. We actually hear in logarithmic scale as well. So it's true that every 3dB either doubles or halves when converted to linear scale. But we hear in logarithmic scale as well. So double the sound output doesn't mean it sounds twice as loud. I'm a EE and learned this tidbit when building an audio amplifier. I had to buy a logarithmic potentiometer because using a linear one didn't change the volume how I expected (way less change in volume than expected). But I've got to imagine doubling the power output is still not great for your ears. So the change in dB is still important to protect your ears.

[@KiwiBassHead]

A good rule of thumb (or ear??) is that an increase in SPL (Sound Pressure Level) of 10dB doubles the perceived volume, but as was mentioned above you need ~8 times the power to get that 10dB increase.

[@Scrambler49]

I purchased myDeWalt planer when I decided to build new foots for my kitchen cabinets, I have a 4-plex so there are a lot of doors, and the original doors are very dated but the cabinets are solid and well made. My experience with this planer is very good for work under the 12 1/2 inch width, it is a bit loud in a garage setting and you need to plug directly into a wall receptacle using an extension cord will cause enough drop to trip the beaker, another thing most shop vacuums do not have enough volume to handle the chips / dust produced, a small dust collector is definitely needed, I am using one I picked up from the local import tool shop. Haven’t swapped out the head yet but considering doing so next year. I enjoy your channel and postings.

[@larryk6330]

I bought the exact same planer and exact upgrade about five years ago, and it is without a doubt money well spent. I just finished thicknessing 80 BF of 4/4 hard maple to 1/2 inch for some sliding barn doors and the final pass is almost finish ready. I absolutely love what I get from this tool and upgrade.

[@me-qg2mt]

That was a very good video. Thank you. I live in Thailand and bought this planer. I also switched from the straight knives to the helix type. The reduction in noise is considerable. Also as was was mentioned in the video the reduction in the higher frequency sounds was significant. One thing that was not mentioned is that the helical inserts are made out of solid carbide whereas the straight knives as supplied from the manufacturer are high speed steel. I plane a lot of teak. Teak is very abrasive because of the silica within the wood. The HSS straight blades were wearing out after only about 100-200 linear board feet. I have done hundreds of board feet of teak for the past three years using the helical inserts and have not even had to rotate any of them to a new cutting edge.

Hello. I live in Thailand too, have been planing teak with my DeWalt, and was considering the switch to a helix cutter. May I ask which brand of cutter you use? Did you buy it here in Thailand or from the US? thanks

[@me-qg2mt]

Hello. I bought the Sheartak cutter head PN S00512. The company is in Canada but the head is shipped from China. It is quite a bit more expensive that the Shelix ($535 US + tax and shipping). The Shelix also has the same number of cutters. Based on the reviews if I had to do it over again I would have purchased the Shelix. I live in NE Thailand in Loei Muang. Where do you live?

@@me-qg2mt Ha! We are rather far apart. I'm down in Phuket, where finding quality teak at a reasonable price is impossible. If you're ever down my way, please let me know. Any recommendations for teak suppliers? Cheers

[@Zircon10]

I did exactly the same setup two years ago. It was well worth the aggravation of installation. One other mod you should consider is adding a Wixey digital thickness gage to your DeWalt. Once calibrated you can adjust finished board thickness to well under 0.01”. In fact, I’ve been seeing repeatable results in the 0.005” range with the helical head. Other than somewhat limited width you have a real cherry planing machine.

[@Folkvagn1300]

Thank you for the tip

[@kenerickson4923]

I spent a lot less money by buying a WEN Spiral head 13 inch planer. Less cutters, but very smooth surfaces. Super quiet and the only setup was waxing the bed and fasten on the adjustment handle. I could have 3 of mine for what you spent and not have to fiddle with the changes. A friend inherited my old noisy 2 blade Dewalt.

[@JeepinMaxx]

Thanks for the video! I've had the Dewalt for about 5 years and have wanted to upgrade to a helix cutter head. As others mentioned - the dB scale is logarithmic, not linear. So 5db difference is quite an improvement. Example - 90db is a lawnmower or wet/dry vac, 110db is car horn or concert, 120db is a jet engine, and 140db is a gunshot

[@venoofnecona3906]

If you plug in to a 15-amp receptacle it can trip the breaker. Make sure it is a 20 amp. receptacle. Do not change out the breaker from 15 amp to 20 amp. 15-amp breakers use 14 grade wire, as a 20 amp uses 12 grade wire. If you change the breaker, you can cause a fire and burn down your house or shop. I am an electrician with 40 years' experience.

