Thread: Triton or cabinet saw

A full Triton set-up will cost roughly 2/3 of the cost of a TS. Go the TS, you'll only want one later anyway. Nothing against Triton - I've got one and have had great service and no problem with it, but I feel I've outgrown it and will have a TS within the year.
Have a look on the "Table Saws & Combinations" forum, this has been discussed many times before.
Oh, and welcome to the madhouse..

A good second hand triton setup would do all you need it to do. You can often see them for sale here or on ebay.

The trouble is, you always want to do more once the bug bites, so buying the best that you can afford is the way to go. Having said that, I bought my first Triton (mk3) around 1993, upgraded it to a W2000 around 2003 and am now looking to upgrade to a cabinet saw.

I will get 2nd hand around 70% of what I paid for the triton 5 yrs ago, they hold their value well.

With hindsight, I should have bought a cabinet saw first, but circumstances didn't allow (finance and space). I also didn't know how much I would enjoy making things so didn't make the effort.

Either way, you can't go wrong with whatever you choose.

Hope you don't mind me jumping into this thread, but I have been putting a bit of thought into this question myself lately and would be interested to hear a bit more, especially from the pro Triton camp...

For me, a full cabinet table saw is out of the question, for reasons of both budget and space. It's use will mostly be for things like general cabinetry, boxes, cases etc, with the odd fancy project and bit of home reno involved. I have set my budget at under $900 - and that is already several hundred over what I can really afford. I only allowed my budget to stretch that far because I am sure that a $300 Ryobi table saw won't satisfy me and that to get any sort of accuracy at all I would probably need to look at the Triton.

So in the orange corner is the WC2000 ($500) plus a good saw like the Triton 235mm CS ($300), total $800. Could possibly save $100 on the saw but I probably shouldn't.

In the blue corner is the Ryobi BT3100K reviewed here and available for about $870, maybe a touch less for cash. By all accounts the Ryobi has enough adjustments to make (and keep) it accurate.

Pro Triton:
2400w vs 1800w
Mini & maxi extensions
???

Pro Ryobi:
10" blade vs 9¼"
Standard table saw (tilting blade, dado stacks etc)
Better dust collection
No Tafe course required...
???

I'm wondering whether there is really any benefit to the Triton, or whether (sadly) its day has passed? Don't get me wrong, I love the concept of the thing and its icon status, but has it been made largely redundant by the availability of reasonable table saws such as the Ryobi?

Can't comment on the Ryobi but my Triton has served me well for over 6 years and it's still going strong. Like others I'm looking to upgrade soon but once sold the Triton will have cost me about $200 - $300 that's the table and the Triton saw together which I think is outstanding value over 6 years.

The reasons I'm upgrading are to be able to cut angles more easily, cut dados, a bit more power and easy connection to my dust collector.

If you are considering the TS with dust collector then you should compare the cost to the Triton dust collection to get a more accurate picture. Many second hand Tritons have been used by hobbyists and don't have many hours on them so you might be able to pick one up with dust collection within your budget.

Oh yeah and I didn't need a TAFE course to use it.

HH.

Originally Posted by Dusty Dave

So in the orange corner is the WC2000 ($500) plus a good saw like the Triton 235mm CS ($300), total $800. Could possibly save $100 on the saw but I probably shouldn't.

No, you shouldn't! The beauty of the Triton saw is that - apart from the power - it's designed to fit and goes in and out of the chassis easily.

Originally Posted by Dusty Dave

In the blue corner is the Ryobi BT3100K available for about $870, maybe a touch less for cash. By all accounts the Ryobi has enough adjustments to make (and keep) it accurate.

I have both saws. The Ryobi is accurate, easy to use, tilting arbor and sliding table, fairly good dust extraction, etc. BUT it's got a small table and I adapted mine by building it into a much larger surface.

Originally Posted by Dusty Dave

Pro Triton:
2400w vs 1800w
Mini & maxi extensions

If you're going to use an extension, get the Maxi - it'll handle anything up to full-size sheet goods (1220mm x 2440mm)

Originally Posted by Dusty Dave

Pro Ryobi:
10" blade vs 9¼"
Standard table saw (tilting blade, dado stacks etc)
Better dust collection
No Tafe course required...

The depth of cut will always depend upon the blade size - nothing you can do about that.
The Ryobi will take a 150mm (6") dado stack, although some 200mm (8") stacks foul the casing.
Dust collection on the Workcentre (with both bag and bucket) is also good.

Originally Posted by Dusty Dave

I'm wondering whether there is really any benefit to the Triton, or whether (sadly) its day has passed? Don't get me wrong, I love the concept of the thing and its icon status, but has it been made largely redundant by the availability of reasonable table saws such as the Ryobi?

