Triton vs Saw Table advice

[John G]

Hi All, sorry to start from basics, but I am a Triton novice here...
After growing up with my dad's Shermatic workbench, the time has come to upgrade my own gear. So I am trying to decide between the Triton or a dedicated table saw. I realise it's an unfair comparison, but having read through most of the posts here, I think I can probably summarise the Triton as follows:
- pros: cost and storage
- cons: setup and maintenance
It seems that everyone's main complaint is the ease with which the Triton will lose alignment and so need re-adjustment. I fear this will drive me crazy, but I don't want to buy a table saw if I can avoid it. So my question is:
has anyone customised or modified their workcentre to the level that they are happy with it's rigidity and stability?
Some previous posts have made suggestions such as replacing the self-tappers and plastic cams with bolts. Another was to remove the legs and build a timber base unit. There was much talk explaining the pressed tin construction of the workcentre.
I guess my issue is similar to a topic from Vonrek, but I want to see if anyone has a devised a solution to the problem.
I have a compound mitre saw, so I don't think I will ever need to use the Triton in crosscut mode (true?). Unless someone has solved the Triton-rigidity problem, I am nervous I will be disappointed.
I keenly await any advice. John.

[This message has been edited by John G (edited 08 August 2002).]

[DPB]

John, I think your concerns are ill founded.

One of the reasons many people purchase a Triton Workcentre is due to the portability feature. They either want to move their Triton from one location to another, or don’t have a dedicated place to keep their Triton permanently set up.

You will appreciate that hauling your Triton around on the back of a ute and setting it up on site is not ideal in terms of keeping the settings accurate. And if the new location is not level then this plays havoc with them. But the Triton is comparatively light-weight so they persist. (I suspect that any type of equipment would not stand up too well to this kind of treatment.)

Those who have to fold up the Triton Workcentre and store it away after each use understand and put up with the need to check the settings. Usually, they are OK, but occasionally they need tweaking. This only takes a few minutes.

I don’t fall into either of these categories. What attracted me to the Workcentre is its relatively low cost. Although I had avoided purchasing the Triton for the very concerns you state, I spoke to enough people to learn that the Triton Workcentre would indeed hold its accuracy if set up carefully at the outset, and left in one location. I assume that this is your intention, or you wouldn’t be considering a standard bench-saw as an alternative.

I have been using my Workcentre for twelve months now. It is set up permanently in my shop which has a concrete floor, covered with artificial turf, of all things. (At first I was going to remove the turf, but it’s comfortable underfoot, and “holds” the legs of my Triton firmly in place.) I am very fussy about perfect jointing and I can accomplish this on my Triton. I do occasionally check the settings with a very expensive steel square. My set-up has not gone out and remains as accurate as the day I set the equipment up.

One more thing, I am a member of the Holmglen Triton Club. We use four or five Triton Workcentres that are put away after every session. Again, we check the equipment occasionally, but they seem to hold their settings well. In the case of these units, which are heavily used by people of varying skills and experience, I would say they are testimony to the advances Triton has made in manufacturing a great product at an affordable price.

[In case you are wondering, I have no relationship with Triton Industries. I’m just a happy customer and am willing to say so.]


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Woodchuck Canuck
Good luck is the residue of good planning!

[This message has been edited by DPB (edited 08 August 2002).]

[Sandy Johnston]

Yes I agraee the Triton workcenter is a great system if set up correctly and periodically checked.
I am constantly evaluating what I have and the wish list is there. I think a cross cut mitre saw will sovle my predicament to and a band saw.
Triton will cover most of what I need but I am also into wood turning and that is why I will stick with my shopsmith.
Having said that, there is alignment problems there too and it all boils down to moving it on an unflat floor.
I intend to build a rigid box with wheels & levelers to take care of this.
Apart from that I doo miss the workcentre because it had a realy big surface to cut on compared with what I now have, and I still have 2 multi stands and the dust bucket that I have adapted for the other.

Looking back I was able to do some really cool woodworking with the triton and I was a great way to get into the wood.

No I dont have shares in triton or shopsmith.

Regards
Sandy across the ditch

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[Corunetes]

All of the above is good advice and there is also the added advantage of the sliding extension table that takes the saw bench to another level in (reasonably) cheap workshop saw benches....


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Catch ya later
Corunetes

[soundman]

comments from an ex tritoner.
The best way to buy a triton is second hand. They pop up in the clasifieds regular. But be quick.

I used a triton for years & did a lot of heavy work on it. As such they do a job & fill a need.

If however you have the space to leave a say bench set up a small propper bench is a better dollar for dollar inventment.

Four things in favour of a real bench. Propper rise & fall, tilt, a conventional fence, a quiet induction motor.

Compare the price of setting up a triton with the price of a good little tiwaneese machine & go figure.


I am now on saw bench No3 and don't regret moving on the triton or purchasing it in the first place.

For many people a triton is a good place to start and there are a lot of happy users.

cheers check it out.

[John G]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Based on this info, plus a few emails some of you kindly sent me, I will be Tritoneering soon...
Incidentally, I was at a friend's fathers this morning, and he had a Mk3 set up in the garage... without it's legs and sitting on it's own timber base. So I went and had a play for 10 minutes, he had the extension table too. Very nice.
I've been looking in the papers for Triton stuff, but the availability in Canberra is effectively zero. Damn country town!