Titan Planer Thicknesser Owners!

[transatlantic]

I know one of the main issues with this machine is that the tables aren't parallel and from what I have read, there is no way to adjust them. However, I've been in contact with Charnwood in regard to their W588 (pretty much identical to the Titan) and I asked how the tables can be aligned. The replay was :

the outfeed table on our W588 can be adjusted to align with the infeed table. In turn, the blades can be adjusted to be level with the outfeed table.
To adjust the outfeed there are two hex head bolts that need to be loosened – one is covered by the side cover which has to be removed for access – a simple job.

Can someone with a Titan confirm if this is also the case?

From the pictures, they look as if they have the same bolts. I'm not sure how well this adjustment will actually work, my suspicion is that that the alignment will be wrong again as soon as you change the height of the infeed table as they look as though there is a lot of play, but my thinking is that I'll just set the infeed permantly to a fixed small depth of cut and just take multiple passes.

 

[Nelsun]

You may well be correct. I had one a while back (sold it on) and remember watching old youtube review where the guy talks about the infeed table adjustment and how precise it *isn't*. His suggestion was to give it a whack but be prepared for it to go wonky again: https://youtu.be/E7UKx8ccpC0?t=255

 

[transatlantic]

You may well be correct. I had one a while back (sold it on) and remember watching old youtube review where the guy talks about the infeed table adjustment and how precise it *isn't*. His suggestion was to give it a whack but be prepared for it to go wonky again: https://youtu.be/E7UKx8ccpC0?t=255

Yes, I have seen his video too. This was my worry, is that you'll be able to get it parallel by adjusting it, but only if you keep the infeed height at a constant. I think I'll be happy if I can get that to happen. I'd much rather do more fine passes than mess with the height. We'll see.

 

[monkeybiter]

At Christmas I received a Titan from Screwfix, the tables were out of parallel and dipped down to the cutter head.
I took the front cover off [there is no back cover] and had a look at the way the tables are mounted, looking for adjustment or feasibility of adding some.
The outfeed is held in place by two 'pins' on either side approx. 8mm dia. if memory serves, they appear [without a full dismantle] to be steel fixed into the cast aluminium table. These pins then locate in four holes in the steel plate side panels. It's theoretically sound but practically weak. Adjustment would be possible but AFAIK would involve re-forming or replacing one pair of pins.
The infeed uses rectangular blocks instead of pins, and these slide in rectangular holes formed in the steel side plates, giving a very narrow sliding surface which will wear quickly. Again, there is no apparent adjustment.
I rejected the P/T, and the two that followed it, in the end I was given the slightly dearer Erbauer version at the same price. This is currently OK but I'm considering making a separate adjustable support for the outfeed and removing one pair of pins.
I could have had a refund, but I can't afford/justify £600-£700 for a toy and the bargains others seem to find don't come up on schedule or they're always in Cornwall or the Outer Hebrides.
P.S. The staff at Screwfix were excellent and I have only praise for them.

 

[transatlantic]

At Christmas I received a Titan from Screwfix, the tables were out of parallel and dipped down to the cutter head.
I took the front cover off [there is no back cover] and had a look at the way the tables are mounted, looking for adjustment or feasibility of adding some.
The outfeed is held in place by two 'pins' on either side approx. 8mm dia. if memory serves, they appear [without a full dismantle] to be steel fixed into the cast aluminium table. These pins then locate in four holes in the steel plate side panels. It's theoretically sound but practically weak. Adjustment would be possible but AFAIK would involve re-forming or replacing one pair of pins.
The infeed uses rectangular blocks instead of pins, and these slide in rectangular holes formed in the steel side plates, giving a very narrow sliding surface which will wear quickly. Again, there is no apparent adjustment.
I rejected the P/T, and the two that followed it, in the end I was given the slightly dearer Erbauer version at the same price. This is currently OK but I'm considering making a separate adjustable support for the outfeed and removing one pair of pins.
I could have had a refund, but I can't afford/justify £600-£700 for a toy and the bargains others seem to find don't come up on schedule or they're always in Cornwall or the Outer Hebrides.
P.S. The staff at Screwfix were excellent and I have only praise for them.

