FREE - I want to give you 45+ Project Ideas That Sell & Show You How to Make Money Woodworking For FREE: www.skool.com/731woodworks Click "Read more" to see all of the tool links. Watch Next: Best Benchtop Planer for Most People - th-cam.com/video/9C7FckbtnfI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=kTgOjIDl-Al7nqaa Tools in this Video: Oliver HCX 13-inch Planer (Amazon) - amzn.to/3OfV88D Oliver HCX 13-inch Planer (Woodcraft) - bit.ly/oliverplaner DeWALT DW735X - amzn.to/4fZ6Z6T Byrd Shelix Helical Head Upgrade for DW735x - amzn.to/4fYRL1M DeWALT DW735X with Shelix Pre-Installed - collabs.shop/w7wmr2 Planer Cart Plans www.731woodworks.com/store/p/diy-mobile-tool-cart-with-storage ISOtunes Hearing Protection - amzn.to/49cKyc3 3M WorkTunes - amzn.to/3CJ5wDn Wixey DRO for Planers - amzn.to/3V8SdSV How to Add a Digital Read Out To Your Planer - th-cam.com/video/o2pNkKutfHY/w-d-xo.htmlsi=IhqOep4GzCDpwKRk Phone TriPod I'm Using (expensive but worth every penny) - amzn.to/3NbM8kp Tri-Pod Adapter for Phone -amzn.to/4gTXQxp I get commissions for purchases made through some links in this post. It helps the channel and costs you nothing extra. Greatest Free Gift I've Ever Received: story4.us/731Woodworks Join the TUBAFOUR NATION to get exclusive access to member only behind the scenes videos, member only livestreams, exclusive discounts, and other cool member only perks! www.patreon.com/731woodworks See the full list of tools and supplies I recommend on my website: www.731woodworks.com/recommended-tools Some other useful links: Daily Tool Deals on my website: www.731woodworks.com/tool-deals Subscribe to our email Newsletter to get new content alerts, sales, and more! mailchi.mp/7e44c16eefdc/731-woodworks-email-newsletter Easy to Follow Build Plans - www.731woodworks.com/store Outlaw's Board Butter - So Good it Should be Outlawed: www.731woodworks.com/store/boardbutter
Just got mine from woodcraft on sale for $899. Glad you reviewed it because this is my first planer and even though I love it I couldn't compare it to the others on the market
I bought the Dewalt used from a fellow who retired for $250 with the stand...purchased a Byrd helical head for right around $400...about 5 years ago...still going strong.
I recently picked up a DW735 with a helical head second hand for $500, which to me was an absolutely steal for that machine. If I had to choose between the two (Dewalt at $1600 vs Oliver at $1100, I think the Oliver would win, mainly because of the preinstalled Wixey depth gauge. Thanks for the awesome, in-depth review!
I have a DW735 as well, straight blades, for now. Not sure how he got to $1600 with the helical head. DW735 new is $600, Helical head is $400-500. Maybe since they "Preinstall it"? Either way, you got a great deal! 🙂
@@mikeh4924 Yes, of course they charge WAY more to preinstall it. I've watched videos on swapping the stock head to a helical head, and I'm glad the guy I bought it from did it! Saved me a huge headache and a lot of time. :)
I work and teach at Woodcraft in Austin, Texas, and the new Oliver 13" lunchbox planer is a true badass. Thanks to the helical cutter head, cuts are every bit as shimmering smooth as the Powermatic planer in our shop. Combined with the precision digital height gauge and dual speeds, it's a great choice for pros with a limited budget and/or shop space. Highly recommended.
Thanks for the review on this updated version. Two years ago, I was ready to make a Black Friday planer purchase. The Oliver had just come out but I couldn’t find any reviews. Lack of reviews made me nervous so I went with the DeWalt. Happy with the DeWalt and no desire to change. Glad to see Oliver made improvements.
I would love this but can never afford. You said you’re not keeping it but if you give away, I hope that person loves it. Keep up the good work. OLIVER ALL THE WAY.
just getting started in fine wood working and picked up an older Ryobi 10in at auction for 85$ would be great to win something like this glad someone is listening to their customers!!! have fun with it while you have it !!
I bought the old model about a year and a half ago because that’s when I saw your original post on the previous model. My Oliver replaced my old straight blade planer. The helix head reduced my hand sanding down to just doing a light pass at a higher grit. I can’t imagine this new model being that much better than my model. Thanks for the review!
I'm an Oliver Guy, Dewalt has known about Helical heads forever but still continue to sell straight blade units, knowing people will void their warranty to upgrade. I think it's a poor way to do business. It's not like the R&D department can't add helical to the Dewalt. They choose not to.
They come with straight blades because most people don't wanna pay for helical blades. It's the same reason new cars don't come with the very best tires available unless you're buying a supercar. Dewalt is not a company geared to high end craftsman. If they were, they'd make a 240v cabinet saw.