Things I can do with my Triton that I couldn't do with my Ryobi:

• Use the saw as a standalone circular saw.
• Hang the whole outfit on the wall when not in use.
• Use it anywhere - on site, rough terrain, etc.
• Use the chassis as a router and jigsaw unit.

Triton may not be so "cool" now as once it was, but that doesn't mean it's not very useful and have its own niche in the market still. I wouldn't be without mine!

Ray.

And I can pack mine into the boot of the car and take it anywhere it is needed ! Plus if required I can do the same with the router table...
Both fit easily in the back of the Ford Station Wagon...

Go anywhere and one person (male or female) can/should easily be able to lift either unit. The big saw and the 2400w router are easily removed/replaced as required for non-table applications - not dedicated table mounted only.... that is a winner for me also.

Personal choice at the end of the day but for me
Portable - compact - easy to store - easy to move - versatile

Thanks guys, hope you don't mind me flogging this subject a bit more, I know it's probably the oldest recurring thread in woodworking but I'm having fun

Especially keen to push Ray a bit further as he's got both machines... so I guess the question is, if space wasn't the issue, but you could only keep one, which would it be (and why)?!

I can't really see my Triton getting folded up all that much. It may get wheeled around the workshop a bit but it will essentially stay on duty. I guess the ability to put it underneath a workbench is useful, but it is a bonus feature rather than a critical factor. The same goes for the removable circ saw, I already have one (albeit a cheapie) and can't see it being a huge advantage. Small bonuses do add up though so I'm not dismissing them entirely. The piecemeal purchasing plan of the Triton certainly suits my impatience and poverty.

My main concerns with the Triton are things like how well it will hold its accuracy through being dismantled and reassembled - if it's a pain to realign then it won't get dismantled, so there goes that 'advantage'.

I'm also wondering whether the hassle of trying to mitre a board will make me regret the Triton. I don't imagine I will mitre very often, but I'd need to spend an extra $100 on the bevel ripper to do it at all, and it seems pretty inelegant. I'm also up for $80 for the dust bag, so this nudges the Triton system up to almost $1000 and I'm not really convinced I'd have a superior machine to the Ryobi. Is the crosscutting configuration of the Triton worth all the fuss? Couldn't I do all that just as easily with the sliding mitre table on the Ryobi? Would I end up wanting a SCMS anyway?!

The Ryobi is essentially ready to go from the box, it has a greater depth of cut, it will tilt, take a dado stack and hook up easily to a dust extractor. It has an SMT and a router mount (an extra $190 from Triton). On the downside it won't fold away, I can't take the saw out and it has a less powerful engine - none of which are really killers.

However, I have been lusting after the Triton setup for several weeks now so I can't let it go that easily...

Please help me out with some more opinions or experiences!

Originally Posted by Dusty Dave

Especially keen to push Ray a bit further as he's got both machines... so I guess the question is, if space wasn't the issue, but you could only keep one, which would it be (and why)?!

The question is understandable, but not really fair - the two saws are made for different reasons and for different users.

I bought my Ryobi used as an upgrade to an old US cast iron table saw I'd been given. The arbor on the US saw didn't tilt - the whole table did! When I got the Ryobi I was delighted with how much easier it was to make angled cuts, so I overcame the restrictions in the size of the table by building it into a larger top.

The SMT is an occasional bonus, but it can easily be knocked out of alignment if you bang into it, so I check alignment every time before I use it. The right-tilting blade means that I need to cut with the fence on the left, which restricts the cut somewhat. Dust collection is fair, but nowhere near perfect. The height and tilt are operated via one handle and the insides of the machine must be kept clean for smooth operation. That said, in use it is a very accurate saw with a great fence and I'm very glad I've got it.

The Triton came to me under different circumstances. It was designed for space-saving and portability, at both of which it is superb. My Triton spends its down time hanging on the wall. If I didn't have the Ryobi it would stay assembled, because I'd then have the space to leave it up. I use the big Triton saw in the Workcentre, which is far more powerful than the Ryobi, but takes a smaller cut. This doesn't bother me, as I also have a (20" throat) Jet bandsaw with a huge re-saw capacity. However, I can't take either the band-saw or the Ryobi out and about with me - which I have an occasional need to do - so the Triton is essential for that aspect. It will rip timber all day, but the Ryobi needs a "gentler" approach, as it's belt-driven and less powerful.

If I didn't need to be mobile, which one would I keep? If I hadn't built the Ryobi into a much larger top, I'd keep the Triton. The Workcentre top is miles bigger than most other small table saw models, so if I mainly needed full-sheet capacity, with the Maxi extension, I'd keep the Triton because it's better at large sheet handling than my extended Ryobi.

