Triton Router Table

[Johnno]

I have a current model router table, which I am generally happy with except for two problems:
1. I'm shaping picture frames from reclaimed hardwood - no-one seems to know what it is, least of all me, but opinions vary from mahogany through jarrah to kauri (sp?) - and the dust is horrendous. I'm getting tired of soaking my work clothes in Napisan to get the red out. I've been following the thread on the box for the workbench - could something similar work for the router table? (I have a Triton Dust whatnot manfully sucking away above the bit). Any (clean) suggestions appreciated...
2. Any clues on how to positively lock the vertical pressure fingers attached to the fence? I've screwed the damn things as tight as they will go, but they still apply little down force, and what there is lessens while the job is underway. I'm currently clamping the fingerboard I had on my old router bench onto the fence, and am considering making a taller MDF piece to get a better clamoiung surface - again, all suggestions appreciated...

TIA

Johnno

[TOMARTOM]

I also cut up quite a bit of Jarrah, and find it best for this work to be done outside on a cement slab adjacent to the shed(although it may not be practicable)for you, nevertheless I strongly recommend a respirator with a "P2" filter that will filter organic dusts. Exposure to Jarrah dust gave me huge headaches!

Cheers


Tony

[barrysumpter]

Some excellent questions Johnno.
And some excellent suggestins Tomartom.

There was NOT a dust collector bag for the router table. Which I always thought was strange. And I havn't seen one for the new router stand either.

I've always used one of the huge orange garbage bags and taped it inside the router stand. On the lower bar of the side frame. You can also place a shorter piece to cover the sides by taping it to the inside of the upper bar and have it hang down enough to cover the lower bar. Which allows you hands access to the inside of the table for adjusting your router.

Using the sound reducing box idea for the router. You'd have to devise some sort of door for the upper box for the router because you need access to the router more often that the table saw. My thought is to have a hinged swininging door. The hinges would be on the top and the door would swing upwards.

Rounter pressure fingers: You could try clamping a feather board above your work piece or find stronger material for the pressure fingers. I wonder if there is room for two fingers in the slots? A higher single piece fence is a exellent idea. I've always used a push block (not stick) when using the router. I just like some distance between my hand and the cutting bit.

I cut a considerable amount of merbu and used to get absess inside my nose. Very painful and they last for weeks. I've also had a lot of headaches as well. I've also gone with the stronger filter and feel more comfortable mentally but its harder to breath thru. I wish triton would sort out their dust helmet.

The huge air filters are still too expensive for me. Although I would like to know if anyone knows where to shop for the motor/blower for making one myself.

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


[This message has been edited by barrysumpter (edited 01 November 2001).]

[zydeco]

Johnno
You wrote:


Originally posted by Johnno:
[1. I'm shaping picture frames from reclaimed hardwood - no-one seems to know what it is, least of all me, but opinions vary from mahogany through jarrah to kauri (sp?) - and the dust is horrendous. [/B]
Kauri isn't really a hardwood, and the timber is more honey coloured. You say the dust is bad news. Does it cause an irratation in your throat and lungs? If so and it is red, it may be Rimu. A NZ native which is used for furniture and flooring, but is a bugger if you breathe in the dust. In fact it can cause long-term problems. It has been used here in Aust in the past, but to what extent, I don't know.
Cheers
Warwick

[Shane Watson]

Warick,

NZ Rimu (Dacridium Cupressinum) isn't red, although it is also called red pine.. It actually does resemble pine to some extent except the colouring is more brown.

Heres a little trinket I picked up earlier this year while in NZ. Its made with Rimu, but the pic is about twice as dark as it really is.
http://members.dingoblue.net.au/~watfen/Rimu.jpg.JPG

I am sure Sandy will elaborate & or correct me.

Cheers!



------------------
Shane Watson..

Combine Love & Skill & You Can Expect A Masterpiece!