[@ingoroemer626]

I've got the same planer, have had it for almost 20 years. Small shop and yeah, it is certainly loud in there, in fact I make a note not to start it up until after 8AM, keeps the neighbors happy 🤣

[@therealweenis]

Nice video. I have the same setup. The power on the wall was ample enough to run the planer, but the breaker I would trip was actually on the planer itself, not the shop. I resolved this by changing the power cord on the planer to be a higher gauge, and all is right in the world. Awesome small shop setup.

[@philshock3805]

You probably should have mentioned the Shelix comes in two sizes for the 735. The one that you installed is the smaller one that doesn't require cutter removal for installation, and an OEM version that will retain the same cut diameter as stock but requires cutter removal for installation. The link you provided is actually the OEM version and will require all 40 cutters to be removed before you can install it. Once it's in, you can reinstall the cutters. The DeWalt 735 has become somewhat of a ubiquitous standard at this point for lunchbox style planers. I've had mine for 10 years and still works flawlessly. I actually prefer the straight knife cut - as long as the blades are sharp, they provide a glassy smooth surface. My Grizzly 8in jointer with a helical head is pretty good as well but the planer is a bit smoother. "Louder" doesn't matter to me as I'll be using hearing protection regardless.

[@gregorythomasd07]

You seem to have a good understanding of the nuanced differences. I noticed the OEM version is $555 on their site vs $475 on the Amazon link. Any idea on why it’s different? Both seem to be “regular price”. Also, you mentioned there is a difference in size between the large & small one. Do you know the size difference? Really glad you mentioned that because I hadn’t noticed that before and would’ve went with the lower priced option!

[@Icantball67]

Thanks for that extra info. I wonder how the performance might change between the 2 sizes, is one better than the other or seem harder on the machine. Also if the cutter heat has a different diameter, that means the cutting depth is slightly adjusted from center of the cutter head. Can the thickness scale be adjusted to match the possible adjusted difference in cutter head diameter?

[@davejackson5989]

@@Icantball67 With the smaller head the depth gauge is no longer accurate, also the cutting speed has also changed.

[@JoeC92]

​@@davejackson5989 majority of the reviews I've seen on it pretty much each one say they regret getting the smaller one too. They all say it would've been better to spend the extra time with the blades than having to adjust the depth gauge for the smaller head

[@3weight]

@@JoeC92 I installed another brand that required the 40-blade changeout, and it really wasn’t that bad. I was dreading it and braced myself to just pay the one-time price to keep an accurate depth gauge, but in the end it was no big deal. There are three makers out there with good reputations doing third-party helical heads for lots of machines including the Dewalt. (I got the Lux Cut III from My Wood Cutters, they sell Shelix and Lux Cut. I can’t recall the third brand, I’ve just seen another one out there.)

[@richarddicktaylor219]

This is you best video for ages - a practical experiment without sponsorship or marketing BS that's relevant to a huge proportion of your subscribers. I liked the paving one (what a great bloke that bloke was) but this style or hands on experiment is getting back to the Tank/Lawnmower vibe.

[@RealPeoplePerson]

Decibel (dB) when listed in a product description is often measured at a distance of 1m (3.28ft). As we all know, the closer you put your ear to the audio source, the louder the noise. When comparing two product listings, it's worth making sure both dB values are measured at the same distance. Some sneaky folks will measure at a greater distance to appear less noisy.

[@thetoolman3]

Another mod to help it run quieter is to remove the built-in blower and replace it with a 3D printed chute that exits through the top. If you are using a dust collector anyway, the blower isn't needed. Also, sound pressure is measured on a logarithmic scale. A 3dB reduction is approximately half as loud, though the way we perceive sound, it takes about 6dB to "feel" like half.

[@busterulmer7092]

Got the same planer/stand combo two weeks ago. You aren’t kidding about the crappy instructions on the stand. All I got was an exploded diagram and list of hardware included. Took a while to get it right. One word of wisdom is as you assemble it, if the holes don’t line up cleanly,you’ve done it wrong. Once together it’s really pretty nice. And the noise issue is a given. Being nearly 80% hearing loss as it is, I turned it on and ran a board through and that was enough. My muffs are right on the machine and on my head from the get go.