How would DeWalt know that you had a helical head on there? If I had to return it I would just put the original cutters back on. I wouldn't want to send it back with the helical cutters that I paid for.
@@actionjksn it's not terribly difficult to tell that the head has been removed. Of course, you could remove the original and replace it with the same thing but they know that's not happening for most users within the warranty period.
Kudos to you Matt!! Finally a company that took your feedback seriously! You deserve a doughnut!!😂. I know you been missing them!!😂😂 Great video and you should be labeled the “Tool whisperer “!
Oliver. I have a ton of DeWalt tools, but voiding the warranty by putting in the helical head vs. having the warranty (+the digital gauge) makes it an easy decision in my opinion.
Paid almost $1000 for my Oliver 3 yrs ago. I am able to use much cheaper rough sawn lumber and it has easily paid for itself at least twice. (I've made like 40 projects.) Really happy with this purchase.
Excellent! I really like the DeWalt, and I think the extra weight, stabilizes the unit, which I think helps with the snipe. But, DeWalt REALLY shot themselves in the foot with the warrant void. I’ve been a fairly loyal DeWalt user (although, that’s starting to change as of late). But, with quality issues being almost a gauranTEE in one form or fashion, warranty means a LOT more to me know than it used to, and I want a company to stand behind their product. *And why DeWalt hasn’t made a planer with a helical head is astonishing to me, with them knowing that’s what anyone who cares enough to buy a planer in the first place is goin got want. So, instead they penalize us for it…..makes NO sense.* Another outstanding video!!👍
Thanks for the needed update. I also liked the increase in capacity size from 12.5 to 13 inches. I know it's only a half an inch but it seems significant. Oliver missed a chance to "knock it out of the park" though because they could have gone to 14 or 15 inches while they were redesigning. Woodcrafts $100 off right now makes it $900 and I think it's a no brainer. I appreciate what you do, thanks.
Dewalt with the Shelix head is #1, this new Oliver is without question very close and beats all else. I got a factory refurbished Wahuda 2-speed planer with spiral cutters on sale. Very similar to the Shelix, but fewer cutters though still excellent finish. It's cast base was broken, leaving one side lower than the other. Wahuda said it wasn't worth returning it & refunded my money. I fixed it with JB Weld and now have an excellent planer for free!
Nice review and not biased. I have the DeWalt 735x with the shelical head for a few years. Works for me. However for a first time buyer you may want to check out this one as well. Both seem to do what you need it to do. Have a great night.
I especially love that digital scale, the height lock, the helical cutters and the ease to turn them for fresh blades, looks like a quick release dust exhaust and a depth gauge. I have the Craftsman, it's nice but this is the Rolls Royce of planers. One day I will be able to afford it :) PS, nice review!
&31 Woodworks.. Matt I am just getting into woodworking a little more and learn a lot from your videos. So thank you for sharing them. I guess I still need a good planer and a jointer and well, maybe a few more woodworking tools. I have the SKIL table saw and miter saw that you showed and those are great tools so far.
I do like the side dispensing dust chute. The Dewalt comes out the center and when you connect a hose to it it always seems to get in the way of the out feed of the wood!
It does get in the way but I solved the problem with a bungee cord attached to one of the posts and around my hose. I think Dewalt opted for the center chute so the dust comes out in a straight line instead of making a 90 degree turn; avoiding turns is supposed to be more efficient.
I love that it has the helical cutterhead without the finnicky nonsense that getting the Shelix head on the Dewalt. I was really hoping it was more affordable because for $1200 you'd only be getting a smaller planer for the space saving at that price point. I'm glad it exists and ai'd love to get this on sale someday!
I own the DW735 but given the same choice today, I would buy the Oliver. Once you add all the mods, the Oliver product looks like a much better deal. What I still don't understand is why these tools (unlike all others) include blowers. My jointer is functionally identical but does not include a fan that blows shavings out the back of it. A big part of the noise produced by a planner is from the blower. If you're going to hook it up to a dust collector anyways (which you should), no blower is needed. Case in point, I bought a mod for my DW735 from Etsy that by-passes the rear dust port and allows me to position my 4" dust hose out the top of the unit (I had to cut a hole in the lid to do this). The blower still runs but it has been completely cut off from the cutters and I don't miss it. The dust collector still gets all the shavings without it. I say, Oliver should ditch the rear dust port and blower... instead, make the shroud point straight up... mount the dust port like a chimney that goes through a hole in the top of the unit. We'll call it 'The Dust Chimney'!! Remove the blower fan entirely and lower the noise. Make the in-feed and out-feed tables longer and let them both fold up nicely... even with the carriage all the way down!
I think I'd go with the Oliver. The digital Guage and having the helicoil already installed is a big plus over having to install it yourself and voiding warranty on the dewalt specially when you're in for the same amount of money doing it. When my old delta finally gives up I'll be looking at the Oliver for sure.
