G0453Z Arrives

the range on the new planer isnt any thicker is it?? and so like alan asked, what is your thoughts on the final out come from the planer ?? is it as good as you had hoped for and how would you compare it to the old planers finish..???

The G0453Z has a range of 8". I would almost never use this and that is part of the problem. If I put the 6" Wixey on, about a year from now I would need 7", not remember to remove the Wixey mechanism and trash the poor thing.

Final outcome:

For $1400 I don't see how you could ask for more out of a machine. Relatively quiet (I removed the lift rods and put a bit of rubber between the belt cover surfaces, they would occasionally "sing" as I was planing certain material) and the height adjustments are very smooth. When lowering the table you can just give the wheel a spin and it will free-wheel for about 1/2" before it starts to slow down.

G0453Z-verdict 002.jpg

The table locks operate with less than 1/4" turn from locked to free. When operating (I filled my DC bin twice yesterday) the process is something like; run board, set board on return rollers, unlock table turn wheel, lock table, run board. Goes very smooth and quick.

G0453Z-verdict 003.jpgG0453Z-verdict 004.jpg

The fast speed is great for really hogging off material. The slow speed is about half of the fast speed. I do get more chips left on the board when running at fast speed. I am probably overrunning my little 1HP bagger. The jury is still out as to whether or not to run a drop from the cyclone. If I do I may as well run one for the jointer too and get rid of the bag unit (I could use the space).

G0453Z-verdict 008.jpg

I had to make minor adjustments to the bed rollers to eliminate a bit of snipe on one side. This is very easy as a set screw and an eccentric roller are used. I was able to get the rollers at .001" proud very quickly. These type of adjustments take a lot more effort on something like my table saw so, that was an added bonus. Feed roller, chip deflector and all those other adjustments were great right out of the box but, they are all just as easily manipulated.

G0453Z-verdict 009.jpg

The belts run smooth and have no start-up or wind-down slap. They are to be re-tensioned after 16 hours of run time. That will probably be somewhere around this time next month for me. Gear oil gets changed at about 20 hours but is only done after the first 20 hours. That's a good thing because draining and filling are a big pain. I rigged a piece of plastic hose on a squeeze style bottle to do the original filling which helped some.

There has been some discussion on the dust hood and the fact that the port is at 45* in the pics and straight out in reality. The pics and manual are for the 15" and the 20" model of this planer. Some pics are from one and some from another and they vary slightly in some respects.

My duct shoots straight out. Murphy was asleep and happened to allow a gas main to pass right overhead so a bit of rope and a couple knots.

G0453Z-verdict 005.jpgG0453Z-verdict 006.jpg

When not in use the rope stores nicely on the foot of one of my overhead stored roller stands.

G0453Z-verdict 007.jpg

I know the trials of trying to make a decision on a new tool. When the price moves into this area, the more info the better. If I had been able to get my hands on this machine like I was the PM, Delta and JET cousins I still would have ended up here. I would buy it again; that about says all I can say.

As a footnote, here's a shot of the foot:
 

Attachments

  • G0453Z-verdict 011.jpg
    G0453Z-verdict 011.jpg
    73.5 KB · Views: 17
Last edited:
Not from me you don't. I'm so out of room it ain't funny.

That's not a bad thing Steve. For folks like you and me this hobby is (eventually) self limiting due to space :rofl:. If I don't cleanout and re-org soon I won't be able to make anything bigger than a jewelery box in here.
 
That's not a bad thing Steve. For folks like you and me this hobby is (eventually) self limiting due to space :rofl:. If I don't cleanout and re-org soon I won't be able to make anything bigger than a jewelery box in here.


So how much room ya need. I am building a 10ft x 5ft foot cross in my 10 x 20 shop and at the same time working on a 6 foot x 39" tall x 36" wide altar.
 
Looks like it is doing a great job.

If width didn't matter, do you think the Bryd head would get the same results on your 735? Do you feel the investment would be worth it ?

Wow Steve i did not know they were available for them. Not sure about the payback though. But what i see as appealing about them is if you happen to have wood cause a nick in the blades, on the shelix you just change a couple of inserts. On the DW blades it hits all the blades and you cannot even do the jointer stunt of shifting them sideways in the key.:(

But at $447 its a lot of blades for a hobbyist. I think i would sooner sell the DW and put the proceeds + $447 towards a new machine with helix like Glenn has done. Still you would be a long way off.

Glenn that machine really looks good and i wish you all the best with it and happy planing :thumb::);) Thanks for your comprehensive review.
 
If width didn't matter, do you think the Bryd head would get the same results on your 735? Do you feel the investment would be worth it ?

Wow Steve i did not know they were available for them. Not sure about the payback though.

I waffled on this for the better part of a year. I have heard a lot of folks who have had success doing this on DW734 and DW735 planers. They report being happy with it and I don't see how they could be anything but happy. I am totally sold on insert-style heads. I already have a DW734 that has been nothing but good to me. Dad has the DW735 and it may have seen 2 hours of use so far (poke, poke, dad). I could have done the upgrade to either for the same price.

It took me 18 months to decide on and buy my jointer and at least a year of pondering and saving for the planer. During that time I was open to all options, reviewed and read everything but, finally the thought of putting a head in my planer that cost more than the planer (which has some decent use on it) just didn't pan out for me. YMMV.
 
i would say you made the right choice glenn, to drop the same amount of money into a planer as what you paid for it wouldnt be as logical as what you ended up doing. now if you had the larger version of planer then its another story.. not sure which would be best but its got more potential that way.
 
That's what I am thinking also Larry. Putting the price of the planer back into the planer as an upgrade, doesn't make sound since. Now 2 smalls might be a better option.

Sorry for the hi-jack. And as far as room, I have enough for 3 deep breathes and then outside for more air.
 
Top