[@theelmagoo]

This is great as I just picked up this Planner and was questioning whether to get the helical upgrade! A few notes to toss into the information mind share as well: - Others have mentioned it already, the Decibel scale is logarithmic. That means that changes in the scale are a bigger jump than just the number (i.e. that 10bB difference you measured is actually around double the difference). So that was indeed a good improvement in noise reduction! - Just to note, you can usually find the 735 used for around $450 - $500ish on FB marketplace (I got lucky and found mine for $425 with a set of replacement blades and it had the extension tables). That can save you some cash if you're wanting to go this route (just doing a quick look and I see 8 for sale in the DFW area for $500 or less). - There's another option to consider for a small shop that also comes with a Helical head, it's this Grizzly 12" planer / jointer combination. It's on wheels so it's easy to move around, and it's 120V 15A power so no need to go 220. Plus you get the bonus of it also being a 12" Jointer! It pretty much costs as much as the 735 + helical upgrade new. www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-12-combo-planer-jointer-with-helical-cutterhead/g0959 They also have an 8" version for under $600 as another option.

[@aisikoduro6832]

Before seeing this video, I came across similar information while doing some research on bench top thickness planar with helical cutter head, just because my vevor is as loud as it gets. I even did major research on the headphone and ear buds that are supposed to help reduces the noise level by 35 dbA. In any case, thanks Jason for this video because it at least confirms my research. As an unrelated and side note. I got a sound meter during my research to help me measure how loud my harbor freight dust collector and other tools can get. I want to make sure the headphone I got is reducing the noise level by a significant margin, preferrably to 70 dbA. I test it on our ninja blender in the kitchen and I'm happy to report that, tools in our kitchen can also cause hearing damage.

[@russrandall4834]

Joining the ranks of the common weekend woodworker again. Love to see your takes on the options i have for budget and space! Great series.

[@maxz2433]

Hi Jason, thanks for the video. I think you may want to repeat it at some minor corrections to your setup and get your sound meter at the proper distance. The dB standing for decibel, is the sound level and dBA is the A-weighted dB levels, which gives more weight to frequencies relevant to human ears. As others noted, dB levels are logarithmic so 10 dB change is 10 x change in sound energy. Therefore, going from 90 dBA to 100 dBA isn't just a 10% change but rather a 10x change. Normally, the standard measurements are made at 1 meter (3.3 feet). dB levels drop by 5 dB for each doubling of distance. So, if you measure at 1 meter a dBA value, at 2 meters, it would be 5 dB lower. I think as a woodworker's ears would be about 0.5 meters (1.5 to 2 ft) from the planer sound source, he/she would be 2x closer to the sound source than the standard 1 meter. Therefore you have to take all the standard sound level recommendations and reduce them by 5 dBA.

[@inspiringbuilds]

Great video and planer. The Shelix helical cutter head is a game changer that I’ve always highly recommended. 👍

[@bakerfx4968]

Going from 107 to 95 is more than a ten fold decrease of sound. Thats actually pretty impressive

[@rodneysmothermon6113]

If you wanna make that the "ultimate " small shop planer, I would suggest that you look online and purchase the aftermarket DRO kit (digital read out) for the Dewalt 735. It's awesome

[@jasonpaul7174]

If you don’t want to make the conversion yourself you can buy the OLIVER MACHINERY 13" Planer with Helical Head Model 10045. It already has the Byrd Shelix helicalhead cutter installed and it runs around $999. I bought mine on sale for about $100 off. It also has a digital readout which I love. It really helps dial it in for very accurate cuts. I also tested it with a friends tester and it measured at about 84 DBA’s under load. It should be installed on a 20amp breaker and rarely cuts out. Butter like surface of course. Anyways, just sharing in case you don’t want to all the conversion work.

[@scope21]

I have the same one and love it! Oliver makes a quality planer!

[@ryderscustomcreations3665]

I'll third that endorsement for the Oliver!

[@badguitarwrist]

There’s a new 15” Oliver coming out. Looks like the dewalt 735 but has digital readout and helical head too. Rumored to be around $1500 bucks.

[@fradinryth]

I picked up the Oliver this spring rather than retool my Delta 13" to helix cutters. That baby slaps.

