Thread: Table Mounted TRA1 Delay in Start and Starts with a Bang .. that's not normal

Sounds like a fault in the primary winding - has it been stalled recently?

Ray

Hi Ray
It has never stalled ... the power supply is OK
I have a feeling it is in the switch as when I removed it today and put it on the bench it worked as it should ... trouble is that dust gets in the switch as it was full of dust.

Thanks

Rob

Glad to hear that the router is OK!

Ray

The TRA001 does have that dust problem.

To solve it (a bit) and since and since it is always under the table, I opened it up, took out the plastic sliding switch, taped up the gap. It is now turned on via a switch at the front of the table. Very little accumulates when that gap is sealed.

The other dust problem is the bottom of the chrome guiding pillars. Dust settles in the bottom and gets compacted. I find the need to open it up every 6 months and vacuum it out otherwise it wont lift the whole way.

They really should make a specific under-table model, something with a better winder and something that self-cleans a bit. Under table work is dusty, even with a decent DC attached and excellent scavenging.

Which switch are you referring to, Tahlee? The one on the router, or the one on the table?

Ray

Originally Posted by woodPixel

The TRA001 does have that dust problem.

To solve it (a bit) and since and since it is always under the table, I opened it up, took out the plastic sliding switch, taped up the gap. It is now turned on via a switch at the front of the table. Very little accumulates when that gap is sealed.

The plastic slide switch incorporates the power interlock safety, so you have removed that - voiding any warranty (if applicable), rendering the machine unsafe and compromising its design features. It will now be possible to engage power with the router plunged (raised when inverted) to bit-changing height - a dangerous practice and one that should not be heeded or entertained.

Originally Posted by woodPixel

The other dust problem is the bottom of the chrome guiding pillars. Dust settles in the bottom and gets compacted. I find the need to open it up every 6 months and vacuum it out otherwise it wont lift the whole way.

Any ingress of fine dust - MDF is the worst culprit - will only affect plunging depth by collecting in the right-hand column when viewed from the front. The simplest solution is to leave off the plunge spring cap altogether when using inverted, as I have said many times in this section of the forum. Another way is to block off the base of the plunge tube with a rubber grommet, but leaving the plunge spring cap off is easier and effective. Is the reason that your plunge spring cap is still on because you have failed to remove the plunge spring for inverted use? This adds un-necessary strain to the winding mechanism and is contrary to advice in the user manual.

Originally Posted by woodPixel

They really should make a specific under-table model, something with a better winder and something that self-cleans a bit. Under table work is dusty, even with a decent DC attached and excellent scavenging.

The TRA001 is designed for inverted, under-table use. The cooling fan vent slots are designed to vent horizontally, whereas practically all other routers vent vertically and - as such - are directly exposed to dust and debris while they're inverted. The above-the-table bit-changing facility is - AFAICT - only available on one other (far more expensive) brand. "Self-cleaning" is achieved by leaving the plunge spring cap off when inverted.

My full dismantling and cleaning instructions - if needed - are here: Dismantling the Triton TRA001 3¼HP Router

Ray

Thanks Ray and WP,
The dust problem has also manifest itself in the machine sticking on the wind down columns ... I used some lithium grease on it and it seemed to free it up.

I took the spring out ... but left the cap on. I'll fix that when I take it apart and clean it all up (instructions very much appreciated Ray)


Ray, you say "Now is the time for a good clean, blow out with an airline, light lubrication, etc.""
What lubrication medium would you normally use, please?
Regards

Rob

Originally Posted by Tahlee

Ray, you say "Now is the time for a good clean, blow out with an airline, light lubrication, etc." What lubrication medium would you normally use, please?

I use PTFE spray as it's non-sticky and does not attract/collect dust itself. An example is here: WD-40 Specialist Dry PTFE Lubricant - 150G - Supercheap Auto Australia

HTH

Ray

Im not bagging the TRA001 out at all. Don't get me wrong on that score. I use one everyday for some part of every job I do

Also, I've referred many people to Rays excellent resource and parts. I've used it myself and repaired two earlier routers and fixed a friends.

Originally Posted by rayintheuk

The plastic slide switch incorporates the power interlock safety, so you have removed that - voiding any warranty (if applicable), rendering the machine unsafe and compromising its design features. It will now be possible to engage power with the router plunged (raised when inverted) to bit-changing height - a dangerous practice and one that should not be heeded or entertained.

It would be noted in the comments that it is what *I* do. This is because I use a push-button-on with a ZVR release. I absolutely do not want to be opening the under table dust collector every time I want to turn the router on or off. I did to start, but that became tired very fast.

The router is raised, lock engages, bit changed, router lowered and checked for clearances. For me, none of my work is lackadaisical or haphazard. It's exacting. While I absolutely agree that safety features are there to protect manufacturers against lawsuits and inadvertent misadventure, I absolutely disagree that users should put up with features that hinder their use of a device in the manner they choose to employ it.

