Three benchtop planers by their makers' figures
| Planer | Width | Thickness | Deepest cut | Knives | Feed | Power as stated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEWALT DW734 (page) | 12-1/2 in | Up to 6 in | Not stated on the page | 3, disposable, reversible | 96 cuts per inch | 120 V, 15 A |
| DEWALT DW735 | 13 in (stock no wider than 12 in) | 1/8–6 in | 1/8 in on 6 in wide or less | 3, reversible | 14 or 26 ft/min; 179 or 96 cuts per inch | 120 V, 15 A |
| Makita 2012NB | 304 mm (12 in) | 3–155 mm | 3.0 mm under 150 mm; 1.5 mm to 240 mm; 1.0 mm to 304 mm | 2, disposable or standard | 8.5 m/min | 1,650 W (European edition) |
Each figure is the maker's own. Weight: DW734 80 lb (page caption); 2012NB 28.1 kg (manual) or 27 kg (sheet); DW735 not stated in the manual. Not a ranking.
Equipment notePaid link
13-in thickness planer package
DEWALT DW735X
DEWALT's DW735X package: its page gives a 13 in, 3-knife, two-speed planer at 96 or 179 cuts per inch, as for the DW735 above.
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Matching a planer to the work
| Work | What suits it | Why, from the documents |
|---|---|---|
| Hard or figured wood, a fine last pass | A slower feed, more cuts per inch | DW735: speed 1, 179 cuts per inch, recommended for both |
| Fast stock removal | A faster feed | DW735: speed 2, 96 cuts per inch |
| Many boards to one thickness | Repeatable stops | DW735 and DW734: turret depth stops; 2012NB: a stopper |
| Long boards | Built-in support | DW734: 33-1/2 in of infeed and outfeed support; DW735: optional folding tables |
| Dust on a shop vacuum | A planer whose maker allows it | Makita: a hood for a vacuum cleaner; DEWALT advises against a shop vacuum on the DW735 |
Built from the makers' statements. Not a ranking.
What to compare
- Depth by width. A single 'maximum depth' hides the rule: Makita's 3.0 mm falls to 1.0 mm on a full-width board, and DEWALT's 1/8 in applies only up to 6 in wide.
- Feed and cuts per inch. More cuts per inch means smaller scallops; DEWALT gives two speeds for that reason. Rpm alone does not say it — the DW734's page quotes 20,000 rpm for the motor and 10,000 for the cutterhead.
- Snipe. DEWALT builds a carriage lock into its posts to reduce the movement that causes it; Makita claims minimal snipe from its feed. Powermatic says of its own 15 in planer that snipe cannot be eliminated, only minimized; support matters as much — see how to use a thickness planer.
- Knives. Two or three; disposable double-edged knives are turned, not sharpened. DEWALT says a helical cutterhead has not been tested with the DW735 and is not recommended, so a 'helical benchtop planer' conversion is outside what it allows. More in planer knives and inserts.
- Power. DEWALT asks for a separate circuit of no less than #12 wire on a 20 A time-lag fuse for the DW735; amps and watts are not compared.
Safety— The planer manuals' rules
Keep guards and covers on; let the head reach full speed before feeding; never switch on with a board under the head; never reach into the cutterhead, rollers or chip chute while running; clear jams and chips only with the power off and the head stopped; respect the minimum length and thickness (DEWALT, Makita).
Before choosing a benchtop planer
- Widest board, against the width and the depth limit at that width
- Thickest and thinnest stock you plane
- Feed speeds or cuts per inch for the woods you use
- Repeat stops, infeed and outfeed support
- Dust collector or vacuum, as the maker allows
- A circuit that matches the nameplate
Carrying and setting up a planer away from the bench is in choosing a portable planer; stationary machines are in choosing a thickness planer. How a planer works is in the planer guide.
Sources
Specification-based: every figure is the maker's own. DEWALT's DW734 figures come from its product page, the DW735's and 2012NB's from manuals; Makita's weight is 28.1 kg in the manual and 27 kg on its 1999 sheet, and both are shown. DEWALT's DW735 manual gives 13 in as the width but 12 in as the widest stock to plane. No planer was tested and none is ranked.
- 1.
Used for: The DW735: 120 V AC, 15 A; 10,000 rpm; feed 14 or 26 ft per minute; 96 or 179 cuts per inch; 13 in (325 mm) wide, with a rule not to plane stock wider than 12 in; 1/8 to 6 in thick; 1/8 in deepest on boards 6 in wide or less, with a removal gauge for wider ones; three reversible knives; an automatic carriage lock in the four posts against snipe; a fan-assisted chip ejector, a 4 in port and no shop vacuum; an 18 A breaker; turret stops; helical cutterheads not tested and not recommended.
- 2.
DW734 12-1/2 in. Thickness Planer with Three Knife Cutter-Head. DEWALT.
Used for: The DW734: 120 V, 15 A; a '20,000 rpm motor' and '10,000 rpm cutter-head' giving 96 cuts per inch; 12-1/2 in (318 mm) wide; 6 in capacity; three disposable reversible knives; a four-column carriage lock; 33-1/2 in of infeed and outfeed support; a turret depth stop; a dust hood included; 80 lb; feed rate not stated.
- 3.
Used for: The 2012NB: 304 mm wide; 3.0 mm deepest under 150 mm wide, 1.5 mm to 240 mm, 1.0 mm to 304 mm; feed 8.5 m per minute; 8,500 min⁻¹; two blades, disposable or standard; 28.1 kg; a hood set for a vacuum cleaner; a stopper for repeated thicknesses; 130 mm minimum length; figures from the European edition.
- 4.
304 mm (12") Planer Model 2012NB, Automatic Thickness Planer (specification sheet Z13946-2). Makita, 1999.
Used for: The 2012NB: 1,650 W continuous rating input; 3 to 155 mm thick; 27 kg (59.5 lb); 83 dB at no load; a depth stop from 3 to 100 mm; a feeding mechanism described as giving minimal snipe.
- 5.
Operating Instructions and Parts Manual, 15-inch Planer, Models 15S and 15HH (M-0460286, edition 8). Powermatic, 2024.
Used for: Snipe that 'cannot be eliminated but can be so minimized as to be negligible', said of Powermatic's own 15 in planer.
About this buying guide
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