[Johnno]

Thanks folks, particularly Barry, for your suggestions. I will certainly try the large garbage bag, and will make a new, larger, mdf front fence tomorrow - my old finger/feather boards work very well, but they do need more height than is available on the standard Triton model.
With regard to working outside, I do - more or less - my workspace is under my carport, which is open to most of the elements, while my equipment is all stored in a small garden shed at one side. So everything has to be as portable as possible, which kinda stops me making a decent sound-deadening surround for my router or saw table. Anyhow, my neighbours haven't complained yet - or at least I can't hear them!

[zydeco]

Ian
Nice. You're right, it's not exactly red, but it is the "reddest" of NZ woods that I can think of. My house in Auckland (where I'm from) is built (frame)from it and was it ever a bugger to drill for the wiring when I renovated!

[Johnno]

Further to Zydeco and Shane:
Thanks guys, I appreciate your help. My lungs are already shot - I was born with emphysema - and don't need any more irritation. I use face masks - I bought several packs from Aldi when they had them on sale a while back, and go through around four per session - then they go in the Napisan bucket for a soak. I hear your comments about face masks, also a few letters in 'The Australian Woodworker' - is there a reasonably priced full face mask that I should investigate?
I'm fairly new to this high intensity wordwork, having been only an occasional dabbler until my wife retired and started painting (Art, y'know) and now I've had to turn my aeromodelling room into a framing room. Strangely, I've found that I like converting rough bits of reclaimed wood into picture frames - and I'm having fun building all the cabinets and things to house all the gadgets I can convince my wife are necessary to support her habit.

[Badger]

Re the idea of closing in the space under the router. I know all the old plans for router tables did this but it's always worried me about recycling the dust through my router (note that Triton have the air intake outside the saw dust bag). Five minutes clearing up under the router table at the end of the day is better than replacing bearings and brushes.

------------------
Badger - A gruff short tempered animal that sleeps most of the winter

[zathras]

I made up a dust bag for my homemade router table that was basically a W shape in cross section.

i.e. the center of the bag was inverted to come back over the back of the router with a hole of course, keeping the dust and chips out out the air intake.

I hope the ASCII art works below :-)

\ | | /
| | | |
| '--' |
\ / \ /
\ / \ /
' '

The bit in the centre is the router. I held the bag up with elastic straps slipped over the handles of the router.

Hope this helps.


Originally posted by Badger:
Re the idea of closing in the space under the router. I know all the old plans for router tables did this but it's always worried me about recycling the dust through my router (note that Triton have the air intake outside the saw dust bag). Five minutes clearing up under the router table at the end of the day is better than replacing bearings and brushes.

[TOMARTOM]

In response to the face mask for protection against dust I use a CIG brand, they apart from welders make protective equipmrnt, although they do not from memory have a wide range of different filters for a wide range of industries to suit these masks.
for example I mainly work with dust so a P2 rated filter was suitable.
If you would like a wider range of uses for the mask, for examplpe mixing chemicals, spraying with some paints and other tasks, then maybee a 3M, or a Sunstrom respirator would be best.

I bought the CIG mask for about $20.00 and replacement filters about $11.00, as opposed to the 3M for about $50.00 and filters about $15.00.

Jusst keep in mind that the mask should be comfortable and preferably have a soft "rubber" section that covers themouth and nose, some cheaper masks do not offer this.


regards

Tony

[Sandy Johnston]

RED? wood - pass I have not got my head around all the timbers avaiable and to tell a timber just looking at a pic on a screen is not for me. However having said that, the Maori fishing hook Shane posted looks like what he says. Who are we to argue with a moderator.

DUST - I am awary of dust being a porblem and where possible I use a recycled upright fan that runs most of the time when I am in the in the workshop - runs of the same switch as the lights.
Off for painting/varnishing only.
Where possible all dusty machines are ducted and I use a full visor and dustmask for most bladed operations.
Dust from router - most routers have a fan system that cools the motor extracting (blowing) towards the chuck. This would keep most of the dust off your router's motor in the table top position. Once in a while I remove table top and chuck and turn on the bit-less router on the slowest speed and give the vents a light brush over with a small nylon brush this loosens up any collection that has accumulated (mostly though static atraction), and the exhaust from the router blows the dust out (in your face!? where's the mask and visor). Other than that a good floor broom does the rest quite well.

Hope this helps
Regards
Sandy across the ditch