Titan planer/Thicknesser from Screwfix (TTB579PLN)

[Bodgers]

I picked this up a few months back from Screwfix, and I thought I would give my thoughts on this unit.

My reason for buying it is that I wanted a planer/thicknesser for my single garage workshop and I couldn't justify the big step up in price for even the cheapest induction motor model (the Metabo/Record Power one I believe, that weighs in at about £500-600).

The reviews of this Titan model were among the best of these cheap Chiwanese friction motor models, and happily it is also the cheapest (£150 from Screwfix) and the most powerful. So given the choice between no thickness planer at all, and the Titan, I took a gamble on the Titan.

What I Like

- It is basically functional out of the box - it does what it says on the tin.

- Once you get used to it, switching between planer/thicknesser modes is fairly quick. I don't bother with the underside dust extraction bolt when in planer mode as it is firmly attached in this mode anyway.

-The planer bed is perfectly flat as far as I can tell - not bad for a cast alloy top at this price.

- The noise isn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. The noise from the hardwood been milled by the blades ends up being louder than the motor anyway. I am sure if you had a fancy unit with the helical blades it would the best case scenario.

- as far as I can tell there doesn't seem to be any problem with one side of the planer bed being higher than the other after adjusting the planing thickness on this model (apparently you had to give the bed a knock to make sure it drops into place).

The bad

- There is some snipe out of the box on both planer and thicknesser. I am not sure if it is possible to dial this out, and if there is any adjustment to do this.

- the planer fence isn't the best. It's pressed steel and has two ridges pressed into it, presumably to make sure it stays ridigid. The problem with this is that it just all seems a big 'vague' as to whether things are square and straight, there is some small deflection if you press on it too hard as well. My square and ruler seem to indicate basic squareness, but there are kind of gaps between the pressed ridges. Personally, I think they would have been better just supplying this with a thick bit of Formica and just having two locked positions -45/90 degrees. Probably would have been cheaper too.

- the manual states that after about 2 hours of operation you need to take the side panel off and lubricate the chains etc. after about 15 minutes of operation my unit started squealing pretty loudly. I thought it was sick. I took the front panel off and put some silicone grease on various points (not sure if this the right thing to do). It was then quiet for about another hour of operation, but then the squeaking/squealing returned. The chains and wheels look fairly sturdy, but this doesn't do much for my confidence in it lasting very long.

- dust extraction could be better. There is a german guy on YouTube that has modified the dust extraction on this one, so I may try it. He has also done a fence upgrade that looks fairly straightforward.

Summary - for the money, it is definitely worth it. If your choice is this or no planer, then go for it. Not sure if that counts as an endorsement




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[rafezetter]

Nice summary and definitely will help someone.

Planer snipe can be combatted numerous ways without messing around with the machine's workings too much - a quick google of "stopping planer snipe" will bring up ways for most types of planers, so don't let that minor fact put you off.

 

[Claymore]

........

 

[Shaven]

I got given the clas ohlsen model as a gift. Obviously as it is the same as the others it performs equally as well for the 165 quid it cost. The only benefit over the Titan is the fence is a little sturdier as it isn't just a single sheet of ally. Straight out the box it planed and thicknessed some Iroko and Oak to perfectly square. Curious as to how long it will hold up; but then I suppose with a 2 year warranty who cares. (hammer)

 

[Philbo]

Thanks for this, very helpful.

Funnily enough I picked one of these up today!

 

[Bodgers]

I got given the clas ohlsen model as a gift. Obviously as it is the same as the others it performs equally as well for the 165 quid it cost. The only benefit over the Titan is the fence is a little sturdier as it isn't just a single sheet of ally. Straight out the box it planed and thicknessed some Iroko and Oak to perfectly square. Curious as to how long it will hold up; but then I suppose with a 2 year warranty who cares. (hammer)

Why don't they all have the fence like this?

Much better.

Now this is interesting...on the Class Olsen site you can get the fence as a spare part:

www.clasohlson.com/uk/Fence/50-8276

...if they had stock I would order right now because the bracket looks the same as the Titan.

 

[JakeS]

Why don't they all have the fence like this?

Because the factory in some low-wage part of the world where they're made will vary the spec up or down to meet a target price. Not every item that has the same plastic shell will necessarily be made to the same specification.

Unfortunately this means that it sometimes is worth paying more for what is ostensibly the same product with a different brand name on, because it could be that brand X skimped on the motor or the quality of the safety cut-out or something in order to sell at a cheaper price, while brand Y didn't. Equally unfortunately it's not always readily apparent from the outside whether that's the case or not!

 

[Bodgers]

Ok, so I emailed Clas Olsen and they are ordering the fence for me. I have to pick it up from the store and it will take two weeks, but it will be interesting to see if is any good for the Titan.
At £32 out is a lot more than what I was going to cobble together my self, but hopefully it will be worth it.

 

[Itsokold]

Hi, just ordered one of these today and would be interested in finding the youtube video of how to upgrade the fence as it seems from all the reviews I have read this is the weakspot. Also be interested in whether the replacement fence from Clas Olsen fitted OK.

Any comments/tips gratefully received

 

[pcb1962]

Hi, just ordered one of these today and would be interested in finding the youtube video of how to upgrade the fence

Marius Hornberger has done a fence upgrade on one of these type machines, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTjFkFWQ51g

Any fans of Matthias Wandel who haven't discovered Marius you'll enjoy his channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn7lav ... NyA/videos

 

[Bodgers]

The improved dust shroud is also here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAl3-L1 ... y_VYNJLsgk

 

[Claymore]

.......

 

[Bodgers]

I find the vast majority of the larger chips are removed if you have a full 100mm hose connected to a decent extractor/vac direct at the other end. But yes, there is still a fair amount that drops down on the inside platform and on the floor.

You could try the shroud mod above...


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[Boozer]

Hi Bodgers, may I ask how did you get on with the Clas Olsen fence? Does it fit Titan or did you had to modify? I know its old post but hope still valid

 

[MikeJhn]

Clas Olsen no longer stock the fence or the planer thicknesser.

 

[ScaredyCat]

Get a long square beam and use that as your fence. Anything will be better than the flimsy Titan one..



.

 

[Bodgers]

Hi Bodgers, may I ask how did you get on with the Clas Olsen fence? Does it fit Titan or did you had to modify? I know its old post but hope still valid

They never got back to me, despite raising the order. I sold it in the end as it just doesn't really work as a planer. It just doesn't have the mass to deal with the vibrations. As a thicknesser it is passable but is quite narrow.

I bought a lunch box style Metabo in the end. It is a lot better.

 

[Shaven]

Out of interest I also got rid of mine as it just wasn’t sturdy enough to last. Found a near perfect condition Dewalt DW1150 second hand for..... £20! Thing is built to survive an atomic blast so has coped a lot better.