[@paulkinneberg9405]

Awesome tool for $1K

[@kennethcervantes5275]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned already but one of the culprits to the loud noise level and power is the blower for the chips made by the planer. If you have a dust collector powerful enough, you could remove the blower to make it quieter and not draw so much power.

[@SAUdustBuilds]

I will say this. This thing tripped my garage circuit a lot but that was on a normal 15 amp circuit. Now that I have beefed up the electrical in my garage with more amps everything is gravy.

[@vinniesavarese3913]

I teach middle school wood shop and we just recently retooled the shops and I ended up with a powermatic 22 inch helical head planer and it’s amazing, weighs 1400 pounds and requires a 50 amp service so it was a logistical nightmare but never had a planer in the shop before and it’s a game changer!

[@philclayton5163]

As usual the comedic value is great and the informative content makes for interesting viewing

[@rhondarupright7827]

I love that you use your bourbon moth knife in the kitchen too

[@robertprater2859]

That Shelix head is the way to go. I've found that if I hook a hose up to my dust deputy without a dust collector it catches all the dust since it has a built in blower. Have been using mine for a few years now and have rotated the blades once. Usually only taking 1/32" off per pass and running them through as if i were hand planing them keeps me from tripping the breaker. Hey as always we enjoy all of your content bro!

[@Greg8872]

I have the Grizzly "lunchbox" helical head planer for 2 years, and have no problems. I decided to go for that $900 option vs $600 for deWalt + $500+ for upgrade and I got to keep the warranty.

[@thetoal666]

I also did this conversion, my DeWalt was from 2007and it works flawlessly. I used the Grizzly conversion kit though. Good reviews. Less expr and also great instructions. Planer also runs hotter now (motor) so I do have to watch how long I run it for one sitting, but the planer results do not lie. Get carbide cutter replacements when you need to, they last even longer than the standard steel ones and the results are worth it

[@dian3145]

I bought the Grizzly as well, haven’t had a chance to install it yet. The instructions seem straight forward. Did you have any gotcha moments? TIA!

[@MrPhilGainer]

My DeWalt was stolen out of my garage. On a whim, I bought a Cutech 40800H as a holdover until I got a big boy planer. Despite recommending the DeWalt for years, I now tell everyone looking for a bench top to just save their money and buy the Cutech. Virtually no snipe, and comes with a spiral head. A traditional shop vac will do just fine with the spiral cutters, so the DeWalt blower, while definitely nice, isn't a major loss.

[@keith7630]

I have a Cutech planer as well as the DeWalt 735 with Shelix upgrade. The Cutech performs well and leaves a nice finish. No complaints at all.

[@5zwoodworks]

I have one. I traded it in for the 734. In stock form, it was good. Once I replaced it with a helical head, there was a night and day difference. It was quieter and cut a lot smoother. You still get snipe but the cut quality is impressive.

[@Dragonited]

A big reason for the DeWalt being louder compared to a bigger planer is mass. Lower amount of mass means it will vibrate more and create more noise. If you switch out the wooden plate under it for a metal plate it will sound less and so will bolting it down to a more massive table that is attached to the wall. You could also add some sound dampening material to the plastic top cover to dampen the vibrations. You can do the same with the hollow parts of the underside. It willdo a lot to dampen the noise of the planer.

[@richs5422]

I have that exact setup as well. Since the planer has its own blower, I roll it outside the shop and use a trash can lid separator. This keeps the large amount of sawdust a planer makes out of my dust collection system. It seems like there's always a blade or two that need to be rotated or replaced, but overall it's a good choice.

[@erickdanielsson6710]

Thanks Jason,, Did the change a couple years back on my DELTA planer. Much more involved, but very much worth the cost and trouble.. QUIETER and MUCH better finish.

