I like this planer but like many other people I am very disappointed in
the durability of the steel knives. Looking for an alternative I sent
a knife to Leech Carbide to get a quote on having some knives made from
tungsten carbide. After some negotiation, if I buy in bulk I can get
the knives for $95.00 per knife, that's $285.00 for a set. This is
about 5 times the cost of the steel knives but they should last 10 to
20 times longer. This is a bit of an investment but it looks like
it's worth it if you use your planer with any frequency like I do.
Leech Carbide has the specifications on these knives and is ready to
produce them but I need other people willing to buy some of these from
me. Is anyone interested? If so email me at [email protected]
Leech said they would send me a test set so I can make sure there are
not problems but I need to commit.
In my career I have sold 100's of planers....everything from a little
lunch box portable to a large double headed high production unit. In
all my customers I had one "plastic"manufacture that succesfully ran
carbide knifes. I did not have any wood production shops that used
carbide knives that was happy with the results. It is my humble
opinion that carbide knives in a home shop environment will NOT be of
any long term benefit. A loose knot, a buried piece of steel, a nail
or a staple will destory a set of carbide knifes.
Good luck,
Mike
Leon wrote:
> Keep this in mind. By the figures you have quoted, you get 2 to maybe 4
> times longer wear "per dollar spent" than if you bought regular knives. If
> you damage a knife, you start over. By damage I mean a nick which is
> inevitable and maybe worse with carbide.
>
> Sounds risky to me. I would consider selling the planer and buying a floor
> model with resharpenable knives.
>
>
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >I like this planer but like many other people I am very disappointed in
> > the durability of the steel knives. Looking for an alternative I sent
> > a knife to Leech Carbide to get a quote on having some knives made from
> > tungsten carbide. After some negotiation, if I buy in bulk I can get
> > the knives for $95.00 per knife, that's $285.00 for a set. This is
> > about 5 times the cost of the steel knives but they should last 10 to
> > 20 times longer. This is a bit of an investment but it looks like
> > it's worth it if you use your planer with any frequency like I do.
> > Leech Carbide has the specifications on these knives and is ready to
> > produce them but I need other people willing to buy some of these from
> > me. Is anyone interested? If so email me at [email protected]
> > Leech said they would send me a test set so I can make sure there are
> > not problems but I need to commit.
> >
George Max wrote:
> On 6 Jul 2006 18:48:58 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
> How many sets is the maker requiring you to buy at that price?
>
> One other thing the other haven't mentioned - steel takes a better
> edge than carbide. It of course won't hold that edge as long as a
> carbide will hold it's, but it's a consideration, if even a minor one.
>
> All this said, since the maker will send you a test set, why not get
> those and try them out. In a serious scientific way.
>
> If you go ahead and get the lot, you could sell the sets you don't
> want on Ebay if the members of this forum don't get any from you.
I need to get 10 sets (30 knives) to get the best possible cost. I was
thinking I could sell the excess on ebay but I wanted to get a feel for
the demand. So far it doesn't look like people think it is worth it.
"mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In my career I have sold 100's of planers....everything from a little
> lunch box portable to a large double headed high production unit. In
> all my customers I had one "plastic"manufacture that succesfully ran
> carbide knifes. I did not have any wood production shops that used
> carbide knives that was happy with the results. It is my humble
> opinion that carbide knives in a home shop environment will NOT be of
> any long term benefit. A loose knot, a buried piece of steel, a nail
> or a staple will destory a set of carbide knifes.
>
> Good luck,
> Mike
>
I agree completely - well said.
Dave
George Max:
> I'm not sure that I'd look at the results of postings on this forum to
> be my barometer. No disrespect intended, but to find USENET at all is
> kinda specialized. And then to find this group. What I'm saying is
> that it's pretty small group of people that not only have an interest
> in woodworking, but also use a PC proficiently and have a newsreader
> and know how to use it.
>
> I think you'll reach a lot larger audience with an ad on ebay.
>
> But, it's not my money so it's really easy for me to speak. I have
> nothing invested.
>
> Good luck whichever way you go.
>
You may be correct on your assessment of the skill set in this forum
however, there is a good reason why carbide planer blades are not on the
shelves. They are expensive and they chip/shatter much easier than HSS.
What would be the upside of carbide in a planner?
Dave
"Doug Miller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
.
>
> Naaaah. The DW735 already has resharpenable knives. DeWalt doesn't say so
> in
> their documentation... but tech support will agree with that if you ask.
> They
> told me that the discard dimension is 7/8" width.
Ah yes, I do recall you mentioning that before. Even more reason as you
stated not to spend extra money on outrageously expensive knives.
[email protected] wrote:
> I like this planer but like many other people I am very disappointed in
> the durability of the steel knives. Looking for an alternative I sent
> a knife to Leech Carbide to get a quote on having some knives made from
> tungsten carbide. After some negotiation, if I buy in bulk I can get
> the knives for $95.00 per knife, that's $285.00 for a set. This is
> about 5 times the cost of the steel knives but they should last 10 to
> 20 times longer.
