Blade Questions ... Planer & Jointer

[WoodWrangler]

What are the best quality blades and where do you buy them?

I have a Dewalt 735 planer and Powermatic 54A 6" jointer.

The planer is using the disposable two-sided blades sold by Dewalt. Can these planers take anything else "out of the box" (in other words, I'm not going to try to rig something up). I know there is better quality metal out there than the blades Dewalt says, but are there any for this planer?

As for the jointer, I don't think the blades are anything special. I am using the ones it came with, but was wondering if there were better HSS ones available, or possible going with a carbide-tipped blade.

Both of these machines get a lot of little nicks in them ... I'd like to avoid that, but don't have the desire to put a Byrd head in the 6" jointer.

[Makinsawdust]

Jeremy,
I've not heard of anything other than the disposable's being replaced with the manufacter's disposables. Now on your jointer you have some choices. I bought a second set of Freud's for mine just so I can keep a set on the machine while the other set is being sharpened. Probably any HSS knife with a pedigree will work well for you. Now I hate to be the one to tell ya, but the nicks are a result of what you are running through them. Staples, plywood, grit on old reclaimed lumber and sometimes excessive glue beads are the most common causes of the nicks.
With all the machine set-up you been doing lately I'm surprised you've had time to plane or joint any wood.
Rob

[JackLeg]

Jeremy: I can only speak to the 735 blades. I buy them on e-bay or amazon, don't remember which, for 24.95/set. Better than Lowe's prices by far. Wish there was a set that could be resharpened, or a better grade of blade.

[gator]

Beware of carbide for jointer knives. Carbide will last you a long time (life and sharpness) BUT, they are very brittle and the first tough thing you hit will put a big nick in them.

George

[WoodWrangler]

Originally Posted by JackLeg

Jeremy: I can only speak to the 735 blades. I buy them on e-bay or amazon, don't remember which, for 24.95/set.

I'd like to find that price ... the cheapest I've seen is about $45. Please let me know where!

[Marcus Masencup]

I feel your pain with that 6'' joiner, I have the same one. It is such a nice machine and I don't want to give it up but I find myself needing/wanting a bigger one. I still haven't run enough wood through it to need a blade change. Less the 50 bf for sure. Just how hard is it going to be when the time does come?

[junquecol]

For the jointer, check out Global Tooling. This is where I bought the knives for my Grizzly's 6" jointers. A set of three knives, for a PM 50 is less than $15.00. Took about a week to get them as they are on the left side of the country. Somewhere I remember, at least I think I remember, someone said that Sunhill owned them. I have been well satisfied with my knives. I would order a second set as the freight is almost the same.

[Tarhead]

Jeremy,
I have a set of Infinity's thicker/better steel version of the OEM DW-735 blades ( http://www.infinitytools.com/products.asp?dept=1111 ) and will only use them in the future. I have had very long life as I only plane rough cut sections out of long boards instead of planing long boards and then making rough cuts. They still look and cut like brand new after going through ~300LF of 5-8" Ash. My stepbrother in JAX got a set from them and had issues with the index holes lining up correctly. He called them and they overnighted him replacements. He's very happy with them too. They are not laminated and won't fold back like the OEM versions do. Check for a Woodnet discount. I'm not sure if I used one or got these during one of their sales.
Check Holbren Tools for jointer blades. http://www.holbren.com/home.php?cat=661 I think they are the same T1 steel as Infinity's but much cheaper and have a Woodnet discount.

[Glennbear]

Originally Posted by Tarhead

Jeremy,
I have a set of Infinity's thicker/better steel version of the OEM DW-735 blades ( http://www.infinitytools.com/products.asp?dept=1111 ) and will only use them in the future. I have had very long life as I only plane rough cut sections out of long boards instead of planing long boards and then making rough cuts. They still look and cut like brand new after going through ~300LF of 5-8" Ash. My stepbrother in JAX got a set from them and had issues with the index holes lining up correctly. He called them and they overnighted him replacements. He's very happy with them too. They are not laminated and won't fold back like the OEM versions do. Check for a Woodnet discount. I'm not sure if I used one or got these during one of their sales.
Check Holbren Tools for jointer blades. http://www.holbren.com/home.php?cat=661 I think they are the same T1 steel as Infinity's but much cheaper and have a Woodnet discount.

Thanks for the info Mark, I own a DW735 also and the infinity blades seem to be a better deal than OEM. The globalization of manufacturing never ceases to amaze me, according to the website these blades are made in Italy using German tool steel and marketed by a company in Tampa, FL.

[WoodWrangler]

Thanks, Mark. I seemed to remember someone getting some of the replacement blades elsewhere. I will order some.

[PeteM]

I guess this means I'll have to return your Magna-Set Jig !!!

pete

[Bas]

Bruce - I looked at the Global Tooling site, I don't see any jointer knives, only planer knives. Or am I missing something?

[WoodWrangler]

Originally Posted by PeteM

I guess this means I'll have to return your Magna-Set Jig !!!

pete

Yeah, I'm gonna need to "borrow" that back

[woodArtz]

Originally Posted by Bas

Bruce - I looked at the Global Tooling site, I don't see any jointer knives, only planer knives. Or am I missing something?

I bought jointer knives from Global for my DJ-20. Their product descriptions are not very clear. I found my jointer knives on the planer page ($21).

[DavidF]

Thanks for the link to Infinity (that sounds odd, a bit like something Buzz Lightyear might say!) I'll try tham when I need to replace my blades.