[@georgskleinewerkstatt8678]

Me likes that😊 just a hint, let it run for 15 minutes unloaded so the brushes can "wear in" and it will be quieter. Manufacturers these days do that in the factory as they did years ago. Cost saving and that sh*t. Have a great day, nice people around you, keep on going. Your content is AWESOME

[@rabbit9696]

Loving your small shop series as like many, I only have a small single garage shop! Looking forward to seeing how you get on. Love your playful presentation style- keep up the great vids ❤

[@groschengrab]

I´ve upgraded my 38 year old Elektra Beckum (now Metabo) HC260 planer also with a Spiral Cutter. Works great and much less noise! 🤗

[@thomasschafer7268]

Den habe ich auch. Das ist aber auch eine andere Liga als dieses doch teure Spielding!👍👍🇩🇪

[@bigburlymikesmswoodworking]

Switching to the helical head on this exact planer was the first thing I did when I bought it over 6 years ago. I got tired of the onboard breaker tripping so I change out the power cord for a bit longer one with a bigger gauge wire (the stock cord would get pretty warm with extended use). I actually had to replace the internal breaker once (before upgrading the power cord) because it was constantly tripping even with the lightest of passes. This planer has been great (pretty light usage), and the way I have it stored doesn't take up any extra space in my shop.

[@FactbasedReality0421]

dB is decibel. dBA is A weighted, it adjusts for human ear. A +3 dB change is an apparent doubling of volume to the human ear. All great stuff-thanks!

[@stevenmcintosh3303]

I've been running the same planer with a shelix cutterhead for years and love it. I've ran hundreds of board feed thru it on numerous passes and I've only rotated the cutters once.Does require more sanding tho and working thru the grit range on sandpaper but it's still very much worth it.

[@jdcorganist]

I am starting to like DeWalt stuff. I just bought their 10” job site table saw because I don’t have a workspace available and need to chop down 4x8 sheets and other things. This table saw is abso-flippin awesome. Perfectly calibrated, chock full of features, and everything was very well thought out. I had my eye on this same DeWalt planer, but haven’t had a need to buy it yet. But I’m glad you did this video - and with the helix head - it may be on my next big purchase list!

[@bryansmant870]

That is a decent planer, I'm on my second one. It is important to note that it has a limited duty cycle, especially in harder woods. I cooked the motor on my first one planing a bunch of rock maple. Only doing 1/32nd passes but running constantly for a few hours.

[@jerrywoodlee2345]

A very informative video for those thinking about changing their planer.

[@sawdustwoodchips]

I did exactly the same conversion! As you say it took way longer than I expected, but I was very impressed with the end results!

[@22kmclaren]

One of the other great things about this planer in a small shop, its internal blower is incredibly powerful so some people have skipped external dust collection and just added like 1 ft of pipe and a dust collection bag. Great way to delay cost as you’re getting into a new and expensive hobby. Or you could be like me and push it into the driveway and let the blown shavings become extra mulch on your landscaping 😂

[@danielshiplett]

I wish I had known how powerful the blower was ahead of time. First use blew the lid right off my cheap Oneida dust collector. Shop was a mess. I was so confused why it looked like Christmas. 😆

[@jmelchiori85]

Can confirm, I've got a rigid-but-bendable hose from powertec and a good dust bag and collect straight from the blower in the planer no problem.

[@shadowfaxcrx5141]

One reason the DeWalt is so loud is that it has an onboard chip extraction fan which is fairly powerful. Before I got a good dust collector, I used to just hook it directly to a vortex bucket and it actually worked decently. But the fan is mounted in a plastic air duct that basically acts like an air horn, making the noise of the fan even louder. All that air rushing over the straight blades also makes noise, which is why it quiets down when you run helical cutters.

[@Shannon-v3r]

Some of the best money I’ve ever spent. I won’t have the space for anything larger for the foreseeable future but until then, I’ll never be without the combo

[@albertm8576]

I’ve got that planer also and it’s been running like a champ for about 13years. I did replace the drive belt a few years ago and that’s it. (Not expensive) I’m gonna look into that helical cutter. Great video 👍

[@joeharris2074]

Decibels are a logarithmic scale, so yes, going up or down a few decibels is significant, like the difference between a 4.0 and 7.0 earthquake. It matters to your ears.

[@shaneofthehillpeople]

Every 3 dBA is a doubling of the sound power. 6 dBa = 4x, and so on.

[@jefferychapin5759]

@@shaneofthehillpeoplethat is the scientific community figure; OSHA uses 5dba as the multiplier. Same/same but yes you are correct.

[@OscarSommerbo]

Decibels (dBa) is measuring sound pressure in a logarithmic scale, but humans react to both the intensity and perceived loudness so 10 dBa louder is actually twice as loud but 10 times the intensity. When Jason remarked on how the higher pitch felt more jarring than the lower pitch, that is most likely a change in intensity rather than perceived loudness. I hate to sound like a chatbot or a warning label, but Jason did the right thing to use hearing protection when planing the board and the loudness jumped up to 107 dBa, he should probably had them in even at 100 dBa. Please remember that even what looks like small steps on a scale, the nature of the decibel scale makes every step important.

