The Cheap Planner / Thicknesser thread

[Petey83]

I am sure many of you have found yourself in the same situation as myself.... You want to be able to process cheaper (than PAR) rough sawn timber and do not necessary want to have to do it all with bench planes or maybe like myself you do not have the space for a sturdy enough work bench in order to do large boards by hand. And as many hobbyist will already know investing in large stationary machines is often not possible due to cost or space.

I am hoping we can get this thread made into a sticky and use it to build a knowledge base of all the cheap (sub £300-£400) generic re-bagged Chinese planner / thicknessers - to detail each brands various differences, strengths and weaknesses as well as common things to check, common faults, tips for setting up and any DIY improvements.

For my part i will get the ball rolling with my recent purchase - the Titan TTB579PLN 204mm.

First up as you can imagine for £149 it has all the refinement and finish of a Soviet era Lada. The planers tables look pretty roughly finished but i cant imagine this will be a problem in use. The actual assembly is pretty straight forward and the fact screwfix have made the effort to write there own instruction manual really helps.

Checking the machine over with a torpedo level and a straight edge showed the tables are parallel although the sides are defiantly not but as they play no part in using the machine its of little consequence.

I was already aware from reviews i had read that the fence was rubbish and indeed it is. There are various ways that you could look to improve the supplied fence of make up a wooden replacement as i have seen on a you tube video. My chosen route was to do a lot of googling for spare parts which eventually thow up that Clahs Olsen do a replacement fence of better quality for their version of this machine. It's £32 and i have just been told it will take 2 weeks to reach me so i will update then.

I have not had a chance to use the machine yet so will update this thread once i have.

 

[8squared]

I've had two of these now.

The first lasted two hours, the belt mechanism jammed which controls the in/out feed rollers... The blade is also connected to the belt via a little wheel and as the blade was still working it burnt a flat spot on the belt.

The second was a replacement for the first and after 6 months I still have it and it's working fine.

I've had no problems with the fence supplied with mine.

The only issues I have are it is very noisy and the fact the large plastic dust extraction needs to be removed and refitted for each operation... I over came this by removing the cover and inserting a small piece of hardwood on the switch so it will work without the dust extraction.


My overall verdict is it's a very good and easy to use machine for anyone on a budget who needs a combination machine.

 

[RogerP]

I had a brushed motored SIP 8x8 for a very short while but is was so extremely noisy I soon changed it for the SIP 6x10 with an induction motor which is much quieter.

My advice is don't get a P/T with a brush motor!

 

[Petey83]

I had a brushed motored SIP 8x8 for a very short while but is was so extremely noisy I soon changed it for the SIP 6x10 with an induction motor which is much quieter.

My advice is don't get a P/T with a brush motor!

Agree the brushed motor is pretty loud but the SIP induction model you mention is circa £1100 which defeats the purpose of looking for a cheap P/T. As a hobbyist i could not justify spending that amount on a machine that is not something i would use all the time - i struggled with the decision to invest in a festool Domino.

If you are a professional doing this for a living then this thread will be of little interest but for most hobbyist except those with the deepest of pockets a cheap brushed motor P/T is potentially the only option.

 

[blackrodd]

Starting out and trying to decide what model planer is always a difficult choice, as you say, bearing in mind it's a hobby
buy, The same with a saw bench buy too!.
I've no doubt that used with consideration you'll get a lot of jobs and fun from the Titan.
I've just watched a review on u tube, I just hope you'res is not used on top of a workbench as it's very unsafe,
Working Around 30" worktop height is much safer and the material is easier to control.
I'm NOT a fan of any "grippy" blocks/paddles either, just don't push into the cutterblock when feeding and NEVER
pass you're hands over the cutters, with the timber between you and the cutters.
I hope you have some fun and don't forget to post some WIP's
Regards Rodders

 

[RogerP]

......Agree the brushed motor is pretty loud but the SIP induction model you mention is circa £1100 which defeats the purpose of looking for a cheap P/T. As a hobbyist i could not justify spending that amount on a machine that is not something i would use all the time - i struggled with the decision to invest in a festool Domino.
.

Not sure which machine you were looking at but I have one of these for which I paid less than 400 quid a few years ago. I see they (like everything else) have gone up a bit since.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SIP-01454-10-X-6-PLANER-THICKNESSER-/171884840456

... but then I don't have a Domino

 

[hammer n nails]

I am in the market for a planer thicknesser have been looking at the record power 260 looks the same as the metabo one anyone got one and what do you think and is it noisy i will only be using it for hobby use

 

[RogerP]

The PTs from various makers with 260 in the model number are all much the same Asian import re-badged. They all (so far as I know) have an induction motor and are reasonably quiet compared with a brush motored machine.

The various makes have some differences. Cast iron or cast aluminium tables. Different fences. Some have boxed in stands, some legs etc.

The Record version is probably one of the best of its type. Plus there's a 5 year guarantee.

 

[8squared]

I just hope yours is not used on top of a workbench as it's very unsafe,

Like this.... Chest height, I've not had any problems with it moving whilst in use... For now.

Not a permanent fixture... Just need to make a trolley and finish the decking so I can wheel it out.

and NEVER pass you're hands over the cutters, with the timber between you and the cutters.

I second that...

Only because I've done it... Once thankfully.