Triton Router Table Mod - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

[I_wanna_Shed]

Hi Everyone,

A while ago I made this post (Here (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=36681)) about my sliding dovetails not coming out right (Picture One is one of those sliding dovetails). The gaps in this joint, as discussed in the above thread, were caused by some minor flex in the table's plastic insert.

I followed the plans on the Triton Woodworker's site (http://www.tritonwoodworkers.org.au/) to create the aluminium router table top, and must say, the results are fantastic (see Picture Two)! Just take your time following these plans, and it will all work out (instead of using the router to cut the aluminium sheet as per the instructions, I just used a steel cutting blade in my jigsaw).

The plan uses a Triton router in the table, which sits in the router mounting plate differently to my B&D router. Due to this, a different mounting method was required. I drilled 4 holes in the router mounting plate, these holes were matched with holes in the aluminium sheet, and counter sunk screws were inserted and held with a spring washer and nut underneath - instead of pop riveting it on as per the plans (Picture Three).

Today I tried my sliding dovetail joint again, and as I was hoping/expecting, the sliding dovetail joint is now almost perfect! I just need to adjust the squareness of my fence and I will be set!

I also haven't made a zero clearance insert as yet. At the moment there is a 36mm (I think) hole which is big enough for the bits I have at the moment. When I get larger router bits I will enlarge the hole and make a zero clearance insert bit (also in the instructions).

I recommend this thread for those that have a Triton router table!!!

P.S. In one of the pics of the table you can see my crosscut sled in the picture - ANOTHER highly recommended upgrade for the Triton Workcentre. :)

P.P.S. I have now hooked power upto my shed... 4 double fluro's, and a total of just 32 power points..... :)

[Stuart]

You are very welcome :) Glad you have found my mod so useful. Actually, I'm absolutely stoked that someone actually decided to give it a go, and have had so much success with the result!

FWIW, it is also detailed in an article I wrote for the 2006 House & Home magazine.

[Gumby]

I reckon that's great. And you have a crosscut sled too. :D

But doesn't it give you a severe case of the $hits that we have to resort to this sort of mod because of the inadequate design of the Triton table in the first place. Rather than do this mod, I sold mine. :mad:

[I_wanna_Shed]

You are very welcome :) Glad you have found my mod so useful. Actually, I'm absolutely stoked that someone actually decided to give it a go, and have had so much success with the result!

Whoops! Forgot to thank you directly for coming up with the mod Stuart!


But doesn't it give you a severe case of the $hits that we have to resort to this sort of mod because of the inadequate design of the Triton table in the first place. Rather than do this mod, I sold mine. :mad:


If I had my time again I would definately build my own router table, probably using alot of Incra parts and other little gems from Woodpeckers. This is mostly due to the flex and unlevel tabletop, and the want for a larger and more versatile fence (yes, I can build on top of the Triton one, but it defeats the purpose of buying a whole router table kit, doesn't it?).

I guess a great router table isn't that hard to make, I basically did 1/3rd of one by doing this aluminium table top! Ah well.....


I've learnt a surprising amount of tips and lessons while making these two mods/jigs.

[sam8364]

I am wondering if the mod of an additional aluminium top for the router table might cure my sag problem (see other post).

Does anyone have the plans for this - I cannot find it from the link on this post.

Cheers

Sam

[sam8364]

Ah, So I should have looked around before asking. I found the step by step instructions on Stu's own website.

Excellent step by step photo job.

Just a couple of questions for Stu or anyone else who has tried this mod...

1. although you get a uniform surface compared to the standard table - my problem is that the surface of the router insert in concave causing changes in depth of the cut. - would riveting the new sheet to this just replicate this problem on the new surface. Have you found your new table top is level?

2. Can you provide some more instructions/pictures of how to make and fit the zero clearence insert? My brain hurt when trying to work it out.

[I_wanna_Shed]

Ah, So I should have looked around before asking. I found the step by step instructions on Stu's own website.

Excellent step by step photo job.

Just a couple of questions for Stu or anyone else who has tried this mod...

1. although you get a uniform surface compared to the standard table - my problem is that the surface of the router insert in concave causing changes in depth of the cut. - would riveting the new sheet to this just replicate this problem on the new surface. Have you found your new table top is level?

2. Can you provide some more instructions/pictures of how to make and fit the zero clearence insert? My brain hurt when trying to work it out.



Hi Sam,

The concave insert is what was causing my main problems aswell. The aluminium sheet I used was 3mm thick (I think). This is screwed to the large grey router mounting plate. The sheet is thick enough that it does not flex at all - the surface is flat from end to end.

I never made the zer clearance inserts, although I may make these as I think they would be handy when routing small pieces.

Cheers,
Nathan.

[princhester]

I followed the plans on the Triton Woodworker's site (http://www.tritonwoodworkers.org.au/) to create the aluminium router table top...

I'm probably missing something really obvious but I can never find anything on the Triton Woodworker's site and this is no exception. There's links on the left to Meeting Details, there's Policies and Regulations and there's Online Tools and Links. None of the links, including the links to plans, seem to include this mod. Someone help a blind bat, could they?

[Groggy]

I'm probably missing something really obvious but I can never find anything on the Triton Woodworker's site and this is no exception. There's links on the left to Meeting Details, there's Policies and Regulations and there's Online Tools and Links. None of the links, including the links to plans, seem to include this mod. Someone help a blind bat, could they?Go to Stu's Shed link on the Triton site. Once there click on the magic cloud on the right , on "router table". It will be one of those links.

