Thread: Triton TRA001 Router.

I Stewie
Your two days to late I have that exact set up in my router table.
Problem is I work in Melbourne and spent my weekends in Ballarat and won't be there for another two weeks.
But I think from memory it was either m8 or m10 course thread .
I also had no need to countersink them
Yes I've lost about 5 mm of movement but not a lot.
I all so used Allen head bolts
It's a little fitly but not that hard either with a Allen head in a ratchet
If your still not ready in two weeks time pm and I will take some pics
Cheers Matt

I don't think you need the woodpecker with this router as it has an inbuilt ability to adjust router height from above the table

You might be able to sell the Woodpecker to pay for some of your new router

The Triton TRA001 is a great router, and able to safely turn some really huge router bits. I use one myself in a Carbatec Router Table. But, the TRA001 comes standard with above table router bit height adjustment, and when the router is fully raised, the router bits can be changed above the table. So, I think that the TRA001 might make the Unilift redundant. You might be better off mounting the TRA001 directly to a plain router plate/insert, rather than the expensive Unilift. Or, if you already own the Unilift, maybe save it for use with another router that doesn't have above table adjustment built-in - or maybe sell the Unilift on this forum to someone who doesn't own a router with built-in above table bit height adjustment.That's my ten cents worth ..... Enjoy your new toy

Regards,Roy

Originally Posted by AussieRoy

The Triton TRA001 is a great router, and able to safely turn some really huge router bits. I use one myself in a Carbatec Router Table. But, the TRA001 comes standard with above table router bit height adjustment, and when the router is fully raised, the router bits can be changed above the table. So, I think that the TRA001 might make the Unilift redundant. You might be better off mounting the TRA001 directly to a plain router plate/insert, rather than the expensive Unilift. Or, if you already own the Unilift, maybe save it for use with another router that doesn't have above table adjustment built-in - or maybe sell the Unilift on this forum to someone who doesn't own a router with built-in above table bit height adjustment.That's my ten cents worth ..... Enjoy your new toy

Regards,Roy

Thanks for the advise Roy. I have really enjoyed the benefits of the Unilift and at present have had no experience with the benefits the TRA001 offers with its inbuilt height adjustment.

The main attraction for me with the TRA001 was the adjustable speed control. Can you tell me if the height adjustment lock on the TRA001 is accessed from above the table or below it. The benefit of the Unilift is that all the a height adjustments and locks are accessed above the table. The only time I need to access underneath the table with my present set up is to operate the on/off switch to the router.

regards; Stewie.

Originally Posted by Damienol

I don't think you need the woodpecker with this router as it has an inbuilt ability to adjust router height from above the table

You might be able to sell the Woodpecker to pay for some of your new router

Thanks for the advise. I may end up doing that.

regards Stewie.

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I Stewie
Your two days to late I have that exact set up in my router table.
Problem is I work in Melbourne and spent my weekends in Ballarat and won't be there for another two weeks.
But I think from memory it was either m8 or m10 course thread .
I also had no need to countersink them
Yes I've lost about 5 mm of movement but not a lot.
I all so used Allen head bolts
It's a little fitly but not that hard either with a Allen head in a ratchet
If your still not ready in two weeks time pm and I will take some pics
Cheers Matt

Thanks for the feedback Matt. I was hoping to use the existing threads on the Triton base plate, and not lose any of the available height adjustment.

regards; Stewie.

The speed control is still under the table
I would consider getting a remote on/off switch with speed control as well
It's a pain to turn on off or adjust speed under the table

Originally Posted by planemaker

Thanks for the advise Roy. I have really enjoyed the benefits of the Unilift and at present have had no experience with the benefits the TRA001 offers with its inbuilt height adjustment.

The main attraction for me with the TRA001 was the adjustable speed control. Can you tell me if the height adjustment lock on the TRA001 is accessed from above the table or below it. The benefit of the Unilift is that all the a height adjustments and locks are accessed above the table. The only time I need to access underneath the table with my present set up is to operate the on/off switch to the router.

regards; Stewie.

Stewie,

The TRA001 has a few nice features thet make it most suitable for living under a router table:

• There is an adjustment rod that goes through a hole that you drill in your router table. This rid hooks into a fitting on the router's plunge mechanism to allow you to adjust from above the table. To use the router in a table, you have to remove the plunge spring (a 30 second job).
• You can wind the router bit up high enough to change bits above the table.
• When the router bit is wound up to full height to change bits, the router automatically locks the armature (and the on/off switch on the router is automatically locked in the off position as an added safety measure), and everything unlocks again when you lower the router bit to operating height.
• My Carbatec Router Table has an NVR safety switch located on the front of the table that the router cord plugs into, and from where I can start and stop the router. I leave the Router's On/Off switch in the ON position all the time - except when changing router bits.

There three small "gotchas" with a TRA001 mounted under a router table:

• You have to reach under the table to adjust the speed knob. The speed knob only has numbers from 1 to 9 on it - not actual speeds. So you have to refer to a table in the owner's manual to convert the number on the speed knob to an actual RPM setting. After a while you learn to count the number of clicks of the knob and it is then fairly easy to set the right speed. I have a laminated photocopy of the table from the owner's manual stuck on the wall behind the router table for easy reference.
• You have to reach under the table to switch Off the router's On/Off switch before you can raise the router bit to full height for bit changing. If you don't switch the router's switch off, the inter-lock safety mechanism on the router will prevent the bit from being fully raised to the bit changing position.
• As a hand held router, the TRA001 is heavy and can be a beast to control.

Hope that info helps....