The only downside to the Workcentre is the bevel-cutting facility which - while it can be overcome - will never be as elegant as a tilting arbor. If the majority of my work involved mitre cuts, I'd keep the Ryobi. If I was only doing small carpentry, cutting pieces of 1000mm or less, I'd probably keep the Ryobi, because of the tilting arbor - I wouldn't need the extra power for small pieces only.

However, I've lucky enough to have room for both and I am quite happy to set the Triton up with its Maxi Sliding Table for real comfort when dealing with large sheets. It's miles better at that than the Ryobi, even with its added top. HTH

Ray.

Ray, thanks again. Plenty of food for thought there, I'll mull it over for while longer. I'm swinging hopelessly between the two options at the moment! I might see if I can get up close and personal with both machines too, at the moment I'm working entirely from descriptions and photos.

The Ryobi appeals because of its standard, workshop-like nature. Having never owned a table saw before it is really tempting to get a somewhat normal one. It's interesting that you describe the Ryobi's dust collection as 'fair' though - I would have thought that it should be significantly better than the Triton. The single handwheel doesn't really bother me, it will spend 99.9% of its time as a height adjustment - it's just nice to know I can tilt it if need be.

The Triton seems a lot more like a site saw, but certainly has strong support on this forum. The ability to add maxi legs and handle full sheets easily is also attractive, although I'm sure (like you) I could get the Ryobi set up to do the same (I have a large steel assembly table in the middle of the workshop which I could modify to match the height of either machine).

If you feel inclined to answer a couple more questions for me I'd be really grateful though:

How would you compare the Triton's accuracy to the Ryobi's?

And dust collection?

Can the maxi legs be used successfully with the Triton on a terribly uneven workshop floor?

Once again thanks for letting me bend your ear on this, it's a significant spend for me so I'd like to leave no stone unturned

Look at a thread from munruben called the $1000 table saw. Rather than a cabinet table saw think about a good quality 10" contractors saw. For around $1000 you will get a very good saw that is way better than the triton.

I spent about $1400 on my Triton setup and sold it all about 18 months later to buy a Jet. I couldn't believe the difference in ease of use and accuracy - plus it was significantly easier to find useful information and plans on Jigs- a plethora of good quality table saw books to help you along and refine your skills.

I am with spartan on this one.
The contractors saw(or even a hybrid) would be the go, they can be put on a mobile base and wheeled around easily.
Options are available such as mitre gauges, rails and fences.

My 2 bobs worth.

Originally Posted by Dusty Dave

How would you compare the Triton's accuracy to the Ryobi's?

And dust collection?

Can the maxi legs be used successfully with the Triton on a terribly uneven workshop floor?

The same.

The same.

Yes.

Ray.

Originally Posted by spartan

Look at a thread from munruben called the $1000 table saw.

Found it here. Some interesting reading, so thanks for that.

I guess I'm after the $850 table saw though - and some change would be nice

Seriously, I totally understand the arguments for buying the best you can afford, but even that is a stretch for me for this purchase. The CFO would skin me alive. I'd use it fairly infrequently (I dabble in many things and only have so much spare time), and I'm really looking for the best tool for the budget, rather than the best budget for the tool.

I see that Carbatec have a couple of options under that figure:

$500 buys the CSB-315 12", 3hp site saw

$800 buys the CTJ-650 10", 1½hp heavy duty contractor's saw.

Both of them have induction motors and look (to my untrained eye) like reasonably decent additions to the workshop for cutting timber square.

I'm guessing the site saw is not a particularly refined animal, but I must admit I don't really get what I'd be sacrificing if I bought it. I'd imagine the CTJ-650 is as good as (or better than) the Triton or the Ryobi?

Dear Dusty,

Regarding the CSB-315 that you mention, in terms of design they are very clever and certainly the best in their class. Only unit of it's type with folding legs for starters. Also, many of the other Site Saws just have levers for Rise & Fall, and Bevel, whereas the CSB-315 has wheels for both. Rack and Pinion for Bevelling is used by Metabo on it's top end precision Cabinet Saws as well as by Ryobi with the 3100K, so you can be sure it does the job.

Downsides compared to a Cabinet Saw:

1) The main one is table flatness - down by 1mm or so in the middle, due to the weight of the Induction Motor overworking that sheet metal top. Has a bearing on the accuracy of your bevel cuts.

2) Secondly, dust collection straight out of the box is not brilliant. Better than a Contractor Saw, but not as good as a Cabinet Saw or a 3100K. Some choice mods can help in this regard, though.

Nice and quiet, that's for sure. Gutsy too. And when I look at mine, I see the faint outline of a Triton Maxi hanging off the side - kind of like the Ghost of Christmas to Come... 'Tis the perfect setup to take one...

Hope this helps somewhat.
Batpig.