Thread: Triton v Table Saw - A Newbie's Experience

The Triton WC vs Table saw thread is most informative. If nothing else, it's a relief for me to see that it's not just my complete naive Newbie status that brings about the struggle to solve this dilemma. My immediate gut based choice is to go for the Triton WC2000 because of its relatively low cost, its adaptability & versatility - adding the PlanerRouter attachments etc.

However, for me as a totally blind Woodwork enthusiast, I can see no reliable accurate way for me to setup the Triton rip fence. Actually I've had only 1 chance of about 15 minutes duration to 'look at', feel the Triton rip fence setup technique. Triton demonstrators at Bunnings Stores seem strangely reluctant to let me "have a go' on their machinery! ) Presently, I can only but agree with Someone in this thread who referred to it as time consuming and clumsy. Certainly, with my sight-impairment, I could not do it visually by lining up the crosshairs on the engraved measurement scale at either end of the rip fence.

A partially blind friend, with a Triton WC, has made himself up a large adjustable T Square, and with this he measures from the left hand edge of the TWC work top to the rip fence. First at the front (locking it into place), then at the back (locking it into place, then double checking for trueness both ends. In his measurements, he needs of course, to take into account the additional distance from the left hand edge of the work top to the inside cutting edge of the blade. Personally, I'd worry that using this method that the rip fence was not truly parallel to the blade.

Somewhere in this thread someone wrote, "I'm working on how to use an Incra fence on a Triton saw - then we will see just how accurate a triton can be!! Best thing is - calibration is done
with the fence calibrating off the saw, and not the other way around."

Can anybody tell me if it's possible to discard the clumsy time consuming Triton rip fence arrangement and replace it with something more user friendly?

Thanks,

Dado

P.S. Yes, I do have all my fingers intact and never had so much as a scratch during my Woodwork course of 18 months in which I'm regularly using a Euro sliding Table Saw, a Compound mitre Drop Saw, Band Saw, Spindle Moulder, Router, Horizontal Borer, Pedestal Drill etc.

Good work, Dado.

Are you the dude who was featured about two years ago in one of the Australian woodworking magazines?
If so your efforts were most impressive, if not, the work was still impressive nonetheless.

As some wise person once said to me when faced with a problem or challenge "Keep searching for variables". So, keep at it with the Triton work centre, I'm positive that you will eventually discover a workaround with the rip fence.

Great thread starter Manix77

Stuart,....

how have you gone with the Incra fence mod?

Also is a crosscut sled useful if you have a maxi-extension?

Spartan,
How are you?
To answer your question

is a crosscut sled useful if you have a maxi-extension?

Yes it is useful, you can use the calibrations on your Maxi Ext. To cross cut your long pieces but for finer work and shorter pieces it's a little awkward, as you're pushing the left of the Maxi and the righ as well while holding your small work piece.

If your work piece is less than about 400mm it will be/feel unbalanced(this is the best way I can describe this feeling when I use mine for such cuts).

The Cross Cut Sled on the other hand is directly over the whole of the table and is pushing along its length of the back end/fence. You can add adjustable stops to your Cross Cut Sled so you make repetitive cuts. You can make it as intricate or as plain as you like, ideally to suit your own needs.

I've seen a few Cross Cut Sleds however ironically I don't have one of my own - yet. I was told a while back to get a hammer and knock the corners in along the long sides. When sheet metal is bent as it is on the Triton, it can make part of the fold stick out slightly. This is an area where the Sled can be stiff to push at thimes.

I hope this helps.

JG, I'm well thanks...

Reading this thread has made think about bitting the bullet and upgrading to the ST-250 or the TSC-10.....

So anyone want buy my WC2000??

Originally Posted by spartan

JG, I'm well thanks...

Reading this thread has made think about bitting the bullet and upgrading to the ST-250 or the TSC-10.....

So anyone want buy my WC2000??

Spartans Workcentre is in good condition, it has a maxi Extension Table and is well setup.

I feel as though I should jump on the bandwagon here again.

I would love a table saw especially with a sliding panel attachment but there's no way I'd fit it in my shed let alone move it around easily.