I've got the new Oliver- love that helical head! One thing you didn't mention is that the infeed and outfeed rollers on the Oliver are closer to the cutterhead compared to the Dewalt. This makes a different when planing really thin stock, or short pieces.
That's good to know. Closer rollers means less wood will be impacted by snipe, to the extent that it happens. (In my experience, you always get a little, unless you use sacrificial boards before and after the work.
Matt, A couple years ago I fitted my 15" Delta planer with a bird/helix head. I love how it works, BUT if I were to do this now, I would sell the Delta and Buy the Oliver. The Oliver comes fitted and Designed to use a Helix head. The helix head is constantly cutting vs the blade type head which has 1/3 turn of the cutter between cuts. Bottom line with the helix I has to remove less wood per pass than with the blade type cutter head. BUT the finish is Sooo much better A Winner for helix!
Those wanting the digital-readout, you could probably rig a digital caliper (the cheap ones should have sufficient accuracy for wood) to most planers, that's basically what this unit seems to be, just a rehoused version (a 3d-printed mod could even do that).
I'm a newbie and I'm in a process of buying a planer but I'll buy a surface planer/jointer combo. This seems like the cheapest option to start with. By the way, I've made a few small tables with panel gluing 1" pieces of wood, and I can tell you that I've used more sanding paper on a cheap orbital sander than some people spend in a year. And that's why I'm getting this.. (Well not this Oliver machine but a cheap thickness planer/jointer combo). Wish me luck people..
IMO one of the most important thing is the dust collection. I’ve tried several planers and hands down the Dewalt is the best. Wish you showed the comparison between these 2.
Man I probably would have bought this had it been available a year ago over buying the dewalt and then doing the blade replacement myself. Makes sense to go this route if you dont want to do the blade replacement on the dewalt.
I have the first version. While I haven't used it a ton, I love it. I'm sure it'll be fine for everything I need it for. If I ever need to upgrade, I'd jump up to a larger free standing unit. But until then, really glad I went with it.
Not in my budget so I'll stick with my Craftsman, which does a good job for what I need. Thanks for the review, it's nice to keep up with new tools on the market!
I already have a planer. I'd buy the Oliver if I needed one. I will put a bird/shelix cutter on my old Delta eventually. As Delta is gone at this point, the warranty is a non-issue.
I bought the Oilver about 3 years ago. I had a Delta for years and wanted to upgrade to a Helical head cutter. Looked at the Dewalt and thought about just changing the cutting head on the Dewalt when the Oilver came available. My first cut with the Oilver was a disaster. The Oilver made a deep grove in my test wood. I opened up the planner and found four broken/cracked cutting heads. Called Oilver and was told the screws holding the cutting heads were over torqued. Oilver sent me four new cutting heads plus four spares. I lessened all cutters and reset the torque. Since then it has been perfect. I have even planned end grain cutting boards and got a great finish if I glued on a sacrificial board to precent tear out.
In my area, a new Dewalt 735x with aftermarket Wixey digital gauge and shelix head comes in at 1138 while Oliver is 1135. With the added blower of the 735 for chip collection and increased bed area, it looks like the 735 is still the way to go.
The dewalt didn't come with those fold up tables when I bought mine. I had to pay $70 to order them. So I had over $700 in mine and it is 8 years old and still kicking butt.
Knowing what I know now about my DeWalt planer I would buy the Oliver. My DeWalt planer was 6 months old and had about 2 hours on it and the motor burned up. I called DeWalt for warranty and got nothing but a run around for 3 weeks. In the end I ended up buying the motor parts myself and rebuilding it. I'm very dissatisfied and unhappy with DeWalt. DeWalt told me they know they have problems with their motors and still gave me an issue about warranty. So if I was going to buy a planer again I would definitely choose this Oliver over the DeWalt.
It looks like a great tool. But, I have had 2 planers with the 2 threaded adjuster posts and 4 smooth guide posts w/locks. Both planers ended up having issues after a while. The first was a Ridgid planer that I was able to return to the design engineer at Cutech tools. He verified that the small flex in the chassis had ultimately tweaked the entire power head unit. The second was a Dewalt made similarly (I know) and had the same issue after using it for a while. I operate a small cabinet shop and use these small planers for smoothing hardwood boards coming straight from the mill. Each planer lasted nearly 4 years, running About 2 - 3 hours daily. So, probably not an issue for most folks. I then got the Dewalt 4-poster. It is made similarly to our Grizzly 20" floor planer and has now operated for nearly 8 years and is as accurate as ever.
i will definately look at the oliver. as long as it is as wide as the dewalt. my issue is the cost for width of board, for my next planer, but the cutter is a must.
I bought a cutech jointer. 800.00 for the 12". Fabulous. I don't remember if you reviewed it and that was were i saw it or not. I will have to compare the Oliver to the cutech planers. The jointer is great.
Have you looked at the Cutech planer yet? A 13 inch with spiral blade is less than 700.00. I love mine. Have had it for 3 years and have not yet even turned a blade. Maybe check one out and review? Always enjoy your vids.
