🔗 LINKS: 🔗 Titan Planer Thicknesser: www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb579pln-204mm-electric-planer-thicknesser-230v/15774 Website: www.lionandbearfurniture.com Facebook: facebook.com/LionandBearFurniture/ Instagram: instagram.com/lion_and_bear_furniture/ Email: lionandbearfurniture@gmail.com -

I’ve had mine for around 5 years now, no blowing up! Although the dust port is constantly blocked and it’s loud as hell! But not bad for a budget machine

Don't know if you have figured it yet and I havn't got one of these but I am sure you will find that the plastic handle on the fence is spring loaded. Either push in or pull out to release it from the bolt then you can twist it to re-position to enable you to tighten the fence at the 45 degree angle

I have the same planer and I think you will find that if you pull the yellow handle body that it will actually revolve around the shaft, let go and the spring on the shaft re - engages with the splines thus eliminating the problem you are experiencing with hitting the poor quality fence. There are several videos on you tube showing ways to improve this fence. If you check on line, the same design of planer is evidently sold by different so called "manufacturers" and if you look at the machine they are selling it is plain to see that it has been made in the same factory in China. sprayed a different colour and sold as their own brand, the casings are identical!! but the price is considerably more expensive

Thanks Ben you review really made a difference, I've never owned a thicknesser before and have a couple of projects lined up that mean I will absolutely need one (well, that's what I told the wife!). I was not sure whether I wanted a bench top thicknesser or a combi...I now know it's a combi and your video really helped, plus my local DIY store (in France) has a great offer on this machine, so I think I will be off there to buy one!

Great review Ben. I've had this planer thicknesser for several years now but I still picked up a few tips. Thanks. Just subbed.😀

I have only just upgraded to an axminster after using the titan for nearly 10 years, there's a couple of things you can do to make it better, first I put plywood on the fence to give me something that resembles square, later changed it to 10mm aluminium for £20, next get rid of the bars underneath and make a larger bed for the thicknesser you get less snipe, third thing buy a few spare blades now for 2 reasons, 1 you should always have spares incase you chip one and 2, I had to buy some blades just before I stopped using mine and they were nearly 3 times the price of the fist sets I bought.

I've got one of these and use it regularly without any issues. At the price it's bang on.

I am thinking of getting one when funds allow and this honest video has given me confidence that it will be the right choice. I find Screwfix's after sales service to be very good.

Great demo video of the planer. Yes it's very good for the price, so some very small issues can be expected! But the tightening handle issue on the fence 6:33, is not actually an issue. I don't know if anyone else has said here, but it's a special spring loaded handle that you pull-out and then push-in at a more suitable angle (on the internal screw), so that it can then be turned and tightened, -without fouling the fence. Parkside tools often use the same type of handle, where I first saw the idea. Keep the videos coming.

Thanks for taking the time & share, it is a very very useful video ! 🏆🏆🏆

Yellow (torque) handle should be spring-loaded. When you've turned it as far as it will go, pull it out and you can turn the handle back without loosening it. They are commonly used in industry and really work well! Also, try and wrap the mains cable anti-clockwise as you may find it'll hold the plug end in place.

Great video. Good summary and great points regarding cheap yellow lever. No deal breaker but good to know. Screwfix live coming up too....could it be my next purchase.....

i will put on my christmass list after watching that . been in two minds for a while but as you say thier isnt anything else at that price

nice review, gives a good idea of what to expect from the product! im on my third one of these, replaced twice under warranty, first one the infeed roller rubber coating came off, at first i wasnt sure if it was because i was using rough pallet wood (complete beginner at this stage) but spoke to staff at local screwfix and they told me to take it back for replacement, easy, no hassle return/exchange, second time i took it back was because the infeed table was not in line with the outfeed (after a fair amount of use) and i could not get flat boards from using it, and there is no way of adjusting the table positioning, again easy exchange, the plastic handle for tightening the infeed table after adjustmnet has broke on all 3 of mine very quickly, its just not fit for purpose, so just bin that off straight away and use an allen key! started having infeed table issue with my current one today, took it apart a bit to try and find some kind of adjustment or issue with no luck, though after re-assembly the table was almost straight, it seems if the mounting bolts are not tight it can easilly become not level with outfeed, and after adjusting depth of cut outwards (thicker) turn knob back clockwise and it pulls the table back straight. the fence is too thin, dont think it would ever stay flat, will bend easy with a little force, that being said i check it reguarly and adjust best i can and get acceptable results, though i would like to improve this at some point either attach material onto its face for a new reference face, or make something new to replace completley, it is by far the cheapest on the market, and it can feel a little under powered, i feel like the blades would have a longer usefull life with a more powerfull motor, that being said waxing the tables does help a little reducing friction and the force needed to feed boards through the thicknesser, leaving all available power for the cutting head, i would like to upgrade at some point, but it seems the next cheapest options are £700+ (new prices) i think i would go for Metabo HC260, but cant quite justify that level of investment for a part time hobby just yet!

