Thread: Triton vs Makita vs Dewalt - recommendations?

If there is anything better than the Triton I would love to own it. Mine has been great.

Cheers
Mike

I think that's an excellent choice. It's a pity the quality brands don't market the larger fixed base routers here though. That machine with a fixed base would be a great router and do most work you'd have for it. The fixed base version fits readily into a lifter, so you could put it in a table easily. I don't know how you'd go with a router raizer on it, that might be a solution if you decider to mount it...

Anyway as a flattener it will be great.

Have fun.

So in the best tradition of well laid plans going awry, I now have a Triton TRA001 despite stating several times I wouldn't be getting a Triton. And despite saying I didn't want to tinker with my tools, guess what I did last night? Yes, tinker with it. The caveat is, I got it second hand at a price I couldn't say no to. It was missing the short screws for the base plate as the previous owner had it table mounted. Fortunately that was a relatively easy fix through ebay and widening the countersunk holes in the plastic base plate. Last nights tear down and clean up also showed the worm drive for the micro height winder is a little worn but overall and the bushings for the height posts needed cleaning but nothing major. I think some sap or resin had gotten onto one of the bushing and there was some dust and crap stuck to it. The geared height adjustment is a lot better after cleanup and a bit of paste wax on the posts.

My impressions of it? Not too bad. I still prefer the Makita style height adjustment and even after cleanup, plunging the router is an effort. I think I'll be using it in geared mode all the time. It is a bit top heavy for hand held use but works ok in a sled. It is *very* loud. I'm not 100% sure about the collet as I did have a bit of a slip but it was after a rather heavy cut with the massive Carbitool planer bit (it's 51mm in diameter) so I don't want to blame the router just yet. The heavier than desired cut was due to a clunky height change, this was pre cleanup. I've attached a photo of a spotted gum benchtop flattened using the TRA001 and planer bit, then sanded at 80, 120, and 180 grit with a ROS. Sanding was pretty quick and the surface feels and measures -flat-.

I like the features but if I had to pay full price, I'd spend a bit more and get the Makita. As it stands, I think I will be getting the Makita RP2301FC when a good deal pops up, the TRA001 will do for now.

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Originally Posted by damian

The fixed base version fits readily into a lifter, so you could put it in a table easily.

Now that I have the TRA001, I think that will reside in the table. I was thinking of something along the lines of the Swiss Tec router body with a lifter that Gregory's sell as a long term table solution. Since I've started looking, I've been surprised that at the 1/2" collet size, only the Bosch GOF1600 (and that apparently has it's own issues with the height locking) offers a fixed base as an accessory. At the 1/4" size, both Makita and DeWalt have routers with interchangeable bases.

I have no first hand experience with that gregories router body but I've been reading a lot of threads lately and there are some uncomplimentary opinions on them. Seems like a cnc spindle is preferred along with an external speed controller. Cheaper too....

Probe the forum.

Congratulation on the tra. As I said, and you said, you wouldn't pay new money but if you got it at the right price....you may swear though when the speed control starts failing. Mine has lived in my router wing since new and the mof is gong to join it soon on the other side of the saw. I can't remember the last time I hand routed, but I use the table a LOT!!!

Originally Posted by damian

I have no first hand experience with that gregories router body but I've been reading a lot of threads lately and there are some uncomplimentary opinions on them. Seems like a cnc spindle is preferred along with an external speed controller. Cheaper too....

Probe the forum.

Congratulation on the tra. As I said, and you said, you wouldn't pay new money but if you got it at the right price....you may swear though when the speed control starts failing. Mine has lived in my router wing since new and the mof is gong to join it soon on the other side of the saw. I can't remember the last time I hand routed, but I use the table a LOT!!!

Thanks for the heads up. I will do my research when the time comes.

I'm of two minds to even get a replacement worm drive. I think I'll just use it until things start breaking, then set it aside on the top shelf. There's a Makita event at Total Tools Coopers Plains this weekend, if the price there is enticing enough, I may get the RP2301FC. Because what is one more tool when you have a garage full of them?