You said it’s heavy. Unless you’re Hercules, it’s not as heavy as the DeWalt……the one I have. I am happy with it, though. This Oliver looks sweet. Lots of great improvements.
HSS sharpens up a lot sharper than carbide. This is essential for difficult woods, like Birdseye Maple. As I sharpen my own blades, I'll stick with good old HSS.
With the upgrades to the Oliver, that's a very tough decision. The digital scale might be the difference (assuming both have the same head installed). DeWalt, let's face it, is the standard all others are trying to emulate. Tough decision
These are a great machine! I really like the helical head instead of the blades. The digital scale is a great addition! When I break into my piggy 🐖 bank! This will be a great addition to my shop!
Oliver all day long... Dewalt is still the best budget pick, as it constantly goes on sale for way under the Oliver and is probably the best straight blade planer out there... But the reality is that changing the head on the dewalt is a SERIOUS job... For some that's a plus, and I get it... But the oliver is 13", has a helical head already installed, and has the digital guage for 1k. Out of the box, it's the best benchtop planer made period. They killed all the competition with this one.
I like both...now there is a comment for you! I have a 'small shop" question for you. Is there, or would there be any problem with setup if I were to mount either one into a firm, true, and well braced rolling cabinet?
The Oliver is a very impressive planer and the helical head is a major plus. However, I would like to know more about the availability of spare parts. Availability of parts and factory support is a huge tie-breaker when all else is equal.
I would hold off and get the Oliver 10055 that is coming out in early 2025. It is also a benchtop and more closely competes with the performance of the DeWalt 735, but it is a 15" and has some other nice features. It seems like the model in this video is more of a design match with the DeWalt 734 with some nice additional features. In either case I think Oliver will eventually become the benchtop planer king if DeWalt maintains the status quo.
I've got the Dewalt 734 Planer that is styled like the Oliver. Obviously no helical head and 1 speed but it does great. Had it about 4 yrs now and was about $100 cheaper than the 735 when both were under $500. Crazy what they want for planers now! Add the helical head and they just aren't affordable for the garage shop. Love the improvements Oliver has made but the price is too high.
I still using my craftsman plainer and jointer benchtop models they work ok the plainer gets a bit choppy but as for the jointer I use it but I am learning how to use hand plains and I'm liking those. Sometimes I feel that with low quality tools it limits my true abilities in my shop.
Great video Matt. I have the DeWalt planner just hoping to be able to up date it with the Byrd helical head soon. If I can get a good deal on it. Thanks for sharing
I wouldn't trade my DW735 for anything else in the small planer category. I've installed the Shelix and Wixey on mine, which really isn't hard. If you can build furniture, you can pull off installing those...
Voiding warranty if you change the head could be illegal. If it isn't it should be. If the failure is not related to the swap it should be covered. Also, an overhead drum sander is nice to have.
I suspect Dewalt will be coming out quickly with a digital gauge installed and a lower price for the helical head. It would be minimal engineering for them and they'd have to make the price competitive with the Oliver. I already have the Dewalt so it wouldn't do me any good so I'll just have to do a little extra sanding. A major first world problem.
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Click "Read more" to see all of the tool links.
Watch Next: Best Benchtop Planer for Most People - th-cam.com/video/9C7FckbtnfI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=kTgOjIDl-Al7nqaa
Tools in this Video:
Oliver HCX 13-inch Planer (Amazon) - amzn.to/3OfV88D
Oliver HCX 13-inch Planer (Woodcraft) - bit.ly/oliverplaner
DeWALT DW735X - amzn.to/4fZ6Z6T
Byrd Shelix Helical Head Upgrade for DW735x - amzn.to/4fYRL1M
DeWALT DW735X with Shelix Pre-Installed - collabs.shop/w7wmr2
Planer Cart Plans www.731woodworks.com/store/p/diy-mobile-tool-cart-with-storage
ISOtunes Hearing Protection - amzn.to/49cKyc3
3M WorkTunes - amzn.to/3CJ5wDn
Wixey DRO for Planers - amzn.to/3V8SdSV
How to Add a Digital Read Out To Your Planer - th-cam.com/video/o2pNkKutfHY/w-d-xo.htmlsi=IhqOep4GzCDpwKRk
Phone TriPod I'm Using (expensive but worth every penny) - amzn.to/3NbM8kp
Tri-Pod Adapter for Phone -amzn.to/4gTXQxp
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Just got mine from woodcraft on sale for $899. Glad you reviewed it because this is my first planer and even though I love it I couldn't compare it to the others on the market
I bought the Dewalt used from a fellow who retired for $250 with the stand...purchased a Byrd helical head for right around $400...about 5 years ago...still going strong.
I recently picked up a DW735 with a helical head second hand for $500, which to me was an absolutely steal for that machine. If I had to choose between the two (Dewalt at $1600 vs Oliver at $1100, I think the Oliver would win, mainly because of the preinstalled Wixey depth gauge. Thanks for the awesome, in-depth review!