My push blocks only touched the work on the corners, so just slid over it! I screwed them to a piece of plywood with a more grippy surface added. So far I've removed the plastic end on the dust extractor hose and attached the hose itself to the planer, which works but takes a bit of time, and risks damaging the hose if done too often. The plan is to 3D print an adaptor, which is something I need to do for some of my other tools too.

Hi Ben. Just found your channel and have watched a few videos. Really good relaxed style and great topics. With all my 100mm hoses I use tapered ends so they fit all off the 100mm ports.

I fixed the dust port with a 2 litre coke bottle cut down slides over snug then leccy tape and my standard vacuum pipe goes snug over the screw top sorted.

Really like your relaxed style. Very fair video - for the price it’s a great little machine. Let me know if you manage to solve the dust port issue though. I haven’t found anything that fits either!

Excellent video, informative and filmed and narrated properly with no pointless fancy filming gimmicks used that many youtubers are fond of using. Regarding the machine the Titan; when you mentioned that it was not possible to alter the angle of the fence much because the handle gets in the way It looks like the handle was one of those spring types (Bristol handle) where you pull up and turn the handle part to another position whilst keeping the thread in place ? Or maybe not? I don't have one of these, I have an old UK made Startrite that I bought over 30 years ago and is still working fine but I have often wondered how good (or bad) these cheaper planers were so I found your video very interesting (you can see my Startrite in one or more of my videos. FWIW I tend to edge plane my timber using a router table these days for panel making, I find it more accurate than the planer. Again you can see my method in one of my videos. (Sorry to waffle on)

Those yellow handles that you say constitute a design floor I think you will find they are on springs so you can pull the handle out and turn it then release and you can tighten up to the required tightness

Very clear introduction.👍

Great video. Titan gear does seem to have a good reputation and this sounds like another great value for money machine. Regarding extraction hose, surely problem could be sorted by putting it in boiling hot water for a while? Either that or make sleeve from metal and jubilee fastening clips. As for the fence screw or glue piece of metal plate or thick perspex plate to it to even out poor quality pressing. Finally file measurement pointers to a sharp point and adjust once thickness of wood has been established for accuracy every time.

Heat that port up and push the fitting on. When it goes cold job done. As for the machine I bought one but found so many things that annoyed me I took it back. But saying that the bed on mine was flat. Oh the noise was a killer. I ended up with a dewalt used with a nice induction motor. I have subscribed and thank you for the video 👍

I live in New Zealand and this machine is available under the local Tool Shed brand. I have had one for 4 to 5 years and it has had extensive use with few issues. The knives are high-speed steel and need regular sharpening, which is easily achieved using a sheet of 1000 grit wet and dry sandpaper glued on an old mirror. They are simple to change and set up. If they get too bad, or nicked, my local saw doctor regrinds them for $25 (a new set here is $85 - about 35 Pounds). One issue I have had is the screw mechanism on the thicknesser bed gets gunged up and hard to adjust, so requires regular cleaning and lubricating - I use a teflon-based spray. The other issue is that the dust hood on mine only has a 70mm duct and clogs easily, but these are minor complaints. I agree, this is a great home-workshop tool. It allows me to have the facility of a jointer and thicknesser at a great price and compact size.

Hi, You commented about the yellow lever for tightening the fence. They are clamping levers, spring loaded, so tighten up, pull lever away from screw and turn to a new position, continue tightening.

Yep had exactly the same issue, tripped the power and gave out a nice burning fragrance! Likewise contacted screwfix and had a replacement that day. This machine does get very hot so am thinking there is an inherent issue there causing that. I have never owned a thicknesser so not really sure of things to be aware of. I vacuum it out after each use, including removing the casing around the belts, and give it a spray with dry lube. All that said, for a wood worker on a budget it's a good little machine.

I have one of these. Had an issue with the bed not been level. Screwfix exchanged it no questions asked. There custamer survice is second to non.

The handle on the fence can be ratcheted by pulling on it.

The handle lifts in and out for adjustment of the fence so you can go down to 45degrees.

Yellow handle (function explained below) is known as a ‘Bristol-Lever’

I’m sorry but after watching this vid to the end, I couldn’t help but think the title and the thumbnail is a bit click-baity!! No fire, no sparks in the your recollection of the experience. The all caps “DONT” inferred a negative connotation especially with that thumbnail but you still recommend the machine and 8 months of use could easily dislodge a connection which could cause the burning smell. Also the customer service you got from Screwfix was amazing imo. Getting a straight swap on something you could have been the cause of, by accident, is top notch, again, imo. Your review on the machine seems, on the whole, positive, I suggest that your title/thumbnail should reflect that.

