Hey everyone! I'm looking to upgrade the cutter head on my DeWalt 735 planer and I need your help. I've been considering the Shelix helical head, but I recently discovered there's a difference between helical and spiral cutter heads. Plus, I heard there are two sizes available, one being smaller in diameter. Then I stumbled across an alternative called LuxCut III, which has me even more confused. If anyone has experience upgrading their planer, I would really appreciate your suggestions and insights!
8 Answers
From what I've gathered, helical cutter heads tend to be quieter and provide a smoother cut compared to spiral heads. I was contemplating the upgrade myself, but the price tag for a helical head made me hesitate — it costs more than my actual planer! I'm also eyeing some used industrial planers with a 15" bed instead.
Just a word of caution: some users have reported issues with breaker tripping after upgrading. It might be due to using an undersized circuit or taking deeper cuts than the machine can handle. Just something to think about before making the switch!
I've had no issues after my upgrade, so it might depend on your setup.
Four years ago, I installed the Grizzly helical head on my planner, and let me tell you, I can't imagine going back! It was about 60% cheaper than the Shelix, and I've had zero issues with it.
Wow, that sounds great! I didn't know Grizzly made cutter heads for DeWalt.
I went with the full-sized Shelix cutter for my 735, and I can't recommend it enough! Although I can't comment on LuxCut, I've found the Shelix to handle highly figured woods with way less tear-out. Just a heads up, installation can be a bit tricky, but their instructions are pretty clear.
That’s good to know, thanks for sharing!
I’ve got the Busy Bee Tools helical head on mine, and it’s made a world of difference! The stock blades left way too much snipe, but this upgrade solved that issue and was cheaper than going with the spiral head.
If you’re looking for a cost-effective alternative, check out findbuytools. They offer cutter heads at a significantly lower price than Shelix and the quality is impressive. I got one recently, and it feels premium! No regrets here, and I've been really happy with it.
I'll definitely check that out, thanks for the tip!
Sounds intriguing! I'll look into it.
Regarding the sizes, from what I know, the smaller one is a drop-in replacement, while the larger requires removing and replacing the blades. The diameter remains the same, so your measurements won’t change at all.
Have you considered just upgrading to a better planer altogether? There are many used 15" helical planers available that might be a better long-term investment.
I haven't considered that! Thanks for the heads up.