What a mess this forum is

[Bodgy]

By the time you have played the triton upgrade game you have spent close to that of a tablesaw.

He's right!

The Triton does a lot of good things, but once you get on top of it and want to expand it, you'll find their hand so deep in your pocket you'll begin to think of marriage.

If you have a single, repeatable task, that suits the 'out of the box' capacity of the Triton then you'll love it.

If you grow in ambition and wish to peform many different tasks, and don't have a lazy fortnight to spend re-configuring, then don't.

$200 second hand is a great investment if you have an appropriate useage in mind, the GMC big saw is terrific too in tandem.

If your needs mature and diversify, then you'll become one of those guys who have provoked your wrath, by moving on and so documenting herein.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Keep in mind that one of the better "upgrades" for the Triton is the addition of workstands... which, as bsrlee has already said, don't tend to be sold on with the Triton! There's a reason for this; theu don't need a Triton TS to be worth having! The same can be said of the dustbucket and the extension table can also be mod'd for other applications besides hanging off the side of a triton.

From memory the dust bag, bevel ripper & winder/support kits are the only triton specific addons which could be considered as "included" with a normal TS.

The other items, castors, router/planer kits, etc. are all things which are also "optional extras" for most TS's... if they're available at all!

[bennylaird]

You have to thank Triton for one thing.

Most who want to try their hand at woodwork cannot justify $1000-2000 for a tablesaw to find out if they do want to continue. A Triton lets you get started and slowly expand even though you end up paying more in the long run but it's all a learning curve.

Plus there is no trouble selling it when you do find you want to move up.

I have had great fun with my Triton but the Jet cabinet saw is calling me.........

[Gumby]

Jet cabinet saw is calling me.........

Calling you what ? :confused:

[bennylaird]

calling me every night, wife thinks I'm having an affair......

[LineLefty]

Thanks for all the replies.

1) I didnt know there was a difference between the CST and the PST.
2) I'm not expecting people to read my bloody mind, it's jsut that the same debate is repeated over and over and over again. Thazall!
3)If I can get a 2nd hand triton for $2-300 compared to a TS for $1000+ then there is absolutely no possible way that I could justify spending that much. I simply can not afford it.

[lesmeyer]

Adam,
the answer that has been evading you is as follows:
The Triton WC fence has 2 ruler scale arms. Once you have the blade of the saw lined up on zero when fence is against the blade and parallel to the blade, then you can alway set the fence with the ruler scale arms to whatever width you wish ( uo to 620 mm that is). As you are already using the GMC saw, the noise will be no different to what it is now. From what you are saying, most of your work is with hand tools, and the ripping functions will not require that much time. Thus in your case the noise factor is not significant. Remember that a 2nd hand WC will not cost that much. Much cheaper that a TS and when in future you may wish to upgrade, then your outlay will not reduce by much.
Hope this helps.
Les

[silentC]

Look at it this way. You already have the bit that holds the blade and spins it around very fast. All you need now is the bit that holds it upside down in a fixed position and lets you push a bit of timber through it at a fixed distance from the blade. The Triton does that job admirably. All the other stuff is just frills and you can do without.

If one day you decide you want to buy a tablesaw, then do so and sell you second hand Triton for what you paid for it. Or do what I have done and keep it for when you need to take the saw to the job (must remember to put it in the car and take it to the new shed tomorrow).

[LineLefty]

Thanks again, and again!

Ok theres ruler scales on the arms, so what you're really aligining the saw with the first time is those scales, not the fence itself. As long as you know the saw is aligned with those paralell scales and then you set the fence at the exact same point on both scales, you're sweet. Thanks got it, midns at ease, problems solvered, no more questions.

[Redback]

weeeell, actually what many people found was that you align the fence to the blade and then find that the ruler scales are out a mm or so each end...

ie to cut a piece straight at 400mm, one end needed to be set at 399 and the other at 401....

or..... to get a 400mm piece, you needed to set your scales to 398 and 399....

but that was the work around for many...

[LineLefty]

:eek: ..... :mad: ....

[Sprog]

weeeell, actually what many people found was that you align the fence to the blade and then find that the ruler scales are out a mm or so each end...

If the fence is set to zero on both scales and then the blade aligned to the fence, the blade has to be parallel to the fence, so both scales would read the same at any width of cut surely? :confused:

[boban]

How to make a triton for around $50.

Buy a piece of MDF. Plunge your blade through and mount the saw to the MDF. Screws will do. You should probably finish the MDF first. Two coats of polyurethane will do.

Then buy a section of box or rectangular aluminium and two clamps. Otherwise you can get a little fancy and put in some sail track and t nuts for hold the fence in place. Then buy two stick on tape measures.

If you want to save some money this will do everything the Triton will in TS mode. Then buy yourself a real TS when youre ready.

BTW I also had a Triton about 10 years ago.

[petermac]

Buy a piece of MDF. Plunge your blade through and mount the saw to the MDF.

I dont wont to be a wimp, but I think I would prefer a guard over that blade. Plunging it through the MDF will leave the blade fully exposed, something you need to be very carefull around.:eek:

[echnidna]

Its not that hard to make a guard or a splitter.