Dewalt and Makita are the giants in the power tools industry, known for manufacturing some of the best hand tools on the market. Both Dewalt DW735 Vs Makita 2012NB are the two machines highly appreciated by novice woodworkers due to the high-quality features and brand reputation.
Today, we’re going to pit each planer against one each other in terms of strengths and weaknesses to see which one is the better thickness planer.
Differences between Dewalt DW735 and Makita 2012NB
Before digging into the details, here’s a quick look toward the two products.
Price
You can purchase Makita 2012NB at approximately $700, while the Dewalt DW735 is somewhat more budget-friendly at $600. Does Makita 2012NB come with any better features to make up for the $100 price gap? Let’s find out in the next part – utilities.
Utilities
Dewalt DW735 is equipped with a 15 Amp motor that delivers outstanding 30,000 cuts per minute. You might already know this, but the more cuts one machine makes per minute, the smoother and cleaner the finish will be. Remember to follow the manufacturer’s instruction on the feed rate of 14 feet per minute; exceeding this limit will cause wear and tear after just a short time of use.
Makita 2012NB also features a 15 Amp motor, but it only delivers 17,000 cuts per minute. In return, the machine works twice as fast, with a feed rate of 28 feet per minute. So, the Makita is less time-consuming when it comes to cutting long pieces of smooth wood. Likewise, Dewalt DW735 makes cutting effortless when it offers almost twice as many cuts.
In the end, it only comes down to performance quality. The thing about Dewalt DW735 is it cuts well on softwood, but encounters problems with hardwood. You can spot scalloped cuts and deep scratches despite having repeated passes.
As for Makita 2012NB, thanks to the slower cutting speed and a quicker feeding rate, the final result is surprisingly smooth, whether softwood or hardwood.
Both machines do leave quite significant snipe marks; for that reason, you should place a piece of wood that you’re willing to sacrifice in the front and back of the board when leveling to mimic the problem.
Quick Rundown of Dewalt DW735
- Powerful 15-AMP, 20,000 RPM motor (10,000 RPM cutterhead speed) handles larger cuts in wider materials with ease
- Three knife cutter-head delivers 30-percent longer knife life and makes knife change faster and easier
- Two speed gear box allows users to change feed speed to optimizing cuts per inch at 96 or 179 CPI
- Fan-assisted chip ejection vacuums chips off of the cutter-head and exhausts them out of the machine
Pros:
- Alternative two-speed gearbox for variable customized cuttings
- Limited 3-year warranty for residential use and 90-day money-back policy
- Reversible 3 knife-designed cutter head
- Powerful 15 Amp motor that provides a maximum speed of 20,000 rpm
- Blade changing can be done at ease
- Fan-assisted chip ejection enhances optimal dust collecting ability
Cons:
- Struggles at soothing and leveling hardwood
- Severe snipe length found on the inwards edge is too much to ignore
Quick Rundown of Makita 2012NB
- Compact with less weight for easy transporting to the jobsite
- Engineered for faster, easier blade changes
- Low noise (83dB) for operator comfort
- 4-post design and diagonal cross supports for stability
- Large table extensions to support the workpiece
Pros:
- One of the quietest planers of its class
- The cutting depth is hassle-free to adjust, giving more precise planning
- Provides smooth leveling without damaging the lumber
- Can hardly find any snipe on the wood surface thanks to the shorter distance between the rollers and the knifes
- Comes with a large table extension
Cons:
- Short time warranty
- The table extension cannot be folded
Conclusion
It relies on whether you’ll be using the machine in one place or bringing it to multiple work sites.
Sniped and scalloped marks are something we cannot forgive; for that reason, Makita 2012NB is the winner after comparing Dewalt DW735 Vs Makita 2012NB. The machine outweighs its competitor regarding overall cutting performance.