I have a DW735 as well, straight blades, for now. Not sure how he got to $1600 with the helical head. DW735 new is $600, Helical head is $400-500. Maybe since they "Preinstall it"?
Either way, you got a great deal! 🙂
@@mikeh4924 Yes, of course they charge WAY more to preinstall it. I've watched videos on swapping the stock head to a helical head, and I'm glad the guy I bought it from did it! Saved me a huge headache and a lot of time. :)
I work and teach at Woodcraft in Austin, Texas, and the new Oliver 13" lunchbox planer is a true badass. Thanks to the helical cutter head, cuts are every bit as shimmering smooth as the Powermatic planer in our shop. Combined with the precision digital height gauge and dual speeds, it's a great choice for pros with a limited budget and/or shop space. Highly recommended.
Great review and comparison! It’s so good to see when tool companies listen to customer feedback and modify their products for the customer. 🎉
Thanks for the review on this updated version. Two years ago, I was ready to make a Black Friday planer purchase. The Oliver had just come out but I couldn’t find any reviews. Lack of reviews made me nervous so I went with the DeWalt. Happy with the DeWalt and no desire to change. Glad to see Oliver made improvements.
I would love this but can never afford. You said you’re not keeping it but if you give away, I hope that person loves it. Keep up the good work. OLIVER ALL THE WAY.
just getting started in fine wood working and picked up an older Ryobi 10in at auction for 85$ would be great to win something like this glad someone is listening to their customers!!! have fun with it while you have it !!
I bought the old model about a year and a half ago because that’s when I saw your original post on the previous model. My Oliver replaced my old straight blade planer. The helix head reduced my hand sanding down to just doing a light pass at a higher grit.
I can’t imagine this new model being that much better than my model. Thanks for the review!
I'm an Oliver Guy, Dewalt has known about Helical heads forever but still continue to sell straight blade units, knowing people will void their warranty to upgrade. I think it's a poor way to do business. It's not like the R&D department can't add helical to the Dewalt. They choose not to.
Legally, they can't void your warranty for that unless they can prove your modification caused whatever you asking for warranty service on.
They come with straight blades because most people don't wanna pay for helical blades. It's the same reason new cars don't come with the very best tires available unless you're buying a supercar. Dewalt is not a company geared to high end craftsman. If they were, they'd make a 240v cabinet saw.
@@Regolith86 they absolutely can and have voided warranties for using helical heads.
How would DeWalt know that you had a helical head on there? If I had to return it I would just put the original cutters back on. I wouldn't want to send it back with the helical cutters that I paid for.
@@actionjksn it's not terribly difficult to tell that the head has been removed. Of course, you could remove the original and replace it with the same thing but they know that's not happening for most users within the warranty period.
Kudos to you Matt!! Finally a company that took your feedback seriously! You deserve a doughnut!!😂. I know you been missing them!!😂😂
Great video and you should be labeled the “Tool whisperer “!
Oliver. I have a ton of DeWalt tools, but voiding the warranty by putting in the helical head vs. having the warranty (+the digital gauge) makes it an easy decision in my opinion.
Matt, great review. It is on sale at Woodcraft for 899 until end of month. For the capabilities and price, it is a great deal. Love your channel.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the review!
Its cool that the company actually listened to your ideas!! I would choose the oliver!!
Paid almost $1000 for my Oliver 3 yrs ago. I am able to use much cheaper rough sawn lumber and it has easily paid for itself at least twice. (I've made like 40 projects.) Really happy with this purchase.
Thanks for sharing your experience and happy to hear you're pleased with your Oliver!
Excellent! I really like the DeWalt, and I think the extra weight, stabilizes the unit, which I think helps with the snipe. But, DeWalt REALLY shot themselves in the foot with the warrant void. I’ve been a fairly loyal DeWalt user (although, that’s starting to change as of late). But, with quality issues being almost a gauranTEE in one form or fashion, warranty means a LOT more to me know than it used to, and I want a company to stand behind their product. *And why DeWalt hasn’t made a planer with a helical head is astonishing to me, with them knowing that’s what anyone who cares enough to buy a planer in the first place is goin got want. So, instead they penalize us for it…..makes NO sense.* Another outstanding video!!👍
Thanks for the needed update. I also liked the increase in capacity size from 12.5 to 13 inches. I know it's only a half an inch but it seems significant. Oliver missed a chance to "knock it out of the park" though because they could have gone to 14 or 15 inches while they were redesigning. Woodcrafts $100 off right now makes it $900 and I think it's a no brainer. I appreciate what you do, thanks.
Dewalt with the Shelix head is #1, this new Oliver is without question very close and beats all else.
I got a factory refurbished Wahuda 2-speed planer with spiral cutters on sale. Very similar to the Shelix, but fewer cutters though still excellent finish. It's cast base was broken, leaving one side lower than the other. Wahuda said it wasn't worth returning it & refunded my money. I fixed it with JB Weld and now have an excellent planer for free!