Regards,

Roy

Originally Posted by AussieRoy

Stewie,

The TRA001 has a few nice features thet make it most suitable for living under a router table:

• There is an adjustment rod that goes through a hole that you drill in your router table. This rid hooks into a fitting on the router's plunge mechanism to allow you to adjust from above the table. To use the router in a table, you have to remove the plunge spring (a 30 second job).
• You can wind the router bit up high enough to change bits above the table.
• When the router bit is wound up to full height to change bits, the router automatically locks the armature (and the on/off switch on the router is automatically locked in the off position as an added safety measure), and everything unlocks again when you lower the router bit to operating height.
• My Carbatec Router Table has an NVR safety switch located on the front of the table that the router cord plugs into, and from where I can start and stop the router. I leave the Router's On/Off switch in the ON position all the time - except when changing router bits.

There three small "gotchas" with a TRA001 mounted under a router table:

• You have to reach under the table to adjust the speed knob. The speed knob only has numbers from 1 to 9 on it - not actual speeds. So you have to refer to a table in the owner's manual to convert the number on the speed knob to an actual RPM setting. After a while you learn to count the number of clicks of the knob and it is then fairly easy to set the right speed. I have a laminated photocopy of the table from the owner's manual stuck on the wall behind the router table for easy reference.
• You have to reach under the table to switch Off the router's On/Off switch before you can raise the router bit to full height for bit changing. If you don't switch the router's switch off, the inter-lock safety mechanism on the router will prevent the bit from being fully raised to the bit changing position.
• As a hand held router, the TRA001 is heavy and can be a beast to control.

Hope that info helps....

Regards,

Roy

Thanks Roy. The information you provided has been of great benefit to me. I am aware the early Triton model had a lot of reliability issues. Have all of those issues been resolved to prevent a re-occurrence on this later TRA001 model.

regards Stewie;

Originally Posted by planemaker

Thanks Roy. The information you provided has been of great benefit to me. I am aware the early Triton model had a lot of reliability issues. Have all of those issues been resolved to prevent a re-occurrence on this later TRA001 model.

regards Stewie;

Stewie,

My TRA001 is only seven months old. It seems well build and has some very nice design features. I've been using it almost solely in a router table, often using some pretty large bits in hard wood, and so far it has been reliable, and there doesn't seem to be any identifiable wear on the shaft or shaft bearings yet. I'd say that the part most likely to fail first is the router lift handle, as it is a fairly slender aluminium rod. I've already made a steel shaft router lift rod for my TRA001, as I felt that the aluminium one was a bit flimsy.

Regards,

Roy

Originally Posted by AussieRoy

Stewie,

My TRA001 is only seven months old. It seems well build and has some very nice design features. I've been using it almost solely in a router table, often using some pretty large bits in hard wood, and so far it has been reliable, and there doesn't seem to be any identifiable wear on the shaft or shaft bearings yet. I'd say that the part most likely to fail first is the router lift handle, as it is a fairly slender aluminium rod. I've already made a steel shaft router lift rod for my TRA001, as I felt that the aluminium one was a bit flimsy.

Regards,

Roy

Thanks for the additional info Roy. Good idea having the steel shaft lift rod on standby.

Stewie;

You can make a winder easily enough with a dowel and knob. New winders are ~$20 as a part from the dealers.

I've pulled the clear plastic "safety" lockout out. The router sits exclusively under the table with the switch always on. It also sits in a home made dust box (zero dust!). If the safety mechanism is left in, one has to open the box, reach under, flip it off, wind it up, swap, wind it down, flip it on, close box....a PITA if you swap bits often....which I do.

I have the router plugged into a quality 4 point board with lights and individual switches. The board sits near my right hand to turn the router on and off. I've labelled the switch and it's the only one in the board. A NVR would be better, but I'm having trouble finding one.

Before everyone screams about safety, to lock the collet the router must be fully wound up anyway. The collet sticks above the table to do so. It's how you get the spanner on. The bit sticks up even further. The lock mechanism disengages just as the collet bobs below the table top. Very convenient. So, unless I'm completely drunk there is zero chance of having an "accidental on" while the router is fully up, or even partially engaged... Even if I did, I'd imagine all the magic blue smoke would escape, but there would be no whizzing router bits or fingers lost....only pride and money.

To remove the safety plastic flap is minor surgery and 5 minutes with a screwdriver.

Yes, one last point. You dont need a Unilift.

There is no way to engage/lock the shaft if you can't raise the router up into the footplate. As the TRA001 router rises, a small rod is shoved into the spindle. The rod lives near the spindle, but it's the action of the footplate moving up that slides it across (this probably makes no sense)

Raising the Unilift may expose the shaft, but it doesn't raise the router into its own footplate.

You can't poke your finger in (or screwdriver) to manually engage the locking rod, nor is there a convenient hex nut on the spindle to use another spanner on.

I know this as I was terribly excited to see the Unilift, but found all this out when I ran it all through my head. It is a brilliant bit of gear, but it seems more suited to routers that use two spanners to unlock the collet, or a Festool OF1400 (or similar) where you press the green switch to engage the lock.

Originally Posted by Evanism

To remove the safety plastic flap is minor surgery and 5 minutes with a screwdriver.

Thanks for that info. I've refrained from fully enclosing my TRA001 under the table because of having to operate that On/Off switch whenever I want to change a router bit. I'll have a gander today and see if I can remove that safety flap - it's an orange safety flap on my model (only 7 months old) so I hope the removal is as simple as on your router.

Again, thanks for the info. Regards,

Roy