Carbatec or Dewalt

[Stompa]

G'day men, I've have just bought a Carbatec 13" Spiral Head Thicknesser and haven't opened yet cause I'm thinking to take it back and get the Dewalt 735. The Carbatec has spiral cutters and the Dewalt has straight blades. Would anyone have any idea between the two please. I realise it might be hard comparing the two but I could get a spiral cutters after the end warranty periods. I just want to know which is the better machine. Marty

[EagerBeaver71]

G'day men, I've have just bought a Carbatec 13" Spiral Head Thicknesser and haven't opened yet cause I'm thinking to take it back and get the Dewalt 735. The Carbatec has spiral cutters and the Dewalt has straight blades. Would anyone have any idea between the two please. I realise it might be hard comparing the two but I could get a spiral cutters after the end warranty periods. I just want to know which is the better machine. Marty

If its a true spiral head cutter, then its much better than straight blade cutter. Which Carbatec Thicknesser is it?.

[crowie]

I have a 13-14yr old Dewalt DW735 with the Byrd Shelix Cutterhead and can't fault it.....

[EagerBeaver71]

And a Helical Spiral cutterhead is better than a Spiral cutterhead.

[Treecycle]

The Carbatec seems an expensive option. You only get 2 cutting edges on HSS inserts. They offer an upgraded package which gives you carbide inserts but that adds another $420 to the price meaning the price of each insert is $14 and still only get 2 cutting edges. The Timbecon unit has true spiral helical head and carbide inserts with 4 cutting edges as standard for less than what you would have paid. I don't know how the quality of the 2 machines compare.
What Crowie has is the ideal setup once you get over the initial price shock.

[Hodgo]

one thing the dewalt has over most of the others is the built in blower that removes the need for dust extraction,

I have the dewalt 735 and love it, I am still using standard blades which give a very good finish comparable to some spiral/helical heads

I may upgrade the cutting head in the future but for now I still have 2 new set of blades to go

[EagerBeaver71]

The Timbecon unit has true spiral helical head and carbide inserts with 4 cutting edges as standard for less than what you would have paid. I don't know how the quality of the 2 machines compare.
What Crowie has is the ideal setup once you get over the initial price shock.

I have the Timbecon one with the true Helical head and can confirm its and excellent thicknesser, no tearout even on very figurative wood. If I was the OP, I'd return the Carbatec one and get the Timbecon version.