Easy Chip and Dust Collection for DeWalt 735 (DW735) Planer
Updated: 1 day ago

How much fine sawdust is your dust collection setup allowing you to breathe in? A HEPA grade filter prevents dust particles down to .3 microns from entering the air around you. But the DW735 isn't meant to hook up to a dust collection system, so how do you add a filter?
Like figuring out how to price your woodworking projects, keeping the air clean in your woodworking shop is a challenge. Breathing clean air an absolute necessity for your health. If you are a DIY hobbyist, chances are you don't have an expensive, dedicated dust collection system. Most of us get started with by connecting a shop vacuum to the tool with a hose. While this is enough to get by starting out, a few issues pop up rather quickly:
Clogged filters - chokes your vacuum, reduces suction power and strains the motor
Vacuum fills up fast - constantly needing to empty dust and chips from the vacuum
Harmful particulate - microscopic particles emitted into your shop and into your lungs
An easy, DIY dust collection for your DW735 planer can alleviate these problems. We'll talk about an easy setup can be completely assembled in less than 20 minutes.
This set up is specific to the DeWalt 735 thickness planer due to its built-in chip ejection, but with a small modification, it can work for other wood cutting tools in your shop.
Affiliate links to the products used are included throughout to assist you in building your own DIY dust collection setup. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Making purchases through these links doesn't cost you anything additional!

The DeWalt 735 Planer
DeWalt 735 Planer (Amazon)
This planer is one of the most common small-shop thickness planers. One of its main benefits is the internal chip blower. This evacuates wood chips without the need of a vacuum or expensive dust collector. All you need is a simple collection system that is easy to set up, takes up minimal space and keeps your shop air safe to breath.
Dull blades? Get your replacements here. (Amazon)
Upgraded helical blades (Amazon) produce a smoother finish and drastically reduce the noise.
Don't let the noise from DW735 run you out of your shop or upset your neighbors. Find out how to dampen and absorb shop noise.
What is the difference between DeWalt 735 and 734?
The DW735 (and DW735x) are the current benchtop models offered by DeWalt. The DW734 is the previous model offered. The main difference is the built-in chip extraction present on the DW735 but missing from the DW734. Learn more.
A quality dust collection system requires 4 components: dust separation, collection, filtration and the hose to bring it all together.
For quick access to the chip collection supplies you will need:
Collection bin (jump to section)
Cyclone separator (jump to section)
Filter (jump to section)
Hose (jump to section)
For little more than 100 bucks, you can get everything you need.
Chip Collection for DeWalt Planer
Many use trashcans, but have difficulty with keeping the lid from getting blown off under the pressure. You want to maintain an airtight seal to keep harmful dust particles contained while, at the same time, allowing the system to breath. Consider how often you create dust and your shop space to determine how big of a container to use.
There are two good small size options and a more expensive extra large option:
14 gallon plastic drum (Amazon)
30-gallon plastic drum (Amazon) recommended
Extra Large 55-gallon drum (Amazon)
I use the 14-gallon drum, but I regret not upgraded to the 30-gallon. The 14 gallon fills up pretty quick. If I'm consistently planing wood, I', emptying it every 20 minutes. The prices keep fluctuating on these, but the 30-gallon is hovering at about $20 more than the 14-gallon. The 50-gallon is quite expensive, making the 30-gallon the happy medium.
Cyclone Dust Collector Separator
Cyclone separators are an absolute necessity in your dust collection setup.
The cyclone inlet sends woodchips in a spiral path downward along the inside walls of the cyclone into a collection bin below. The outlet port protrudes down into the cyclone allowing air to vent up through the center of the cyclone and out the top.
This will prevent your air filter from getting clogged. Since the wood chippings fall into the bin, the air that vents out is mostly clean. The debris smaller than what you can see escape to the filter.
I've been using this setup for well over a year and have yet needed to replace