To me Ridgid tools and machines are disposable tools and not worth time to fix or upgrade.
Either buy the Dewalt 735 or sav up for a stationary planer with a Bryd head installed from the factory.
The Dewalt is a very good machine I had one many years.

 

I have the 735X and I'm happy with it. Factory blades leave a very nice surface.

Why do you want to replace the Ridgid?

 

Personally, I have the R4330 for the past 7 years, and do not mind changing the knife blades. Additionally I have a Grizzly G-0593 jointer with spiral head. That said, BOTH can and do show small raised lines from either nicks or worn carbide cutter discs.

Bottom line is that BOTH require that the wood being worked, be either final scraped or sanded. So what I am saying is that both work well enough and the purchase of either will be a personal preference. IMO, I would be more concerned with capacity rather than the cutter head. A 15in planer, or jointer, sure would be nice…

 

I have been in the same debate with my dewalt 733. It has served me well for 17 years and continues to, but I've considered buying a Byrd head for it. Problem is it costs almost as much as a new 734. The 735 is too big for my current shop situation. I've decided to use my 733 as is until I build a bigger shop. Then I will just buy a stationary largerplaner. So my advice would be that.

 

I have the DW735 that I put a helical head on very happy with it.

What horizontal mike says goes. Would definitely like more capacity.

 

I have a Ridgid. It appears that the 735 is a better planer. However, if the Ridgid is performing well for you, I don't think you'll see a big jump in the 735. If it was nearing the end of its life or not performing, that would be another question.

 

if the ridgid is running fine, i'd just switch out the knifes. wait til you need the additional capacity or your benchtop starts giving you problems. i recently bought an old 15" and love it but i do miss being able to use it outside

 

Thanks for all the advice. I will keep the ridgid for now. Is there anything I should do to it maintenance wise? Some of you have had yours longer than me and I am getting ready to use it quite a bit for cabinets.

 

Just adding a voice to the chorus. I had a Delta that was comparable to your Ridgid for years and finally got a Dewalt 735. There is nothing that could have been added to the Delta including a diamond-encrusted, double-super-helical-spiral cutting head" that could have improved its performance as much as making room for the Dewalt on the stand.

I will be the first to admit that the 735 is not a world-class, high-end planer, but it does a great job. Adding a helical head to a 735 would make good sense. Spending good money on a new head for the Ridgid seems like a bad idea.

Run it into the ground and then move up, or make an earlier move as your wallet allows.

 

I am unfamiliar with the ridgid. My dewalt has a chain and a belt. I had a spare belt for 15 years. I finally had to replace it last year. It's good to have on hand. Keep the feed rollers clean. Wax the beds.

 

I use the 735 with Byrd head and I like it quite a lot. It won't hog off 1/8" per pass like a stationary planer can, but the quality of cut is amazing.

I was tired of tearout on the quartersawn white oak I use. The shelix fixed that issue completely. Plus, the cutters last and last. I have planed thousands of b.f. and only rotated the cutters once.

The old Dewalt knives would chip or dull every 200 b.f. with oak. I have already saved money with the Shelix, because I'm not spending $55 every few weeks on blades.

 

The DeWalt is hands down a fantastic planer. Since day one it has out performed any of the other planers on the market, and I've been through a bunch. I was very pleased with it's performance from the start. Keep the ridged set up for the boards that you are not sure of, but if you are able, purchase the DeWalt 735, you won't be disappointed and

will be getting just what you are looking for. Have fun, make some dust.

 

I have a 735 DeWalt and I like the way it works…I previously had a 15" Grizzly that was 220v and it worked great too. I got out of it and sold the Griz many years ago, wish now i hadn't…it left some milling lines in the wood but not bad. The 735 planes very smooth, almost no milling lines and very little sanding required.
I really didn't think the 120v 735 would be effective, but I am very much impressed. My question is this, what exactly is the spiral head supposed to do for you?

I saw one on a big jet jointer at the wood working store, which was the first time I came to know such an animal exists…..looks like a real ripper….what's it for exactly

???? maybe another way of asking it is; I have a 735, at what point do I decide I need to go with a spiral cutter head? Thanks in advance for any info!!

 

Thanks for all the advice. I will keep the ridgid for now. Is there anything I should do to it maintenance wise? Some of you have had yours longer than me and I am getting ready to use it quite a bit for cabinets.
- orion7144

You might keep an eye out on your switch. Mine went bad, but I found an excellent replacement at Grizzly:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Paddle-Switch-110V/D2751?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com

Cost is all of $4.95 +sh