Got the Oliver with a Shelix last year. Love it! Thanks for bring all the good reviews
After seeing this review, went to Woodcraft, and the unit was on sale for $899! Had to snatch that up, thank you!
Glad you were able to grab it!
I'm kind of a newbie & got the DeWalt 735 & installed a FoxBc helical head. It works great. Wat hing this Oliver, I am very impressed.
Nice review and not biased. I have the DeWalt 735x with the shelical head for a few years. Works for me. However for a first time buyer you may want to check out this one as well. Both seem to do what you need it to do. Have a great night.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience!
I especially love that digital scale, the height lock, the helical cutters and the ease to turn them for fresh blades, looks like a quick release dust exhaust and a depth gauge. I have the Craftsman, it's nice but this is the Rolls Royce of planers. One day I will be able to afford it :) PS, nice review!
&31 Woodworks.. Matt I am just getting into woodworking a little more and learn a lot from your videos. So thank you for sharing them. I guess I still need a good planer and a jointer and well, maybe a few more woodworking tools. I have the SKIL table saw and miter saw that you showed and those are great tools so far.
I do like the side dispensing dust chute. The Dewalt comes out the center and when you connect a hose to it it always seems to get in the way of the out feed of the wood!
It does get in the way but I solved the problem with a bungee cord attached to one of the posts and around my hose. I think Dewalt opted for the center chute so the dust comes out in a straight line instead of making a 90 degree turn; avoiding turns is supposed to be more efficient.
I love that it has the helical cutterhead without the finnicky nonsense that getting the Shelix head on the Dewalt. I was really hoping it was more affordable because for $1200 you'd only be getting a smaller planer for the space saving at that price point. I'm glad it exists and ai'd love to get this on sale someday!
Woodcraft has it on sale now, link in description
I own the DW735 but given the same choice today, I would buy the Oliver. Once you add all the mods, the Oliver product looks like a much better deal.
What I still don't understand is why these tools (unlike all others) include blowers. My jointer is functionally identical but does not include a fan that blows shavings out the back of it. A big part of the noise produced by a planner is from the blower. If you're going to hook it up to a dust collector anyways (which you should), no blower is needed.
Case in point, I bought a mod for my DW735 from Etsy that by-passes the rear dust port and allows me to position my 4" dust hose out the top of the unit (I had to cut a hole in the lid to do this). The blower still runs but it has been completely cut off from the cutters and I don't miss it. The dust collector still gets all the shavings without it.
I say, Oliver should ditch the rear dust port and blower... instead, make the shroud point straight up... mount the dust port like a chimney that goes through a hole in the top of the unit. We'll call it 'The Dust Chimney'!! Remove the blower fan entirely and lower the noise. Make the in-feed and out-feed tables longer and let them both fold up nicely... even with the carriage all the way down!
Agree!💯
I think I'd go with the Oliver. The digital Guage and having the helicoil already installed is a big plus over having to install it yourself and voiding warranty on the dewalt specially when you're in for the same amount of money doing it.
When my old delta finally gives up I'll be looking at the Oliver for sure.
I’ve got the Makita with normal blades. Cost just over £500. Great machine now set up, beautiful finish zero snipe. Powerful, quality tool, Love it!
I've got the new Oliver- love that helical head! One thing you didn't mention is that the infeed and outfeed rollers on the Oliver are closer to the cutterhead compared to the Dewalt. This makes a different when planing really thin stock, or short pieces.
That's good to know. Closer rollers means less wood will be impacted by snipe, to the extent that it happens. (In my experience, you always get a little, unless you use sacrificial boards before and after the work.
Matt, A couple years ago I fitted my 15" Delta planer with a bird/helix head. I love how it works, BUT if I were to do this now, I would sell the Delta and Buy the Oliver. The Oliver comes fitted and Designed to use a Helix head. The helix head is constantly cutting vs the blade type head which has 1/3 turn of the cutter between cuts. Bottom line with the helix I has to remove less wood per pass than with the blade type cutter head. BUT the finish is Sooo much better A Winner for helix!
Those wanting the digital-readout, you could probably rig a digital caliper (the cheap ones should have sufficient accuracy for wood) to most planers, that's basically what this unit seems to be, just a rehoused version (a 3d-printed mod could even do that).
I bought a Metabo planer recently. Looks Very similar to this model. Love my planer !! Nice video !
I'm a newbie and I'm in a process of buying a planer but I'll buy a surface planer/jointer combo. This seems like the cheapest option to start with.
By the way, I've made a few small tables with panel gluing 1" pieces of wood, and I can tell you that I've used more sanding paper on a cheap orbital sander than some people spend in a year. And that's why I'm getting this.. (Well not this Oliver machine but a cheap thickness planer/jointer combo). Wish me luck people..
FINALLY, someone paid attention!
