Delta or DeWalt 13" Planer

[Tommy]

My wife is heading off to a hardware convention at the end of this week for work and is going to be ordering a planer for me. I've been set on the Delta 13" 2 speed (22-580) for quite some time now since it has been really the only planer like itself on the market for the hobbyist. But now DeWalt has their DW735 13" 2 speed planer. They are both 15 amp, 10,000 rpm machines with virtually the same cutting capacities. The main differences I see are:

-Delta 2 knives, Dewalt 3 knives

-Delta cut rates 60 and 90 CPI, Dewalt cut rates 96 and 179 CPI

-Delta fold down infeed and outfeed tables, Dewalt cast aluminum base

Since I'm newer to woodworking, and have never owned a planer before, are any of these difference vital enough to go with one over the other? If the Dewalt is better than the Delta is it worth the $80 dollars more on the price tag?

Thanks for everyone's time and in advance for any comments, Tommy

[Iraxl Enb]

thats a very under handed gloat if i ever saw one! swmbo heading to a hardware convention for work! hmph.

irax.

Tommy wrote:

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I have the Delta and like it very much. If I was buying today, I'd sure take a hard look at the DeWalt. I've not seen it in person yet or have seen any wood pass through it, but I'd sure check it out. Seems to equal the Delta, maybe better and less money. Ed

[Tommy]

I didn't want to make it sound too much like a gloat but it is great having a wife who can order directly from Jet, Delta, DeWalt..... And she a very "giving" person ;)

BTW- No she doesn't have a sister... Just a brother (who does work at BestBuy if your interested in electronics and "that" sort of thing)

[C Carruth]

I purchased the DW734 a couple of week ago. Even with the "lower" speed of

96CPI, the output is very, very smooth due to the 3 head cutter. The DW735 has a few more features, like a chip fan, no additional locking arm needed, better depth gauge, etc. However, for $100 less the 734 does WONDERFUL. I have not owned a Delta planer, but I sure like the DeWalt..

[DexAZ]

But can she get the order to the top of the list? I ordered the Dewalt DW735 about 10 days ago from Lowe's. Still waiting for it. From what I can see on the web, _everyone_ is out of those new planers. So I'll just wait some more.

I seen many great reports on the Delta and also fine first hand owner "reviews" of the DW735. I generally don't go for a new product as it is being introduced but something about the DW735 got under my skin. Might have been the "feel" of the height adjustment or the overall solidness in general. I doubt you could go wrong with either one.

Your wife gets these tools at the regular price too, right? (some people have ALL the luck)

Have fun making mounds of wood shavings!

DexAZ

[SwampBug]

I dunno about the Delta but the Dewalt 735 blades do not need adjustments after replacing. . .that speaks to me!

[mttt]

Dude - you suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck! :)

[nsum]

I've got the DELTA. Excellent machine.

[mel]

I just purchased the new dewalt dw735 and I love it. last night I sized some 5/4 hard maple and walnut and it didn't miss a beat. I saw no snipe but I was only running 24" boards. The only setup out of the box was to install the crank handle and dust chute. It put such a nice finish you could feel the boards sticking to each other as you picked them up from the stack.