I'm a bit of a gadget/mod nut, so I was attracted to the idea of a DRO on my new DW735 planer. Also, like many I know, I don't use the planer every day, so I have it on the bottom of a rolling cart with another tool on top (in general, I see a lot of people with this planer set up considerably below eye level).
With the planer low to the ground, it is sometimes difficult to get the first setup correct as the built in depth gauge isn't very accurate and is difficult to read unless you view it head-on.
This changes everything. The display faces up and I can very easily get a very accurate setup without having to crouch way down to the ground. Frankly, I'd be happy if this got me in the ballpark but the thing seems really pretty accurate. Checking against a caliper I'm within .005" (usually even better) to the DRO reading on typical thickness boards (i.e. 3/4", 1", etc). I haven't planed any super thick stock but see no reason why this wouldn't be accurate across the entire range of the planer.
Only a couple of downsides. The manual sucks. Keep it handy for reference, but when you are ready to install, search YouTube for this DRO and watch a couple of the several videos there on setup. None are great cinema, but there is some really useful info there. Once you see it, it all makes sense.
The only other criticism I'd have is the way the controls work. Honestly, once you set it up you really don't have to touch anything unless you want to change units but a couple of times I've hit the wrong button as they aren't clearly marked as to whether the text refers to the button above or below the text at first glance (I just realized looking at the picture on the Amazon listing that my text is printed differently than in the picture - mine has the text below the button, no "hold to cal" lettering and no "brackets" indicating which button the text belongs to). A couple of times I've held the On/Off button to turn it off (just muscle memory from other devices) and it goes into calibrate mode (I'm glad they seem to have added "hold to cal").
Regardless the DRO works great and is a great timesaver and just makes it easier to get the result you are after. If they have updated the display buttons like in the listing picture since I bought mine (December, 2021) even better.
| Brand | Wixey |
|---|---|
| Material | Plastic |
| Product Dimensions | 14.95"L x 4.3"W x 2.5"H |
| Item Weight | 0.95 Pounds |
| Style | Simple |
| Power Source | Battery Powered |
| Included Components | 1 unit |
| Manufacturer | Wixey |
| Part Number | WR510 |
| Item Weight | 15.2 ounces |
| Item model number | WR510 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Voltage | 3 Volts |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Measurement Accuracy | 0.005" |
| Batteries Included? | Yes |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
| Warranty Description | 1 Year Full Replacment |