But man, flattening the spotted gum was so easy. I'd been going at it with hand planes and scrapers before .

Congrats on the TRA. May it be as reliable as mine has (bought through auction after GMC went down at around $250 delivered). Any chance of a pic or two of your planing sled?

I’ve had my MOF001 just over 3 years now and it’s still going strong. Mainly use it in the table, but also use it out of the table in jigs to cut mortises or free hand with fence for large rebates or large jobs with templates.
I also have a smaller Makita 3620 which I use for fine work around templates

Originally Posted by perthwoody

Congrats on the TRA. May it be as reliable as mine has (bought through auction after GMC went down at around $250 delivered). Any chance of a pic or two of your planing sled?

Sure thing, just don't laugh at it. There are quite a few Youtube videos on the topic. It's pretty simple but it has to be cut and put together with some care. Mine has a 16mm MDF base with 16mm melamine 'rails' for the bed. The sled itself is all 16mm melamine particleboard. The two screwed in stops on the top are so that the router bit doesn't hit the rails. I've replaced the router base with a rectangular piece of 6mm MDF, waxed on the bottom and sides. It slides along the sled really nicely. I've got one stop underneath each side of the sled so that the sled can only travel sideways along the rails, no racking or unwanted movement perpendicular to the rails. Everything is pocket holed together and has been rock solid for the 2 boards I've done (and all I need it for). Why make it out of 16mm sheet goods? Because that's what I had in the garage.

I made a bed because my garage floor is not level at all. I've got shims (window packers) anywhere its required under the bed. The important part is that the router bit is going to cut relative to the rails, so the rails have to be spot on and level with each other and no cupping or crowning in the sled.

One thing I haven't seen on a video yet- if you can, make your base or rails a sled width longer on each side of your timber. After cutting across the short sides of the slab/board, there will be 'ridges' or fuzzy strips left behind. Instead of sanding these out, I did a super light cut along the grain, like the micro height adjuster just turned ever so slightly after the last cross grain cut. This gets rid of the ridges and leaves a super smooth surface. It may not be so important with softer woods but spotted gum is... special.

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Originally Posted by Lappa

I’ve had my MOF001 just over 3 years now and it’s still going strong.

I should keep my eyes open for a second hand MOF001 so I can make a double liar out of myself

Can't complain about the TRA001 now, did a second larger (1.8mx0.7m) board today and no bit slipping and the height adjustment was excellent. Looks like the cleanup did the job.

Thanks for the pics. I will have to invest in the right kind of bit before considering building one. I'm glad to hear it's going well. I should probably consider a tear down even if it is just for inspection, but I imagine there may be some cleaning due after 5 1/2 years.

Originally Posted by Alkahestic

Firstly, apologies for yet another hardware recommendation thread, but I've been doing my head in trying to decide on a 1/2" router.

I'm looking at the Makita RP2301FC, Triton TRA001, and Dewalt DW621. I'll be using it mostly in a yet to be built table but also in a router sled jig to flatten larger panels with a 6 cutter surface planing bit, so the variable speed is pretty much a must have. If you've used one or more of these routers, please add your 2c! The planned table will use a phenolic insert that may be upgraded to an aluminum plate. No lift mechanism just yet but who knows what the future holds. I'd prefer to get a bit of use with the larger router then decide on the more expensive items like a cast iron top table/raiser. My current 'table' is 16mm MDF with a cut out clamped to a workbench and a jointed 70x35mm pine board screwed into it acting as the fence. Crude but workable

I'm thinking my priorities list would be:

1. Precise height adjustments and holding of settings
2. Reliability
3. Ease of bit changes

Definitely Triton and definitely coupled with Triton table. If you want to flatten the large pieces, I would have router table mounted and place your workpiece in the "cradle" to move on the top of the table instead of having the router mounted in the sled. Triton has the micro adjuster that can be operated through the table when the router is table mounted.
In saying that there are easier ways to flatten a workpiece than router and sled, e.g. planer-thicknesser.