Did the Erbauer version ahve more adjustment then?

 

[monkeybiter]

From a quick look under the covers they are the same, just different plastic on the outside. Neither appear to have any adjustment of the tables other than the necessary height on the infeed. Titan and Erbauer are both Screwfix's own brands.
I imagine some quality control filtering at the factory, the actual build quality of each machine determining which badge gets put on and for you and me the price we pay.
That's probably just fanciful thinking, maybe there are lots of different factories making the metalwork to the same plans, but there are currently a lot of machines across a broad range of prices that look suspiciously identical if you ignore the plastic/fence/motor size. I seem to recall seeing one brand claiming a slightly different capacity [width] but IIRC a little more reading showed that to be a 'typo'.

 

[Nelsun]

I think it was on here but someone somewhere mentioned a seemingly much better looking fence that fitted to Titan PT. Dug out the link http://m.clasohlson.com/uk/Fence/50-8276

 

[Bodgers]

I know one of the main issues with this machine is that the tables aren't parallel and from what I have read, there is no way to adjust them. However, I've been in contact with Charnwood in regard to their W588 (pretty much identical to the Titan) and I asked how the tables can be aligned. The replay was :

the outfeed table on our W588 can be adjusted to align with the infeed table. In turn, the blades can be adjusted to be level with the outfeed table.
To adjust the outfeed there are two hex head bolts that need to be loosened – one is covered by the side cover which has to be removed for access – a simple job.

Can someone with a Titan confirm if this is also the case?

From the pictures, they look as if they have the same bolts. I'm not sure how well this adjustment will actually work, my suspicion is that that the alignment will be wrong again as soon as you change the height of the infeed table as they look as though there is a lot of play, but my thinking is that I'll just set the infeed permantly to a fixed small depth of cut and just take multiple passes.

I have the Titan and I haven't found that adjustment. Looking at the Charnwood manual it doesn't mention any kind of adjustment...

I think your expectations are too high of these machines if you are expecting to fine tweak and adjusted the tables. They are just very rough and noisy things.

I hate mine, and if I had the time over I'd have saved up for a Metabo (or similar clone) for £500. I am even considering flogging it and just buying a lunch box planer and jointing with jigs.

 

[No skills]

Mine went back to screwfix in the end, please folks stop wasting your time and money with these machines - most of them are not fit for purpose out of the box and no end of messing around will give you a satisfactory machine.

One small satisfaction was once I knew it was going back I ran as much old reclaimed junk timber through the thicknesser as possible to clean it up :twisted:

 

[Claymore]

I have the Erbaur version and it wasn't bad but never got it set up right, i ended up getting a Axminster AH106PT and although its classed as a Hobby machine its superb but like a total numpty I forgot to scan (with my handheld metal detector) a piece of Teak and you guessed it..... bang! nice chunk out of the sodding blades hopefully i will be able to set the new blades up correctly. Ok they are a bit more expensive but i have seen a few on Ebay at around £250/£300 which is a real bargain if your lucky enough to spot it.
I am trying to replace my most used Hobby machines with trade quality ones from Axi so the next on will be the bandsaw.
Cheers
Brian
Ps I can recommend the handheld metal scanners to anyone with a planer/thicknesser got mine on Amazon for around £25 but don't do like myself and make sure you use it before planing lol

 

[Bodgers]

Mine went back to screwfix in the end, please folks stop wasting your time and money with these machines - most of them are not fit for purpose out of the box and no end of messing around will give you a satisfactory machine.

One small satisfaction was once I knew it was going back I ran as much old reclaimed junk timber through the thicknesser as possible to clean it up :twisted:

Mine was okish out the box. At one point I would say it was better than no planer/thicknesser at all. But now I am not so sure. If you can't afford anything better I would say go for a lunch box planer in conjunction with a large bench/Jointer plane and maybe consider making a few jigs for the table saw etc to achieve a jointed edge.