IMO one of the most important thing is the dust collection. I’ve tried several planers and hands down the Dewalt is the best. Wish you showed the comparison between these 2.
Man I probably would have bought this had it been available a year ago over buying the dewalt and then doing the blade replacement myself. Makes sense to go this route if you dont want to do the blade replacement on the dewalt.
I have the first version. While I haven't used it a ton, I love it. I'm sure it'll be fine for everything I need it for. If I ever need to upgrade, I'd jump up to a larger free standing unit. But until then, really glad I went with it.
Not in my budget so I'll stick with my Craftsman, which does a good job for what I need.
Thanks for the review, it's nice to keep up with new tools on the market!
Amen. But, just out of curiosity, do you know if can you retro fit that Craftsman with a Helical blade?
@phillamoore157 I'm not sure about that. Sorry!
@ No worries 👍
I already have a planer. I'd buy the Oliver if I needed one. I will put a bird/shelix cutter on my old Delta eventually. As Delta is gone at this point, the warranty is a non-issue.
I just ordered a DW735X on your Black Friday recommendation! It comes in tomorrow! I can't wait to use it!
Congrats! I hope you enjoy it!
I just ordered the Oliver over the Dewalt. Hardest part of the decision was going through the payment process
😭lol Thank you for the review, Matt!
Congrats! Enjoy it!
I bought the Oilver about 3 years ago. I had a Delta for years and wanted to upgrade to a Helical head cutter. Looked at the Dewalt and thought about just changing the cutting head on the Dewalt when the Oilver came available. My first cut with the Oilver was a disaster. The Oilver made a deep grove in my test wood. I opened up the planner and found four broken/cracked cutting heads. Called Oilver and was told the screws holding the cutting heads were over torqued. Oilver sent me four new cutting heads plus four spares. I lessened all cutters and reset the torque. Since then it has been perfect. I have even planned end grain cutting boards and got a great finish if I glued on a sacrificial board to precent tear out.
In my area, a new Dewalt 735x with aftermarket Wixey digital gauge and shelix head comes in at 1138 while Oliver is 1135. With the added blower of the 735 for chip collection and increased bed area, it looks like the 735 is still the way to go.
The dewalt didn't come with those fold up tables when I bought mine. I had to pay $70 to order them. So I had over $700 in mine and it is 8 years old and still kicking butt.
Knowing what I know now about my DeWalt planer I would buy the Oliver. My DeWalt planer was 6 months old and had about 2 hours on it and the motor burned up. I called DeWalt for warranty and got nothing but a run around for 3 weeks. In the end I ended up buying the motor parts myself and rebuilding it. I'm very dissatisfied and unhappy with DeWalt. DeWalt told me they know they have problems with their motors and still gave me an issue about warranty. So if I was going to buy a planer again I would definitely choose this Oliver over the DeWalt.
It looks like a great tool. But, I have had 2 planers with the 2 threaded adjuster posts and 4 smooth guide posts w/locks. Both planers ended up having issues after a while. The first was a Ridgid planer that I was able to return to the design engineer at Cutech tools. He verified that the small flex in the chassis had ultimately tweaked the entire power head unit. The second was a Dewalt made similarly (I know) and had the same issue after using it for a while. I operate a small cabinet shop and use these small planers for smoothing hardwood boards coming straight from the mill. Each planer lasted nearly 4 years, running About 2 - 3 hours daily. So, probably not an issue for most folks. I then got the Dewalt 4-poster. It is made similarly to our Grizzly 20" floor planer and has now operated for nearly 8 years and is as accurate as ever.
The last Oliver I used was 50-60 +years old and it was a beast
Man I wish we could get these here! Great video as always!
I have one, works great.
i will definately look at the oliver. as long as it is as wide as the dewalt. my issue is the cost for width of board, for my next planer, but the cutter is a must.
I bought a cutech jointer. 800.00 for the 12". Fabulous. I don't remember if you reviewed it and that was were i saw it or not. I will have to compare the Oliver to the cutech planers. The jointer is great.
I would love either one. My budget would force me to the DeWalt 3 blade model. Great review on your part. thanks
I have the previous model of the Oliver and love it
Great review. I would go with the Oliver
Have you looked at the Cutech planer yet? A 13 inch with spiral blade is less than 700.00. I love mine. Have had it for 3 years and have not yet even turned a blade. Maybe check one out and review? Always enjoy your vids.
Wixey also sells the digital readout by itself for $74.99 and I have it on my DeWALT DW735X. Works great so that is good that Oliver includes it.
Love my Oliver Shelix, big improvement on my old Craftsman. Thanks for the video!
Your videos are truly a woodworkers must have tool :)
Thanks!
That Oliver now SMOKES the Dewalt. No doubt about it.
I love watching your videos. I'm new to working with wood. A planer is on my wish list.