[@BesserBuilds]

I did the same upgrade to the same planer, but I built mine into a bench along the wall. (Shameless plug i have a video on that) and i have to say i love this thing. It will shut off if you take to large of a pass, but it's to be expected i suppose. The finish on the boards coming out is awesome as well and I get almost no tear out on figured woods.

[@cappy9282]

I have the helical in my 735. I have ran into the issue of it tripping a breaker. I have my planer on a 20w circut as well. I have found that, on my planer, if i ran alot of material the planer would seem to over heat and trip the on board breaker. Never have trip the breaker in breaker box either. The over heating seems to begin around 30-35 board feet of material. Now if i have alot of material to run, i will run 20 board feet and let the planer rest for about an hour before running more. I typically run hardwoods like walnut, hard maple, and oak. I havent ran much softer woods to really tell if theres a difference. I have honestly thought about going back to the straight blades because of the issue but its not often when i run more then 20 board feet at a time. Plus the helical makes much smoother cuts with less tearout. Overall, its been a great little planer for the last 5 yrs.

[@AdventureswithJack453]

Let me introduce you to my WEN helical head 13" lunchbox planer. Works great and doesn't break the bank.

[@kstofkos]

For a minute I thought... another Dewalt planer video. I have one, so I kept watching. Nope, fantastic video! I keep mine on a furniture dolly and keep it under my tablesaw extension. Been watching your videos for years Jason. Love them!

[@kirkbyars243]

Great video. Remember the plainer you are testing has it's own internal fan so the Db will be close to what your old (bigger) plainer would have been with the dust collector.

[@Adi-kf6bq]

Bonuses for helicals are that they can be quieter, last longer and adittionaly the shold be able to more easyly handle interrupted cuts since always more then 1 cutting line is engaged

[@l.rod2827]

I use the same planner and it is loud, really loud. I always wear my hearing protection when I use it. I'm still using the straight knives until they dull out, then I'll consider the helix head cutter. It did appear to be quieter than the straight knives. I've seen the procedure to change out and I guess I can wait. Besides the helix head isn't that cheap either, us small wood shops are always trying to round up our pennies for the next tool purchase. Great video, keep up the great work.

[@patrickosullivan4354]

The dewalt planer has its own impeller in its dust chute. Remove that and it’ll be much quieter… just don’t forget to hook up your own dust collector.

[@ericmay7259]

Very impressive work changing the cutter head to the Shelix and you made it look so easy!! Great work & content!!

[@mikemoore4443]

The biggest source of the sound difference between your big planer and a lunchbox planer is the type of motor. Large machines use induction motors which run slower motor rpm’s and are designed for continuous use. Lunchbox planers use a universal motors which run at a much higher motor (and motor fan) rpm which leads to the much higher noise level. Also, universal motors generate more heat and are not designed for continuous use. I have a DW735 with a helical head and find I need to take lighter cuts than with knives if running lots of wide hardwood boards or the internal breaker on the planer will trip. The cut performance is worth it but it is a trade off.

[@Pmckh]

Love my 735x and a shelix conversion is on my short list. Definitely get a digital read out for the depth. It’s a great investment for those light accurate passes

[@osgeld]

I have seen this upgrade video on this exact setup about 100 times this year alone ... but here I am watching this one cause I like the creators I subscribe to. Also sound levels are measured at a set distance, usually 1/2 or 1 meter away, not right up the machines ass

[@andrewmacomber1638]

Good call! That’s the planer I went with for my small shop… ear protection is a must always. I’m excited to get my bourbon blade Monday! A little ticked about the month delay. But I’ll get over it. ✌🏻

[@tracylamb903]

That’s the planer I have. It was great on my walnut boards.

[@MMMS75]

I appreciate the review! I have this planer and love it, but haven't made the switch to a helical quite yet. I don't use it "yet" enough to justify the swap, but that day is coming. Yeah, this thing is freaking load. I'm happy I don't have to plane too often. haha!