<snip>
Just for funzies, checked the DeWalt site.
A set of 3 HSS knives sells for the DW735 is less than $43.
As a comparison, I have the older DW733, a 2 blade unit.
A new set of 13", HSS blades for it is $39.
Just got them resharpened for $17.
A question:
Are HSS blades that can be resharpened for the DW735?
Lew
On 6 Jul 2006 18:48:58 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>I like this planer but like many other people I am very disappointed in
>the durability of the steel knives. Looking for an alternative I sent
>a knife to Leech Carbide to get a quote on having some knives made from
>tungsten carbide. After some negotiation, if I buy in bulk I can get
>the knives for $95.00 per knife, that's $285.00 for a set. This is
>about 5 times the cost of the steel knives but they should last 10 to
>20 times longer. This is a bit of an investment but it looks like
>it's worth it if you use your planer with any frequency like I do.
>Leech Carbide has the specifications on these knives and is ready to
>produce them but I need other people willing to buy some of these from
>me. Is anyone interested? If so email me at [email protected]
>Leech said they would send me a test set so I can make sure there are
>not problems but I need to commit.
How many sets is the maker requiring you to buy at that price?
One other thing the other haven't mentioned - steel takes a better
edge than carbide. It of course won't hold that edge as long as a
carbide will hold it's, but it's a consideration, if even a minor one.
All this said, since the maker will send you a test set, why not get
those and try them out. In a serious scientific way.
If you go ahead and get the lot, you could sell the sets you don't
want on Ebay if the members of this forum don't get any from you.
On Fri, 7 Jul 2006 14:26:14 -0700, "Teamcasa" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>George Max:
>> I'm not sure that I'd look at the results of postings on this forum to
>> be my barometer. No disrespect intended, but to find USENET at all is
>> kinda specialized. And then to find this group. What I'm saying is
>> that it's pretty small group of people that not only have an interest
>> in woodworking, but also use a PC proficiently and have a newsreader
>> and know how to use it.
>>
>> I think you'll reach a lot larger audience with an ad on ebay.
>>
>> But, it's not my money so it's really easy for me to speak. I have
>> nothing invested.
>>
>> Good luck whichever way you go.
>>
>You may be correct on your assessment of the skill set in this forum
>however, there is a good reason why carbide planer blades are not on the
>shelves. They are expensive and they chip/shatter much easier than HSS.
>What would be the upside of carbide in a planner?
>
>Dave
>
You'll note I didn't offer to buy a set. The biggest being that I
don't own that model of planer. So that went a long way to cooling my
ardor for a set as it were.
Chips are a very real possibility. And a big negative for carbide.
Especially on a highly formed part like planer knives. Heck, I've
chipped my steel knives. No biggie, mine are resharpenable. My
jointer knives are also steel. I've never felt the need to buy
carbide for it since I've had my jointer for a long time and have yet
to worry about the steel knife set it has.
"Toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Keep this in mind. By the figures you have quoted, you get 2 to maybe 4
>> times longer wear "per dollar spent" than if you bought regular knives.
>> If you damage a knife, you start over. By damage I mean a nick which is
>> inevitable and maybe worse with carbide.
>>
>> Sounds risky to me. I would consider selling the planer and buying a
>> floor model with resharpenable knives.
>>
> Yeah, I think there is probably a reason no one makes them for planners.
> Are jointers somehow different, or are the blades just smaller and cheaper
> to make out of carbide?
The blades that are reshaepenable over and over are much heavier and are a
thicker material compared to the throw away blades. They simply stay sharp
longer and last longer. I have an old Ryobi AP10 portable planer that is
close to 20 years old. It has the resharpenable blades and I still have the
original set.
As for jointers, the carbide blades are more simple to make than the typical
blade found on today's portable planers. Easier to make and cheaper to
make. I remember pricing carbides for my Ryobi a few years back. About $40
per blade, that was about $15-20 more per blade than the standard blade or
only about double and then again, that was a simple blade design.
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Keep this in mind. By the figures you have quoted, you get 2 to maybe 4
> times longer wear "per dollar spent" than if you bought regular knives.
> If you damage a knife, you start over. By damage I mean a nick which is
> inevitable and maybe worse with carbide.
>
> Sounds risky to me. I would consider selling the planer and buying a
> floor model with resharpenable knives.
>
Yeah, I think there is probably a reason no one makes them for planners.
Are jointers somehow different, or are the blades just smaller and cheaper
to make out of carbide?
"mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In my career I have sold 100's of planers....everything from a little
> lunch box portable to a large double headed high production unit. In
> all my customers I had one "plastic"manufacture that succesfully ran
> carbide knifes. I did not have any wood production shops that used
> carbide knives that was happy with the results. It is my humble
> opinion that carbide knives in a home shop environment will NOT be of
> any long term benefit. A loose knot, a buried piece of steel, a nail
> or a staple will destory a set of carbide knifes.
