Titan planer leaving a bow

[Libigage]

Hi, I've just bought a cheap titan planer/thicknesser to mess about cleaning up pallet wood and knocking a few things together. When planning I tend to keep getting a slight bow in the middle of the wood. Any ideal what I'm doing wrong please.

 

[user22161]

Is it one of these? https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb579 ... 30v/15774#

These generic ones are well known for rubbish alignment of table surfaces. Check across the two with a straight edge and see if they are on the same plane. If they are out of true then sling it back at them and buy something better - not the Erbaur, they're as bad.

 

[transatlantic]

This is most likely caused by the tables not being parallel, which is very common with that kind of cheaper machine. Imagine either the infeed or the outfeed being on a slight tilt relative to the other and you can imagine that as you pass the wood through, it's going to remove more material (or less) at different stages.

As for correcting it, some say that it will sort itself out as you lower the adjustment (i.e overshoot the height and then come back down). Others have had to manually shim it. If it's really bad, you're best returning it.

 

[powertools]

Why is it that when someone has a problem with a machine at the lower end of the price scale it is always assumed that the problem lies with the machine and no advice is given about technique?

 

[user22161]

So your advice about what bad technique may be causing the OP's problem with this particular machine is what?

 

[powertools]

The op is trying to true up pallet wood and is having problems. I also use a lot of pallet wood and it is in general the lowest quality timber known to man.
Before blaming the problem on the machine I would suggest that the best way forward for the op is to invest £3 on a length of dry cls from the likes of wickes and create a flat side and a square edge on the planer and then run it through the thicknesser and test the result.
Personally l don't think you have offered any worthwhile advice to the op.

 

[Jacob]

The only way (other than buying a machine which isn't garbage) is to true up with a hand plane on one face and edge. In theory it could pass through thicknesser then without problem, but I doubt it.
It helps to have the stuff cut to intended length before planing, then the error is less and is easier to correct.

 

[sunnybob]

Not enough information to give useful advice.
Does the "bow" go from side to side? or is it along the plank?

Does it happen on both sides of the plank? or only on the first side planed.

The Op does not appear to be talking about snipe (a ridge at the start and end of each pass through the machine, so there should be a way of improving the results once more info is offered, regardless of the cost of the machine.

 

[user22161]

.....Before blaming the problem on the machine I would suggest that the best way forward for the op is to invest £3 on a length of dry cls from the likes of wickes and create a flat side and a square edge on the planer..........

The problem is he can't create a flat side on the planer so surely, the first step is to make sure the machine tables are true? I had exactly the same problem with the Erbauer version. The thicknesser worked well but the planer feed table was several degrees out of true (lower at the outer edge) with no way of adjusting it.

 

[powertools]

And how do we know he has tried or even knows he should?

 

[transatlantic]

Nice to see my reply was completely ignored then ...

 

[Libigage]

Thanks for the replies guys, sorry for the delay in getting back (transatlantic) but I've been at work

 

[transatlantic]

Thanks for the replies guys, sorry for the delay in getting back (transatlantic) but I've been at work

I meant in regard to mr powertools

"Personally l don't think you have offered any worthwhile advice to the op"

 

[OscarG]

.....Before blaming the problem on the machine I would suggest that the best way forward for the op is to invest £3 on a length of dry cls from the likes of wickes and create a flat side and a square edge on the planer..........

The problem is he can't create a flat side on the planer so surely, the first step is to make sure the machine tables are true? I had exactly the same problem with the Erbauer version. The thicknesser worked well but the planer feed table was several degrees out of true (lower at the outer edge) with no way of adjusting it.

I have the same Titan machine as OP and have the same exact problem you describe with the planer.

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

No wonder, I have used that machine ( No I didn't buy it, someone else had and i had to do some work on it as that's what I had at a hand)
In Short -It's UTTER GARBAGE ,your best bet is returning it if you still can or at least sell it to some other sucker.
There isn't really much of a technique to learn when using these, however the quality of the tables is everything.. and the tables on these are just a joke!

 

[OscarG]

I gave up trying to use the planer but I have to say I've been very happy with it in thicknesser mode.

 

[Billy Flitch]

I don´t know this maker but the disscription of the end result on the stock says to me that the blades are not set right.
Rational thinking would tell you that when both tables are coplaner the blades should just touch the stock.
But planers are not made like that,to test it with the machine switched OFF and both tables in co planer place the stock on the tables and turn the blades till it touches the stock. The blades should move the stock 1/4", or 1/2"backwords its different with each machine.
the maker should tell you what is correct, infact some of them give you a little dodad with the machine to show you what is the correct distance.
The way you describe it tells me the blades are not set correct.Good luck in seting them believe me when you get it right it will do every thing it is supposed to do.

 

[Dangermouse 2nd]

Well my pennies worth is if you expect to get a good machine thats made out of plastic, zinc and thin ali extrusions, your going to be disapointed. Better to put your money into a PT thats 50 years old and made of cast iron anyday !!

 

[Bodgers]

Well my pennies worth is if you expect to get a good machine thats made out of plastic, zinc and thin ali extrusions, your going to be disapointed. Better to put your money into a PT thats 50 years old and made of cast iron anyday !!

The top is actually cast alloy, and I found the one on mine to be pretty flat -but point taken, it is a pretty bad unit.

I sold mine for a lunch box style Metabo and a jointer plane and I'm much happier.