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barrysumpter
31st January 2001, 01:20 AM
Hi Again all,
I've spent about 2 hours on 4 sessions trying to set up my Planner on the Triton Planner Attachment.

I was always having problems with getting the wood to slide thru properly. I had built both the simple and advanced planner jig. But still couldn't figure out how to get the silly thing to work properly.

So I took everything down to Triton to see if they could help me.

I had already phoned ahead to see if I could make an appointment with one of the salesmen. But the Triton person who answered the phone said it wasn't necessary. I then asked is they could check to make sure someone with immediate planner attacment knowledge would be there. Again the person said it wasn't necessary.

Well I rocked up about 9:30 and spent about an hour with Matt at the service desk sorting out spare parts, router bits, and prices.

And wasn't too happy when they said no one was avaialble to help with the planner attachment.

I mentioned how adament I was about phoning ahead and let them know how long it took to pack and drive. (It took an hour to load the car and 45 mins to get there.) So I wasn't in any hurry to leave and I sure didn't want to wait for someone. Anyway after breaking up two meetings they did find someone to help.

Anyway the gentleman they found took my planner attachment assembly completely apart and started from the beginning.

While he was putting everything back together he mentioned a couple of excellent tips about the planner attachment and how to set it up properly.

The most enlightening things were:

1. push the work piece against the fence
and NOT the planner shoe. Its
impossible to set the shoe parallel with
the fence. So don't try.

2. set up the planner so the blades are the
the only thing touching the work piece.

3. set up the planner so the planner is
tilted forward toward the work piece.

4. set the planners front shoe to be about
1 mm behind the blades.

5. the planner blades should be the lowest
point in an exagerated 'V'. Where the
planner shoes would be the spread legs
of the 'V'.

6. Do not remove the planner shoes.
Even though the shoes do not come in
contact with the work piece, we should
leave them on for safety guides.

7. Use the black plastic guides (the
things on the end that uses springs) as
guides to hold the work piece against
the fence.

8. Double width work pieces are almost
impossible to work without leaving a
step. Just use the Triton orbital
sander to smooth the step.

9. When mounting the planner into the
planner attachment just tighten the
bolts snuggly. Do not worry about
tightening them further.

I certainly wasn't happy when he wouldn't demo his work to prove what he did was any better than what I had previously set up. Or even use a sqare to make sure it was properly set up. However, I'm still happy with the info and the service I continually receive from Triton.

As I was there with the workcenter he did notice the table top was rocking back and forth and was concerned with the quality control and asked the quality control manager to have a look.

The quality control manager didn't see anything different than the ones he had on the production line or in the service center demos.

However, he did mention that in a few weeks they were changing the fit of the table top and asked me to return then to pick up a new top. Just thought it would be good to mention.

------------------
Thanks,
Barry G. Sumpter
Proud Tritoneer


[This message has been edited by barrysumpter (edited 31 January 2001).]

Angelo
14th February 2001, 10:31 PM
Hi Barry,

I read your posts about the Triton Planer Attachment and, like you, am
having some problems setting it up.

Unlike you however I am a long way from Triton. I live in the Snowy
Mountains in NSW about 2 1/2 hours away from Canberra. I feel like I own a
share in Triton after all of the pieces of equipment I have bought though I
do find them extremely useful in my woodwork and find the forum on the
bulletin board very helpful

How has the unit worked for you since having it looked at by Triton? Are you
happy with the quality of its work? I don't have a jointer or planer and the
Triton planer seems to me to be a good cheap alternative whilst building my
general woodworking skills and collection of work tools. Whilst I will
probably add a planer in time the Triton planer fills the gap for a while.

I would be very interested to hear your comments.

Cheers,
Angelo

barrysumpter
16th February 2001, 07:20 AM
Update !

I've sorted out the planer jigs and and now using the planer attachment as a trimmer only.

So as soon as I cut my work piece I immediately slip one of the jigs on and run the workpiece thru the planer. Satifactory results insue.

I've also recieved and tested the new model Triton Workcentre 2000 table. I just traded in my old one. The new one fits considerably better. And I don't have anymore tilt or play. Once I realigned the Triton saw to the new table I'm cutting more accurately more often. On both sides of the table.



------------------
Thanks,
Barry G. Sumpter
Proud Tritoneer

Kevan
22nd February 2001, 07:44 PM
I have an original Series 2000 model Workcentre. Can you confirm that a new improved table top is available. I too have experienced some rocking and a less than optimum fit.
I emailed Triton but I think they misinterpreted my query and thought that I was referring to the new router table top.

hamster
27th February 2001, 11:25 PM
Hi Barry,

I too have struggled with the planer and your post has certainly gone a long way towards helping. Once I dumped the setup instructions and followed common sense about how it should work it seems much easier to set up. I am still, however, having a problem getting the cutter face exactly 90 degrees to the table. Even when I can set it up properly the planer rear shoe seems to move a lot against the 40mm square metal plate. In jointing, even 1/2 degree can be a problem. How do you get yours stable?

Second question - how did you set the amount you wanted to remove on each pass? It seems that the distance of the cutter head to the fence is arbitrary, do you simply set it by hand each time or use the fence scales with a correction factor?

Third question - which of the jigs did you build from the manual?

I bought the planer to be my poor mans jointer and so far it is the only Triton product which I have not been 100% happy with. I am using a Makita planer, by the way.

Marcus

hamster
28th February 2001, 03:19 PM
Well, after a very helpful conversation with Warren Brown, Triton's Engineering Manager, I now have the planer working.

Warren made many of the same suggestions that Barry had, above, but no matter what I did I couldn't get 90 degrees and clearance from the rear shoe at the same time. Warren suggested that I re-align the plastic support brackets which rest on the lower rail of the workcentre, in other words to "push" the whole planer frame up a little. Hey presto, it all works a treat now. My coffee table top is slowly drying as we speak.

Warren said that they were aware that the setup on the planer was sub-optimal and that the Engineering team did not like the mounting arrangement but were overruled during R&D by George.

I wouldn't be completely surprised to see a revision of the kit come out some time.

Meanwhile, delivery on the router is scheduled for October and it will allow, amongst other things, full bit changing from above the router table - can't wait for that! It's a variable speed unit and roughly equivilant to the Hitachi version I'm told. Expect an RRP of around the $400 mark http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/frown.gif

Marcus

barrysumpter
4th March 2001, 07:49 PM
Hi Hampster,
I've just returned from overseas.
Glad to hear you've sorted out the planer.
Let me know if you still want me to answer your previous questions.



------------------
Thanks,
Barry G. Sumpter
Proud Tritoneer

barrysumpter
4th March 2001, 07:53 PM
Hey! Angelo!

Did you get your planer attachment queries answered? Please, let me know.



------------------
Thanks,
Barry G. Sumpter
Proud Tritoneer

barrysumpter
4th March 2001, 07:56 PM
Kevan,
When I received my new table top I understood that Triton had updated their production process for the new table and would be producing this new model from now on.

I haven't spoken to anyone at Triton since and will assume that the new table top is a success.

Let me know if you get one and how it went.



------------------
Thanks,
Barry G. Sumpter
Proud Tritoneer

Angelo
29th March 2001, 10:07 PM
Hello Barry,

I have been away overseas as well for the last month and have not had a chance to get in the shed in the last couple of days since being back.

I will have another go in about a week to see if I can fit this thing and will let you know. Thanks for posting your tips however as they will help.

Cheers,
Ang