I had a similar issue with burning out motor on the titan table saw

try heating the exhaust pipe and brute force ... I had a similar thing with an oxygen machine with pipes to connect ... Both the exact same size ... They were plastic instead of metal but the same principl3 apply ... We phoned the hospital but got told it was standard and try a bit of brute force ... After three people tried brute force i tried nearly boiling water ... And the heat made the plastic give a little ... Perhaps a heat gun or welder can warm up the metal to .. give enough to slot together ... Worth a try ?

Hello, thanks for this video, it is very explanatory, I have 2 questions: how has the plane behaved in these 2 months since you have it?, and how does the machine behave with large woods such as 60 inches? I have always seen that they do tests with short pieces of wood

Mines just exploded after about 3 years of very occasional use. I’m so disappointed and can’t find a replacement motor (as the rest of the machine is in great condition. 😤

I've had mine for awhile and the issue I have is in thickness mode the vibrations often cause the feed table to creep up thus changing the thickness setting

You can use a waven straight connection remove the rubbers an it will slide over the extraction pipe and then connect your own extraction

Can I ask where you got the metal detector from cheers as not listed 👍🏻

Hi I have had burn outs on them but on my 3rd one I built a 4" frame around the base without using the rubber feet ,what I found with using the feet it was to close to the table and the belt sucks up the shavings threw the vent at the bottom, its lasted the last 2 out and still runs fine months latter

Brilliant video, new subscriber

HI, what is the measuring tool thingy at 8.43 please? Looks really handy! EDIT: Got it - combination square!!

had mine for about a year, did ok, motot failed, company did not want to know, a new motor was more expensive than buying a complete new machine.

hey Ben - thanks for the review - just out of interest can you remember if it was it a short circuit trip or an RCD trip?

Its not 100mm, its 4 inch which is 101.6mm I fell for the same issue. Had to buy an adapter on US amazon.

Excellent Bob England

Please tell me someone told him those yellow handles pull out & turn to a different position so they tighten in any position, they're adjustable locking handles???

I’ve had this one for years now the push pads are useless it’s noisy and it’s not in any range but it’s own if you don’t push it and you tune it in then it’s as good as others except when you get into the thousands bracket for a diyer it’s perfect I’m well chuffed with mine like your vid have subscribed to your channel

did you manage to get the dust extraction connected up. just bought the same machine.

I’ve just got this and using the thicknesser however it’s making some of the wood all black stripes. I am literally cleaning out the extract every 3 or 4 boards and have the Hoover sucking in there while it’s operational which helps but it’s not exactly practical having to stop that often to clear it out. Any suggestions? Oh it probably worth noting only adjusting it about 1mm. at a time I don’t want to burn it out. Thank you

Liked and sub'd thanks

I've gone through 3 of these now, different issue each time. its a shame because it works brilliantly when it works.

These small planer thicknessers are copy's of a German brand I own. Close inspection shows there built cheaply compared to the original German machines that I paid over £400 for new. I've used mine daily for approx 20 years and have a use in most work shops but have limitations as only have a small motor mine is 1000, watts but never failed. Titan machines are all noisy I believe it's the cheap bearings the company puts in there machines to save money. Also this brand is bottom range but affordable and does the job intended if not with best of accuracy. Nice presentation video with facts people wish to know before making a purchase.

Be warned! Mine has just blown-up. 😢 …..and I can’t find a replacement motor for it. Anybody got any ideas to help, please?

I appreciate these machines for the money sort of represent reasonable value for money. If you are serious about home woodworking save your money as you can hand plane your timber better than the results with these machines. You cannot do anything with the twisted fence or move it across the bed, and the beds can't be adjusted to remove snipe so you will need a hand plane to remove that. Noise is horrendous and you will upset your neighbours if you run it for any length of time. My recommendation is to save up and buy one of the craft machines from Axminster or one of the various clones. Remember this is not much more than a toy made in China with no quality control. Not trying to come across high and mighty just my honest opinion of the machine, if thats your price range don't expect too much.

I bought it and sold it a week later it was so terrible

I must say, it doesn't look very well built, never seen one of their jointer/planer..

No examples using it. Fail

These are Chinese junk. Screwfix don't even sell spare parts for them.

Sorry, but you shouldn't come off talking about something if you don't have skills. Par example (of many others) If the handle won turn all the way, well. . . . pull it out, reset it and pushes it back in and. . . BOILA, now you'll have it. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, Right Pal?