I'm looking to buy my first planer, likely a DW734 or 735, and I'm curious about whether I should invest in a spiral cutter head. I've heard a lot of people say that if you can afford it, you definitely should go for the spiral option, but most reasons seem to focus on noise reduction and maybe a little better tear-out prevention. My workshop is set up in a shipping container within an industrial area, so noise isn't an issue for me. I'm open to spending the extra cash if there's a significant quality benefit. Do you think it's worth the additional cost, considering it could be around 50% more than the planer itself?
3 Answers
Swapping out inserts on a helical cutter is way quicker than sharpening traditional blades. It’s definitely a convenience factor. So, if that sounds appealing to you, it might be worth it.
I’ve owned both standard blade planers and can tell you that changing blades takes just about 5 minutes. The noise difference, while present, isn’t as huge as people often say. The main selling point for a helical head is definitely for reducing tear-out, which I've struggled with on tricky woods—even with shallow passes, it's hard to avoid completely. So if that's a concern for you, consider going for the helical option.
If you're planning on using the planer a lot, opting for the spiral cutterhead is a great choice. It really enhances the finish quality and makes maintenance simpler since you just rotate the inserts instead of swapping out entire blades. If you think you won't be using it heavily, a good set of sharp knives will still get you excellent results, especially if you learn the right techniques to extend their life. If this is your first planer, you might hold off on the pricey head for now and upgrade later, unless you know you're going to be running tons of material through it right away.
Exactly! Starting off with sharp straight blades is a smart move. You can always upgrade if you dive deeper into woodworking.