So the trusty Mk3 with all the extras (and sled!) is here to stay.

I won't express my hope that Triton bring out a new model because Gumby will say: "as-if!"

Originally Posted by Graham Sands

I feel as though I should jump on the bandwagon here again.

I would love a table saw especially with a sliding panel attachment but there's no way I'd fit it in my shed let alone move it around easily.

So the trusty Mk3 with all the extras (and sled!) is here to stay.

I won't express my hope that Triton bring out a new model because Gumby will say: "as-if!"

G'Day Graham

Thanks for jumping in! The mobility of the Triton wasn't one of my considerations when I first started this thread but I'm now very grateful for it. There's no way I'd fit a table saw in my current workshop (half a double car garage). The Tritons (Router table and WC2000) both live under one wing of my SCMS bench and a rolling workbench is being built to go under the other.

Speaking of benches, I'd like to say thanks for the inspiration! The bench I'm building will look pretty familliar to you (and anyone else who reads AWR), I'm looking forward to reading about your drill press stand.

In response to your last point, I don't know if Triton will release another generation of WC but I'd have to say that a WC that was specifically built for a specialised Triton Saw has merit. Imagine a WC that allowed above the table height and tilt adjustment using a saw that had those features built in! It seems like a logical next step in Triton development. You could even make it available as an upgrade for existing WC2000s by just replacing the top and the saw...Food for thought...

regards

Manix

Hi Manix

I think for the role you described its the ducks guts .

Would be great if a new upgrade comes along that does away with the marking scales and uses a more standard mitre track arrangement.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the comment Manix. Next AWR due shortly.

Bye the bye, the finger joints in the drawers on the bench were done using the Triton Finger Jointer, absolutey perfect!

G'day all,
I'm a newbie to the 2000 WC. I can say i love it. At fist it frustrated me as had a cheap ???? saw in it with heaps of flex in the bae plate. I was considering selling it and never trying to make things from timber again unill my wife bought me a Triton 235mm saw for xmas ( wasnt i a happy chappy i got a tool for xmas). Now i have made my first display cabinet for fiend and im stokedwith my effort ( might not b grat compard to the old hands but ya got to start some where right).
I also have the plane attchment and im trying to get the set up right. Usually i try for a bit get frustrated open a beer and frget about it till next weekend. Has any1 successfully set up the planer attatchment?

Cheers to all

Sulli

Dazzler

Yes! standard mitre tracks would be great. I think one of the reasons that the Triton has been so successful is its evolutionary development. With a bit of work on the fence, some mitre tracks and a tilting blade it would significantly close the gap on a full blown table saw.

Graham

That's good to hear about the finger jointer. I was given a biscuit jointer a few weeks ago and the finger jointer was next on my list. The joints on your bench look perfect. Now my only problem is I can't blame my gear if I stuff them up (I will anyway, I just won't get away with it )!

I've been looking at various bench designs for ages now but yours jumped out at me when I grabbed the latests AWR. I'll have to put mine on locking castors so I can roll it away and a couple of other mods to suit my workshop and the materials I've gathered but if you had a patent I'd be paying copyright...You don't have a patent do you?

Sulli

Welcome to the Forum! I can't offer any advice on the planer attachment but I can say that the "beer and walk away" technique is tried and proven.

There are some very talented craftsmen posting on this site (the two gentlemen I refered to above come to mind). I've only just graduated past hammering the bent over nails flat into the timber myself, but if you hang around this site for a while you'll find it a wealth of information and inspiration.

regards

Manix

Originally Posted by dazzler

Would be great if a new upgrade comes along that does away with the marking scales and uses a more standard mitre track arrangement.

G'Day Dazzler

Just a quick question. I've heard yourself and a few others say they don't use the marking scales, what do you use? I use my scales every time I make a cut. Both to measure the cut and to align the two ends off the fence. I read a thread somewhere by Stuart also saying he doesn't use the making scales. How then do you measure and align the fence?

regards

Manix

Spartan...


The TSC-10HB is on my list of wants (as an eventual upgrade for my WC2000). I love the router extension for it (and the router fence is okay too).


Dohboy