 

[manxnorton]

Hi all,
After months and months of humming and harring wether to by the Titan combo nearly hit the buy button on screwfix, and my buttocks fell out!!
Scrapped that idea.
With my tiny battered brain I’m looking at a thicknesser (not sure which one need help with this one?)
And as it’s been said I could get a jig for the edge situation for my sawbench (Evolution Rage 5, for now!)
At least with a thicknesser for the surface, and the sawbench it’s better than i’ve Been doing so far!
Got about £800 for both, but I fancy a trim palm router aswell (one hand operations is good for me :x )
Bri

 

[Bodgers]

Hi all,
After months and months of humming and harring wether to by the Titan combo nearly hit the buy button on screwfix, and my buttocks fell out!!
Scrapped that idea.
With my tiny battered brain I’m looking at a thicknesser (not sure which one need help with this one?)
And as it’s been said I could get a jig for the edge situation for my sawbench (Evolution Rage 5, for now!)
At least with a thicknesser for the surface, and the sawbench it’s better than i’ve Been doing so far!
Got about £800 for both, but I fancy a trim palm router aswell (one hand operations is good for me :x )
Bri

If you ask which thicknesser pretty much everyone is going to suggest the one they bought.

I bought the Metabo as it is a cheaper than the Makita and it has a nice head lock mechanism and I like Metabo.

If you want to go cheaper than the Metabo or Makita buy the Triton (the bright orange one) as it is the one only that comes out good in reviews under £300.

There is also the yellow and black DeWalt that is around the price of the Makita.

They are all fairly similar and fairly loud in different colours.




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[RogerM]

Don't ignore secondhand. I picked up a "good as new" Scheppach HMS2600 CI for £400, and is as good as it gets without upgrading to a 3 knife tersa block or helical cutter.

 

[SammyQ]

Seconded wot RogerN sed. My 260 -
same machine, different badges- was a shade under 300 knicker couriered to Belfast. It has served me well, but DO factor in getting a set of the better ( not spiral/helix), heavier, holders and blades. That purchase was four years ago, and even with Tory/cack-handed/snobbish fiscal policy since, you should be able to Gumtree/ebay a decent one for half your budget and leave room for other 'toys'.

Sam

 

[manxnorton]

Bit the bullet :lol:
Got a Titan combo.
Might as well throw the instructions away, dog toffee.
TBH a lot of views on it, better what I had.
Ok cost, we'll see how it goes.
Bri

 

[sundaytrucker]

A friend has offered me his Erbauer model for free and I planned to use it alongside a Makita 2012nb thicknesser I bought couple of weeks back.

The Makita was bought as stop gap until I can decide on a p/t combo and I have glued and screwed some 3/4 MRMDF to make a sled, I am yet to use it yet but hopefully the sled will work out ok and I won't have to bother with the Erbauer.

 

[DannyEssex]

Bit the bullet :lol:
Got a Titan combo.
Might as well throw the instructions away, dog toffee.
TBH a lot of views on it, better what I had.
Ok cost, we'll see how it goes.
Bri

I’m close to biting the bullet too, I don’t do any ‘fine’ woodworking, and will mainly be using it to thickness reclaimed timber for scroll saw work and small projects. Surly this will be better than having nothing?

How have you found it so far?

 

[Bodgers]

Bit the bullet :lol:
Got a Titan combo.
Might as well throw the instructions away, dog toffee.
TBH a lot of views on it, better what I had.
Ok cost, we'll see how it goes.
Bri

I’m close to biting the bullet too, I don’t do any ‘fine’ woodworking, and will mainly be using it to thickness reclaimed timber for scroll saw work and small projects. Surly this will be better than having nothing?

How have you found it so far?

As a previous owner, I'd say give it a miss. Especially if you planning running hardwood on the planer side.

Save a bit more money and buy a decent lunch box planer and make a sled to flatten stock.

Or save more and buy a combo machine with an induction motor and larger tables with more mass.



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[mr rusty]

I bough the titan planer thicknesser for a single job new for £150. The planer is terrible - tables not robust or parallel. However, with a long plywood deck added, the safety micro tie-wrapped and a home made ply safety guard, I put about £1200 quids worth of accoya through the thicknesser which had been ripped and sectioned ready to make a house full of sash window profiles. At the end the blade is just starting to loose its edge, but the machine itself is aok. Kept the bearings well oiled throughout.

It is what it is - cheap. However, as a cheap thicknesser it worked for me.