Sidebar: how do you like the Dewalt DW735 planer? I think it's time for me to get one, but not sure I wanna go all the way with one of those. How do you catch the chips?
I've been very happy with the DW735X. It's planed everything from oak to construction lumber without a whimper. The factory setup was spot on. I did make a few minor tweaks to the in/out feed tables, along with putting a good coat of wax on them. Noteworthy: Do no shift the planer speed unless the motor is running. The documentations says not to, and doing so, will potentially mess things up to a point the drive rollers will not work. For what I do, it's been a real workhorse. If you're looking to purchase one, keep an eye out for deals. Some deals will have the Dewalt base thrown in. You will want some sort of base for it, whether you fabricate one, or purchase one. Like I've posted, everything in my basement shop needs to be mobile, and the Dewalt base rolls easily. When I bought mine, I paid a bit over $500 for the DW735X (which has an extra set of blades), and then another $150 for the base. I probably have another $100 or so, into the separator/filter/connections.
Some time in the future, I will fab a planer sled for it. You can remove some cup on thicker boards (by taking multiple thin cuts), but on thinner stock the rollers put too much pressure on the piece. And you'll be frustrated trying to get twist out of any stock without a planer sled.
The DW735X has a built in blower that will really create a mess (think wood chipper mess) inside a shop. I HackFab'd a separator from a trashcan and aftermarket lid separator (Wood River, I think), 4" flex hose, clamps, and a PowerTec filter bag. It's on a wheeled barrel dolly that can be moved around my basement shop. I may eventually connect the trashcan separator to my dust collection system. But, it's pretty convenient as is, and it will produce a lot of chips. So I don't want to directly connect the planer to the dust collector without having an intermediate separator. Or I'd be constantly emptying my 30 gallon dust collector drum. Pic of my 'souped up' Harbor Freight dust collector.
You also need to be cognizant of the chip level in the can, as going past 3/4 full, will cause the filter bag to fill up (ditto the dust collector system). The filter bag, is a real PITA to clean out, as there is no zipper to open the bag. So, you must vacuum it out from the inlet end of the bag. Along with the fact, the pressure from the blower (as the trashcan get's past 1/2 full), will cause the lid to lift, and fine sawdust to puke around the edges. If everything is functioning correctly, I capture +95% of the sawdust/chips. Which is pretty darn good IMHO.
I also have a PowerTec air filtration system for the airborne fine dust:
I upgrade the outer filter to a Merv 8, and change it out every couple of months. It does a great job, considering all the dust (both man made and cat made) in my basement.
