Dewalt 734 planer issues

[JSBCustom]

I unfortunately have 5 planers in my shop due to overuse and possibly poor quality equipment.

-The Jet 16OS literally falls apart when in use... screws come out, infeed/outfeed roll tables do not stay in place, the chain snapped, the spring by the chain snapped.

-Old gray Ryobi died from what I classify as old age.

-The Craftsman bench top flat out stopped running after few passes with white oak. The next craftsman bench top is still working as of today.

-The DW 734 was great for a few years, but then the drive belt snapped and I have had nothing but problems with it since. The biggest concern is that it shakes violently and will bounce from one side of the shop to the other side when running. It is not possible to run it while on a bench top. It is flat out impossible to even attempt to run a board through it. I have not been able to find anyone else having this problem with the DW734.

Has anyone had this issue with the DW734... Or does anyone have a "start here" recommendation as far as diagnosing the specific issue causing it to bounce/shake violently?

Thanks!

 

[woodtickgreg]

Maybe it's time you got a real planer since you are so hard on them. All the money you have spent on planers over the years you could have purchased one good heavy duty 15" planer. In my experience with bench top planers is once you start having a problem with them its a domino effect. Like when a belt snaps it's usually because something else was binding up, heavy vibration is because something is bent and out of balance. When these kinds of things happen to a benchtop.planer your better off replacing it rather than dumping more money for parts into them.

 

[Wildthings]

We hoard wood! Andrew hoards planers!!

 

[Mr. Peet]

Brother's 24" Oliver still runs fine after 70+ years.

 

[FranklinWorkshops]

I've had a DeWalt 735 for seven years and never had a problem with its operation. I will eventually have to replace the drive belts and rollers I know but not yet. They only gripe I have with it is that when I plane curly maple, the chips tend to clog up the exhaust port and I have to spend 15 minutes taking it apart to clean out the exhaust. I also have a 15" Delta that I only use for wider boards and it is 35 years old. Delta equipment lasts a long time, especially the older machines. Oliver is a top notch commercial shop planer that weighs a ton. I think it runs on 3 phase also.

 

[Mr. Peet]

I've had a DeWalt 735 for seven years and never had a problem with its operation. I will eventually have to replace the drive belts and rollers I know but not yet. They only gripe I have with it is that when I plane curly maple, the chips tend to clog up the exhaust port and I have to spend 15 minutes taking it apart to clean out the exhaust. I also have a 15" Delta that I only use for wider boards and it is 35 years old. Delta equipment lasts a long time, especially the older machines. Oliver is a top notch commercial shop planer that weighs a ton. I think it runs on 3 phase also.

Yes, His Oliver has to be 6-800 pounds with 4 or 5 belts on a 7hp or bigger 3 phase motor. been a while since I looked at it close. I'll have to stop in and visit the old girl.

 

[FranklinWorkshops]

Yes, His Oliver has to be 6-800 pounds with 4 or 5 belts on a 7hp or bigger 3 phase motor. been a while since I looked at it close. I'll have to stop in and visit the old girl.

When I was working my way thru college in 1967-69, I worked the 4-12 shift at a large furniture factory in Tennessee. We had Oliver equipment and I ran a large swing arm shaper. Very dangerous. One night, a blade on the head broke and a piece of steel flew across the shop and thru the wall about 30 feet away. It was a large steel Butler building and it made a hole all the way thru the wall. By the grace of God, it missed me.

This is a photo of a 24" Oliver with a 10hp motor. We had one in that same shop. Great equipment.