The plastic sliding switch is a good feature, in the right place and it works well. But for under table use it's a right PITA

As with all things on any forum, my random rantings in no way constitutes advice. Same as on a financial website or a medical site.

Originally Posted by rayintheuk

Any ingress of fine dust - MDF is the worst culprit - will only affect plunging depth by collecting in the right-hand column when viewed from the front. The simplest solution is to leave off the plunge spring cap altogether when using inverted, as I have said many times in this section of the forum. Another way is to block off the base of the plunge tube with a rubber grommet, but leaving the plunge spring cap off is easier and effective. Is the reason that your plunge spring cap is still on because you have failed to remove the plunge spring for inverted use? This adds un-necessary strain to the winding mechanism and is contrary to advice in the user manual.

Wasn't aware that leaving the cap off would prevent dust. It was always left on as it was assumed it would ingest even more dust if off! I've learned something....

Spring is removed per instructions.

Though, I'd like to add, as a multi-time daily user, that the winding mechanism could do with a revision. My observations are simple (and probably have solutions):

-- when winding up a smidgen it's fine, but winding down a smidgen it seems to stick. A little tap/jiggle with a stick reminds it to drop. This has been the behaviour of the last two TRA's. It's trivial, but irritating.

-- the winder is occasionally a bugger to engage onto the pinned doodad when table mounted. I do use the Kreg phenolic top. It would be nice to have more of a cup/point engagement system, such as the one used by resupply ships to the space station or satellite capture systems. These are designed so the incoming vessel can be "out" by a bit and the ship is guided home with exactitude. I'd imagine this kind of pin/hole engagement system is common in heavy lifting and placement engineering.... Obviously it is scaled down for this application.

Originally Posted by rayintheuk

The TRA001 is designed for inverted, under-table use. The cooling fan vent slots are designed to vent horizontally, whereas practically all other routers vent vertically and - as such - are directly exposed to dust and debris while they're inverted. The above-the-table bit-changing facility is - AFAICT - only available on one other (far more expensive) brand. "Self-cleaning" is achieved by leaving the plunge spring cap off when inverted.

Perhaps in my brevity my intention wasnt clear. I meant to say that Triton should design an exclusive model for under table use. I really do like the TRA, and part of my desire for betterment I've bought an lifter from Timbecon, but it remains unused. It reminds me daily of why I'm hanging out to replace the Kreg/TRA combo with a whiz-bang super exact American lifter with a dedicated motor. (I've one on order)

Triton have a singularly spectacular opportunity here they have completely failed to capitalise on -----> make a dedicated 240volt router motor for American style lifter tables. There is exactly one in the maket, but getting one of those at the moment is impossible..... (my "order" is waiting to be filled.....)

The brand has dedicated followers and kudos. It could EASILY do this thing if they wanted. By NOT doing it they are letting the Chinese made motors have exclusive enjoyment of a captured market. When they gain a foothold, which they have started to, Tritons entry will be strangled to death with lower prices by an obsessed first mover.

Oooooo, imagine that! A triton bodied motor, with a MuscleChuck like changing mechanism for bits, remote speed setting via a table mounted dial and some nifty brushless guts with load-sensing and anti-mayhem smarts..... Who WOULDN'T buy that!

This is what I meant

I'm not sure what "It would be noted in the comments that it is what *I* do" refers to or means. My concern is that - as has happened before - reading such comments (without a disclaimer of some sort) could possibly lead to damage and danger in the wrong hands.

"As with all things on any forum, my random rantings in no way constitutes advice. Same as on a financial website or a medical site." That may well be your point of view, but on a public forum that's known for giving sound advice, you cannot take that as the status quo. You don't begin your replies with "my random rantings in no way constitutes advice," so there may well be any number of TRA001 users who have - or are about to - tamper with the on/off switch in the way you describe, a situation I hoped to avert.

I'm sure that it wasn't your intent to mislead readers, or in any way recommend your "solution" for everyone, BUT - such remarks can have consequences and that's what I seek to address.

Incidentally, the winding symptoms you describe can be caused by a slight warping of the router base (not visible to the naked eye) when mounting it to a sub-base or table insert. The next time it occurs, rather than tap it, try slackening one mounting screw at a time to see if that is, in fact, the culprit.

Triton - after a magnificently innovative start - have missed several opportunities, especially in the UK, as I can attest from personal experience and involvement. They're not likely to catch up now, as their market percentage is probably too small to attract much - if any - new R & D capital.

Ray

Apologies to Tahlee for hijacking the thread.

Originally Posted by woodPixel

Apologies to Tahlee for hijacking the thread.

That quite OK

I was just getting the deck chairs out for the second round

Regards

Rob