Thread: Had a gut full 😡😡😡

I have two TRA001 routers for some years and neither of them has suffered from the speed controller problem. There is a rumour that Triton/GMC have sourced their products from different places over the years, and that this may have led to poor quality control. I think the real issue is that Triton in Australia (via White Industries and Carbatec) does not appear to very pro-active in addressing common failures.

The only “goodies”on the Triton that most others don’t have is the above table adjustment and maybe the ability to change the bit above the table. These seem to be reliable. It’s things like the speed control unit and armature and/or field failures. Many routers have speed controls and all have armatures and fields

Triton also has the dust shroud and related dust extraction, but that has its downside, because it is hard to see the bit accurately when working in freehand mode.

Originally Posted by Bob38S

I don’t quite follow the “love” of the Triton routers. People seem to swear by them

I'm one who still love my Triton router and the Triton saw as I bought mine direct from Triton when it was still owned by George Lewin in the late 1990's direct from their then Cheltenham offices.

Although I don't use them very much anymore they have never given me any problems except that the saw guide return spring is a bit slow having been in the Triton workcentre for many years. Quality control under George was great as all routers and saws were tested in Cheltenham before sale.

So I think those who have the old stuff love them and those that have the modern stuff don't.

Peter.

I have a TR001 mounted in a table and I don’t like it at all. Some of the features are good in theory, but are poorly executed. I guess for $360 I shouldn’t have expected fantastic quality. I hate the switch lockout mechanism and will remove it when I get time.

Re the failing speed controllers- couldn’t you just bypass the dead controller and turn it into a single speed router? Better than binning it.

Not an option in my case - having the thing screaming flat out is not a good idea when using bits of various sizes, especially large ones

I agree that the switch lockout mechanism can be a pain; it does tend to stick from time to time.

I think Sturdee is correct about 'old' and 'new' Triton gear. Back in the day, Triton were an innovative manufacturer with an eye to quality, hence the loyal user base they were able to build up. Following the change(s) of ownership, they just became another brand aiming at the low end of the market (GMC et al), and having parts manufactured who knows where. A lot has changed in the power tool market since Triton started out, and there are plenty of other routers on the market now offering better quality and reliability for not much more $$$. I gather than some of their other power tools are even more dire than the routers.

Couldn't you fit an external speed controller? Easier to access for one thing when table mounted and by the sound of it more reliable. That's what I'm going to do if mine ever gives me grief.

Can the internal one be bypassed. I have an MOF001 which failed just after the warranty expired and has been relegated to the back of the cupboard. I like the features it has but didn't trust replacing the speed controller with another one that might fail with the same small amount of work. I think mine fell into the era of better mechanical features but poor electronics.
I have currently replaced it with an old TRA but it doesn't have the above table height adjustment.

From looking at the spare parts list, I believe the speed controller has a Hall Effect feedback circuit for accurate speed control. Even with this I can’t see why the motor can’t be connected directly to 240v and have the speed controlled by an external speed controller such as the Jaycar KC5478.
i will be doing this if my speed controller fails.

Lappa,
I built the older version of that speed controller. I’ve fried it twice on a 400W drill! Hopefully the new version is more robust.