Ah heck, just click here (http://stusshed.wordpress.com/category/tools/floor-model-tools/router-table/), it is the unorthodox links.

[princhester]

Ah. I see. I didn't think the link to Stu's Shed was relevant, since I thought that the mod was on the Triton Woodworker's site.

[Stuart]

I'm probably missing something really obvious but I can never find anything on the Triton Woodworker's site and this is no exception. There's links on the left to Meeting Details, there's Policies and Regulations and there's Online Tools and Links. None of the links, including the links to plans, seem to include this mod. Someone help a blind bat, could they?

Nor are you going blind - I took 90% of the Triton Club site down a couple of years ago as I couldn't afford the server space, and couldn't get a site sponsor. Things have changed, and it is now possible to get tonnes of free web space (and I now could run it out of a home web server), however the club itself doesn't seem to really be interested and I have bigger projects on the go these days that more than fill the void that the old Triton site now leaves.

[Stuart]

Ah, So I should have looked around before asking. I found the step by step instructions on Stu's own website.

Excellent step by step photo job.

Just a couple of questions for Stu or anyone else who has tried this mod...

1. although you get a uniform surface compared to the standard table - my problem is that the surface of the router insert in concave causing changes in depth of the cut. - would riveting the new sheet to this just replicate this problem on the new surface. Have you found your new table top is level?

Hi Sam,
To answer the first, this is pretty much the main reason for doing the mod - the flatness of the original table. I used a structural grade aluminium which is thick enough to retail its own 'shape' (ie flatness) despite undulations of the original top. Where it is riveted (to the router mounting plate) is typically the highest part of the table so you won't be pulling the sheet down into a cavity, duplicating the concave issue. You can also use some thin spacers to ensure this is the case if you are concerned. If the outside edge of the new top is not being supported underneath sufficiently, add shims as required.

I never had a problem with the new top's level.



2. Can you provide some more instructions/pictures of how to make and fit the zero clearence insert? My brain hurt when trying to work it out.
Pictures - no sorry - sold that table and upgrade a while ago. But I'll try to remember, and describe.

1. you have the large opening for the largest of your router bits.

2. the router needs the template guide plate installed, which has 2 holes in it for securing the template guides. We will instead be securing the zero clearance insert with screws through it into these holes.

3. make a wood (mdf perhaps?) insert that is tight (or at least not loose) in the hole in the router table, and that is the right thickness so it is level with the router table top.

4. countersink a couple of holes through this insert that line up with the corresponding holes in the template guide mounting plate

5. mount the bit that you want to have a zero clearance for (cannot be a bearinged bit), and wind it down so it is well below the table (and below the insert when it is fitted) (Alternatively, drill the hole in the zero clearance, but be sure that it is centred around where the bit will be.)

6. screw (secure) the zero clearance insert in place

7. CAREFULLY wind (plunge, but with the microadjuster) the bit through the insert until it breaks through completely.

You now have a zero clearance insert mounted, that is flush with the table, cannot accidentally dislodge and is centred on the router bit.

Hope that helps.

[sam8364]

Oh, I see, Cheers Stu.

I think my problem was that my kit was not supplied with the template guide so I could not visulaise it. I will order one and I am sure everything will become clear.

As for the new surface being level. My problem is the reverse of what most people seem to suffer. The router mouting plate is the lowest section of the table not the highest. The centre of the table (or at least the point where the cutter sits) is 1.5-2mm lower than the level of the main (orange) body of the table.

I guess 3mm aluminium would probably be thick enough to resist being pulled to the shape of the router plate - more likely the router plate will be pulled flat. I may try the coutersunk screws and nuts method rather than rivets so that I can control the pressure places on the new surface better.

Lastly, having always been a wood fanatic and run in fear from metal......what is the difference beyween structural aluminium and any other sort? How would I tell?

Any thoughts?

[Dengue]

It looks like the surface of the new plate is 3mm or so above the cross-cut sled surface level. I would have thought this drop would cause the workpiece not to be exactly horizontal.

Have I got this correct?

regards,
Jill

[I_wanna_Shed]

It looks like the surface of the new plate is 3mm or so above the cross-cut sled surface level. I would have thought this drop would cause the workpiece not to be exactly horizontal.

Have I got this correct?

regards,
Jill

Hi Jill,

Yes, you are right. To get around this the plans include a workaround. Cut out some small round bits of the same 3mm aluminium and place these between the MDF sled and the red plastic bits, raising the sled the amount as the thickness of the aluminium plate.

Cheers,
Nathan.

[Dengue]

ahhh... too easy!

thanks Nathan

Jill

[Stuart]

I moved the original instructions for the mod from my original Triton site to my Stu's Shed site.

The complete instructions this are now located
Here for the router table mod (http://stusshed.wordpress.com/2008/03/04/unorthodox-triton-router-table-mod-part-1/) and
Here for the accessories mods (http://stusshed.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/unorthodox-triton-router-table-mod-part-2-accessories/)

Hope they help (lots of photos!)

[Dengue]

thanks Stuart - this makes it much easier to find. Good work you did with the router table top!

Jill

[diana]

Hi
Can you point me in the right direction to find the aluminum table top? I went to the link at triton and could not find the plans for the top. Also the top for the saw table you made. Do you have the plans for that?
Thanks for your help
diana

[Stuart]

Router table - Read my previous post :oo:

Not sure what saw table you are referring to?