Well just got one from woodcraft on sale to replace a Ridgid planer, enjoyed your review. Hopefully next is a jointer upgrade
You said it’s heavy. Unless you’re Hercules, it’s not as heavy as the DeWalt……the one I have. I am happy with it, though. This Oliver looks sweet. Lots of great improvements.
I would choose the Oliver over the Dewalt. Unfortunately, I can't justify either, price wise, on my salary, so I'll just have to stick with my Ryobi.
HSS sharpens up a lot sharper than carbide. This is essential for difficult woods, like Birdseye Maple. As I sharpen my own blades, I'll stick with good old HSS.
With the upgrades to the Oliver, that's a very tough decision. The digital scale might be the difference (assuming both have the same head installed). DeWalt, let's face it, is the standard all others are trying to emulate. Tough decision
These are a great machine! I really like the helical head instead of the blades. The digital scale is a great addition!
When I break into my piggy 🐖 bank! This will be a great addition to my shop!
Great video...I like Oliver
Oliver. Thanks for the video. Anyone could look up the price but it would be nice to know at the very end.
Oliver all day long... Dewalt is still the best budget pick, as it constantly goes on sale for way under the Oliver and is probably the best straight blade planer out there... But the reality is that changing the head on the dewalt is a SERIOUS job... For some that's a plus, and I get it... But the oliver is 13", has a helical head already installed, and has the digital guage for 1k. Out of the box, it's the best benchtop planer made period. They killed all the competition with this one.
I like both...now there is a comment for you! I have a 'small shop" question for you. Is there, or would there be any problem with setup if I were to mount either one into a firm, true, and well braced rolling cabinet?
Nice Presentation! I would caution against planning Walnut without dust collection.
Walnut dust is dangerous to breathe.
Interesting product. When I finally have a chance to buy a planner this is definitely a option.
Great review. I am going to start saving up for the new and improved Oliver planer.
I purchased the original. should have waited a little longer. still better than the first ryobi ap10 that I had forever.
You had me at "helical head". 😀 I have an older Ridgid and am looking to upgrade to a helical head...
The Oliver is a very impressive planer and the helical head is a major plus. However, I would like to know more about the availability of spare parts. Availability of parts and factory support is a huge tie-breaker when all else is equal.
I would choose the oliver! thank you
I would hold off and get the Oliver 10055 that is coming out in early 2025. It is also a benchtop and more closely competes with the performance of the DeWalt 735, but it is a 15" and has some other nice features. It seems like the model in this video is more of a design match with the DeWalt 734 with some nice additional features. In either case I think Oliver will eventually become the benchtop planer king if DeWalt maintains the status quo.
It’s gonna be 220 though. So gotta have that in the shop
Oliver definitely seems the way to go for me
I've got the Dewalt 734 Planer that is styled like the Oliver. Obviously no helical head and 1 speed but it does great. Had it about 4 yrs now and was about $100 cheaper than the 735 when both were under $500. Crazy what they want for planers now! Add the helical head and they just aren't affordable for the garage shop. Love the improvements Oliver has made but the price is too high.
Totally agree with the helical head.... Unless you are planing Epoxy.
Great info. For the money i would prefer the Oliver. 899. vs 1,500.
Another awesome video - I would probably buy the Oliver between the 2.
Your planer videos tipped it over the edge for me i bought the Craftsman niw building a cart for it. $285 was a good deal
I would love to see this do an end grain cutting board. Great review Matt.
I still using my craftsman plainer and jointer benchtop models they work ok the plainer gets a bit choppy but as for the jointer I use it but I am learning how to use hand plains and I'm liking those. Sometimes I feel that with low quality tools it limits my true abilities in my shop.
Ordering Oliver asap
Thanks Brother for this video!
Now I’m in a conundrum as I have been considering that Dewalt planer.
Great video Matt. I have the DeWalt planner just hoping to be able to up date it with the Byrd helical head soon. If I can get a good deal on it. Thanks for sharing
Good thing you can stand on it now. That was a deal breaker😂.
I wouldn't trade my DW735 for anything else in the small planer category. I've installed the Shelix and Wixey on mine, which really isn't hard. If you can build furniture, you can pull off installing those...
Tuyệt vời quá, liệu tôi có khả năng lấy máy này được không ạ
I've been wanting a tabletop planer. Maybe in the future I'll be able to afford this one
Oliver is the beast or best depending upon your mood.
great video, thanks, definitely would take deep look at it If I needed one...Lots of players should be happy there is now a good choice aspect ...
Great review Matt! I would love to see some reviews of benchtop combination planar jointers.
Voiding warranty if you change the head could be illegal. If it isn't it should be. If the failure is not related to the swap it should be covered. Also, an overhead drum sander is nice to have.
I think I would go with the Oliver now that it has been upgraded
I suspect Dewalt will be coming out quickly with a digital gauge installed and a lower price for the helical head. It would be minimal engineering for them and they'd have to make the price competitive with the Oliver. I already have the Dewalt so it wouldn't do me any good so I'll just have to do a little extra sanding. A major first world problem.