>
> Good luck,
> Mike
LOL. Thanks for the back up, that was exactly the point I was trying to
make.
"Steve knight" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> this is the only way to go if you want carbide but you need a floor
> machine
> http://www.byrdtool.com/
> I have one of the heads on my jointer and it is great one of the best
> upgrades I have done.
Hmmmm, that place is just a hop, skip, and jump from me. I drive by the
town's exit on the parkway all the time. May have to stop in there for a
touchy/feely demo. Thanks for the link Steve!!!
In article <[email protected]>, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Keep this in mind. By the figures you have quoted, you get 2 to maybe 4
>times longer wear "per dollar spent" than if you bought regular knives.
Actually, it's even worse than it appears. As I've noted in this forum a
couple of times before, the knives for the DW735 *can* be resharpened, as
long as you don't take off too much metal. Perhaps "honed" is a better term.
Regardless, I've had my 735 for two years, it gets a lot of use, and I'm still
on the first set of knives. Fourth set of *edges* (factory edges, plus three
rounds of re-sharps on the Tormek), but still the first set of knives.
From where I sit, it looks like the carbide knives are _at_best_ a wash when
compared to the standard knives with periodic re-honing, and may cost as much
as double the standard knives.
> If
>you damage a knife, you start over. By damage I mean a nick which is
>inevitable and maybe worse with carbide.
And a *lot* more expensive to replace...
>
>Sounds risky to me. I would consider selling the planer and buying a floor
>model with resharpenable knives.
Naaaah. The DW735 already has resharpenable knives. DeWalt doesn't say so in
their documentation... but tech support will agree with that if you ask. They
told me that the discard dimension is 7/8" width.
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.
In article <[email protected]>, Lew Hodgett <[email protected]> wrote:
>Are HSS blades that can be resharpened for the DW735?
Yep -- check my other posts in this thread.
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.
On 7 Jul 2006 13:10:16 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>
>I need to get 10 sets (30 knives) to get the best possible cost. I was
>thinking I could sell the excess on ebay but I wanted to get a feel for
>the demand. So far it doesn't look like people think it is worth it.
I'm not sure that I'd look at the results of postings on this forum to
be my barometer. No disrespect intended, but to find USENET at all is
kinda specialized. And then to find this group. What I'm saying is
that it's pretty small group of people that not only have an interest
in woodworking, but also use a PC proficiently and have a newsreader
and know how to use it.
I think you'll reach a lot larger audience with an ad on ebay.
But, it's not my money so it's really easy for me to speak. I have
nothing invested.
Good luck whichever way you go.
On Fri, 07 Jul 2006 02:16:34 GMT, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>As for jointers, the carbide blades are more simple to make than the typical
>blade found on today's portable planers. Easier to make and cheaper to
>make.
I'll say. A simple bar with a bevel along one edge. Doesn't get any
easier than that.
"Steve knight" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
>>Hmmmm, that place is just a hop, skip, and jump from me. I drive by the
>>town's exit on the parkway all the time. May have to stop in there for a
>>touchy/feely demo. Thanks for the link Steve!!!
>>
>
> my cutter head goes about 8 months before I have to rotate the
> cutters. regular knives at most 1.5 months. the cut is far better
> figure no issue. and no real setup time.
That's about how long I get out of a set of knives, 2 months max. I've got a
request in to be dispatched to/through that area next week. Thanks again.
>Hmmmm, that place is just a hop, skip, and jump from me. I drive by the
>town's exit on the parkway all the time. May have to stop in there for a
>touchy/feely demo. Thanks for the link Steve!!!
>
my cutter head goes about 8 months before I have to rotate the
cutters. regular knives at most 1.5 months. the cut is far better
figure no issue. and no real setup time.
On 6 Jul 2006 18:48:58 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>I like this planer but like many other people I am very disappointed in
>the durability of the steel knives.
what are you running? I get 3 months or so between blade flipping on
my delta. I only run tropical woods.
Keep this in mind. By the figures you have quoted, you get 2 to maybe 4
times longer wear "per dollar spent" than if you bought regular knives. If
you damage a knife, you start over. By damage I mean a nick which is
inevitable and maybe worse with carbide.
Sounds risky to me. I would consider selling the planer and buying a floor
model with resharpenable knives.
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I like this planer but like many other people I am very disappointed in
> the durability of the steel knives. Looking for an alternative I sent
> a knife to Leech Carbide to get a quote on having some knives made from
> tungsten carbide. After some negotiation, if I buy in bulk I can get
> the knives for $95.00 per knife, that's $285.00 for a set. This is
> about 5 times the cost of the steel knives but they should last 10 to
> 20 times longer. This is a bit of an investment but it looks like
> it's worth it if you use your planer with any frequency like I do.
> Leech Carbide has the specifications on these knives and is ready to
> produce them but I need other people willing to buy some of these from
> me. Is anyone interested? If so email me at [email protected]
> Leech said they would send me a test set so I can make sure there are
> not problems but I need to commit.
>