[@ryanmcgraw1743]

I bought a 735 non-x on FB Marketplace this year for $200. It was barely used and it actually came with aftermarket infeed/outfeed supports (which is the only difference the x version comes with) and 2 additional sets of brand new knives. I built a stand with scrap wood I had that has more storage and functionality than the DeWalt one, so I think I got a pretty good deal for a beginner woodworker. I've been toying with the idea of the Shelix head, but I'm not serious enough into my woodworking journey to justify the cost. Maybe once I've used up the 3 sets of knives I got with the planer. Thanks for the video! Oh also you could have just put the dust collection hose onto the planer while running the boards through to catch the chips and then turned it on after getting your reading to suck them out?

[@pacificcoasttrains3785]

Helical head makes a world of difference. I went with the Grizzly 940 helical lunchbox, been pretty happy with it.

[@olachus]

With every 3dB of sound level, basically you get double of volume. Sound can't be measured in a linear fashion, but logarithmic. Now, Jason, do the math of how loud that is at 109 dB. I'll spare you on that one: dangerously loud for a longer or daily exposer. I recommend using hear protection, especially in that small echoing space you moved in (aka your garage).

[@riba2233]

that is actually a huge difference in volume, nice!

[@glenlongstreet7]

I have a Delta 12 inch that I bought back in the mid 90's, so there probably not a lot of reviews. I built a wooden stand so it was easy to move around. Fast forward to 23 and I got a new Barbeque and repurposed it to make a more stable platform. Especially because I have a much longer outfeed table. This really keeps the snipe down. If I had the money, I would change out the straight blades for the helical. But that is not going to happen unless somebody sends me one.

[@themattkirschner]

It’s a lot! A 6 dB change in either direction is a doubling or halving of the sound level since decibels are a logarithmic scale. dBA just accounts for sensitivities of the human ear at different frequencies.

[@brianmichelewallin]

Was just going to say dB is measured on the logarithmic scale. It’s a big difference

[@pinkytaylor5845]

Thank you. As I am setting up my own small shop this was very useful. Normally, I just enjoy the show. 😅

[@NoName-qk9fw]

I purchased the Oliver 12 inch planner with the helical cutter head for less money and less aggravation. It has few more bells and whistle so to speak

[@kolinpm4406]

I’ve burnt up the motor on 2 of these in the last 3 months, had the shelix head in them and take extremely light cuts. One other thing that’s easy to do to decrease noise is to remove the blower that’s built in and duct it out the top of the tool for your dust collection with a new 3D printed chute.

[@brojack77]

The Oliver comes out of the box with helical cutters and a wixey gauge for 1k even. That’s the way to go.

[@genebruce6321]

The Shelix head is a great improvement to any decent thickness planer. But I see the most improvement in my 6" jointer. Planing the face of a 6" board is so much more pleasant with the helical head - it fights you much less than those vibrating straight knives. So I did both my planer (Makita) and jointer (Jet).

[@2wheelzdown180]

I almost went that route but I went for shop fox instead w1877 spiral style (2side small blade inserts) under 700$ with shipping from grizzly. 1 year down planing true rough cut from sawmill for milling process and I’m happy

[@robertlevine2152]

To save on the cost of a Sound Meter you can download an app to your cell phone. It provides sufficient accuracy for the measurement comparisons you did in the video. If you are testing for employee health and safety you need a calibrated meter that has been certified.

[@davevick1775]

Another helical cutter head for the 735X is a Lux Cut III. Next mod you might consider is a DRO, to replace that cheesy depth-of-cut ruler. Look at the Wixey WR510; it's very nice.

[@yobgodababua1862]

Fun (and confusing) factoid: dBA are on a logarithmic scale, so every 10 dbA are twice as loud. 5 dbA in that context is a pretty significant improvement, 10 dbA while working even more so.

[@simonconstantineau4826]

You are correct, dB are on a log scale. dBA are dB weighted to represent ear sensitivity, which differs according to frequency. However, it is generaly considered that the health effects on ears are doubled every 3dBA, not 10dBA.

[@JoeyWebber955]

Thanks for doing all the homework .

[@jmvanick]

Sound levels actually double every 6db, and a 10db increase corresponds to a doubling of the perceived loudness... so your 6-10db difference in using the shelix head is a pretty good difference. I've wanted to buy a shelix head for my old delta snipemaster for a while... might be time to look into it.

[@RickieBeubie]

this, plus pitch matters, at equal DB levels, higher pitches are more annoying

[@kaktus3175]

@@RickieBeubie And louder to the human ear as well. Eventhough, I don't think the lower noise of the helix is in the

[@pieterkok7486]

A doubling of the sound intensity is 3dB, not 6. To see this take the log (base 10) of 2, and multiply by 10.

[@kaktus3175]

@@pieterkok7486 to be more precise 3db doubles the sound pressure, but ~10db doubles the subjective "loudness heard".

[@jb510]

Perceived sound levels double every 3dB. The 6dB rule is the drop when the distance to the observer is doubled/halved.

[@djclover1447]

I just got the exact same planer with stand at HD. I love it! I haven’t upgraded to the helix head yet but will soon. Great video.

[@GroundedFlyboy737]

Great video, thanks Jason. I would do this conversion in a heartbeat if the new cutting head was $200-300. But almost $500 with tax is a bit steep, at least for my amateur, garage, non-professional shop. After using my straight blade Dewalt planer, I use my Jet drum sander (my splurge), and then proceed to hand sanding. As a retired jet pilot, my hearing is already shot, so that aspect is a non-issue for me. In my shop, the biggest noise maker is my dust collection system, and my built-in Klipsch speakers blaring AC/DC.

[@davegravel3740]

I'm looking at the findbuy helical cutter head for mine. It's been getting good reviews and currently priced at $319.

[@timstephenson4574]

Your opening monologue shows your new dust system in the background…it’s crying out for eyes and such to give it the robot look!! Cheers from Winnipeg.

[@bobbg9041]

Today, going from a Grizzly to a powermatic is like walking from Your kitchen to the dinning room. Both are made in Taiwan in the same factory now! Look up one of the last hold outs made in the USA Woodmaster When Powermatic got its fame made in the USA bellsaw was making a cheaper option that also cut moldings and could shape. Well Woodmasters go beyond that Plane, mold and sand or dedicated operations, but mold one surface at a time no they can mold 3 surfaces at a time in one pass. Woodmasters also makes sawmills. Under a differnt brand name.

[@TheRealJonahWicky]

The helical head swap is a lot of money and a lot of work, but it's entirely worth it.

[@jasonricchio5139]

I might be a buyer on that Grizzly planer when the time comes.

[@dodgechargerfan]

The question yet to be answered is if this planar with the new head exhibits the same problems as the available helical planar on the market - the clogging… let us know when ya know! Great video.

[@dodgechargerfan]

*planars

[@tjwaggoner1]

Go for the wixey DRO next. It’s great and since im guessing your helical head is the one that’s slightly undersized to fit in with the cutters on, will make dialing in thickness easy. Best $80 you can spend on one of these 735 planers. Great video

[@johndoe6032]

Thanks for the review. I hear a lot about how the shelix make is so much quieter, and even though decibel increases aren’t linear, it doesn’t seem to be as much as it’s hyped up to be. It would be great to get your thoughts on the folding tables and ideas for creating permanent tables instead.

[@joeleonetti8976]

I have the DeWalt and have opted to keep the straight knives in mine. Just as I was looking to get a planer, Oliver came out with a lunch box type that came standard with a helical head. Unfortunately there weren’t any reviews of it so I opted for tried and true DeWalt 735. Just pointing it out if one wants a helical head and a warranty.

[@guillaumeriottot3308]

Yes, the difference between 100 dB and 109 dB represents a much greater increase in noise than it might seem at first glance. On the decibel scale, which is logarithmic, each 10 dB increase corresponds to sound that is about ten times more intense. Therefore, an increase of 9 dB makes the sound nearly eight times more intense. More precisely, an increase of 3 dB doubles the sound intensity. So, going from 100 to 109 dB means that the intensity of the sound is nearly eight times greater, which is significantly louder and much harder on human hearing. Thx gpt and thx to you for your videos

[@alanmaag8584]

Just bought one. Thanks for the reassurance I got it right.

[@robertmathieson5508]

Jason, thank you for going the extra mile to test the decibels. Have you seen the Grizzly 12" planer jointer combo? It also has a helical cutter and might be even better than the DeWalt but nobody (that I know) has done a review on it yet.

[@louis-felixgamache9521]

It would be nice to make a video about making panels that are larger then the planner ! What's your tricks to do so ?

[@TX-biker]

Decibels- for every 6 points on the meter - it’s double the noise level. (According to google)🤠