Thread: Power saw and Work Centre

Hi Charles,

No expert here. I gave up after few hours of mucking around. I finally took mine to Triton to get it sorted. The workcentre, the fence, the saw, everything.

Don't let them tell you the equipment is all the same, so just bring your sliding chasis and your saw. Everything is off by 1 mil or less. Its pressed metal not steal. Which makes a big difference when accuracy is the issue. Its free just ring first.

I suggest: The cams are oblong. Remove the saw, rotate the cams exactly opposite. (As in from 9:00 to 3:00.) And try again.

As I remember I had 3 x 2 hour sessions trying to sort out the accuracy before giving up.

HTH



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

I had the same trouble - until I made a box for the saw to fit on. The box is solid - 100 x 100 pine and 20mm chipboad on the sides - won't move.
The trouble is the bolted together construction of the unit allows too much flex. I tried not moving the workcentre around and nothing shifted out of alignment until I bumped one of the legs and had to reset the thing again.
Now the center is sitting securly on the top of the box and the box can be bumped - moved without upsetting the accuracy.
Throw away the legs for the workcentre.
The dust collects in the lower portion next to the (partitioned) vacuum cleaner. Also by making removable side panels on the workcenter and putting foam rubber under the tabletop all help control dust (and reduce noise a bit). (Don't forget the breather for the saw intake.)
I find that once the centre is set up the accuracy is excellent.
I am looking at some of the Incra table saw fences to help overcome the "setting twice" fence adjustment.

Just a few ideas from across the ditch.

Hope it helps.
Sandy

Sandy,

Sounds interesting.

I'd sincerely appreciate a picture or drawing of what your talking about.

Been needing something to reduce the sound of the Triton Saw.


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



[This message has been edited by barrysumpter (edited 23 October 2001).]

Originally posted by Sandy Johnston:
The box is solid - 100 x 100 pine and 20mm chipboad on the sides - won't move.

5 bucks says I could move that Chipboard and all I would need is a bit of water & I will be over there in a few months if want me to come demostrate

!

Sandy, you make reference to Incra table saw fences. These divices interest me as well. Have any Triton users tried this?

Without having studied it to closely, it appears to me that these devices will not fit in the mitre slot of the Triton Workcentre. It seems to me that it is the mitre slot that is the starting point for this and a number of other jigs and divices. What have others done to overcome the 'peculiar' nature of the Triton mitre slot vis-a-vis adapting it to these devices?

DPB

Originally posted by Sandy Johnston:
I had the same trouble - until I made a box for the saw to fit on. The box is solid - 100 x 100 pine and 20mm chipboad on the sides - won't move.
The trouble is the bolted together construction of the unit allows too much flex. I tried not moving the workcentre around and nothing shifted out of alignment until I bumped one of the legs and had to reset the thing again.
Now the center is sitting securly on the top of the box and the box can be bumped - moved without upsetting the accuracy.
Throw away the legs for the workcentre.
The dust collects in the lower portion next to the (partitioned) vacuum cleaner. Also by making removable side panels on the workcenter and putting foam rubber under the tabletop all help control dust (and reduce noise a bit). (Don't forget the breather for the saw intake.)
I find that once the centre is set up the accuracy is excellent.
I am looking at some of the Incra table saw fences to help overcome the "setting twice" fence adjustment.

Just a few ideas from across the ditch.

Hope it helps.
Sandy

Yeah, Thought about this a few years back and found the upgrade to be about $300AU.

oh well, never mind.



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

The sliding slot runner is available thru the spare parts dept at Triton I paid $4AU for it and have used it on a box joint jig.

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

[This message has been edited by barrysumpter (edited 26 October 2001).]

Barry, does the sliding slot runner replace the existing slot in the Workcentre? Or does the runner allow other devices such as the Incra Mitre Gauge to adapt to the Workcentre?

I would be loath to modify my Workcentre this early in the game, but would like the additional accuracy the Incra promises. Have any Triton users out there made this adaptation?

Thanks - DPB

To Clarify,
http://www.triton.net.au/images/spares/WCA201.pdf

Part 7c WCA222 Protractor Slide Strip

This is the part which allows the protractor to slide along the workcentre in
Part 3 WCA318 Table Infill Strip (outer).
Both parts get worn after use. Causing cuts to become slightly inaccurate.
Again these are pressed metal and not the steal we get from other machines.

I saw the Incra Mitre at CarbiTech for $300AU. Check here for Mitre prices in $US: http://www.incra.com/Miter/MG.html

The tracks on other machines are a simple but very precise dado channel cut into the table. So converting the slide from other non Triton systems should simple be to replace the flat slide with the Triton protractor slide strip.
If you can get past the cost of Incra then take a slide strip in and see if you can work out how to change over. You can modify the slide strip to fit the Incra. Or slightly modify the Incra to fit the $4 slide strip.

My only outstanding thougt is how the Incra can be minutely adjusted to account for the wear on the Triton parts.


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


[This message has been edited by barrysumpter (edited 26 October 2001).]

Me again. Sorry about stirring up a storm and not getting back but I use this net connection through work and unfortunately work wants work first.

Anyway (1) sound & Dust. Not all there yet but the idea is to use the triton dust collection shroud I already have and lay a piece of half inch foam over this under the table top. There is be a hole under this for the dust to drop into (the Box I built). instead of the dust bag. The box.. has the old electrolux mounted permanently under partitioned from the dust box. This has two holes through the box. one for intake hose to dribe the dust bucket for the overhead dust and one for exhaust to use as a blower to get the dust out the slots. All exposed internal timger and chipboard is coated with a mixture of PVA and water and sawdust. Just paint it on thickly and when dry recoat - cuts the sound down heaps.
Next Removably box -in the sides of the table saw with ply and coat as above.
(item 2) What I was looking at was mounting my router table alongside the table saw on the same box and adusting the height of the latter to alighn with the former.
This would allow me to mount the Incra TS111 fence and slider system for both. But I would have to get an extra long support ali section to cover the distance from front of table saw to rear. (wider than their standard 28") this is available as an extra but I have not had a price yet.
Then both the table saw and the router table would have the benefit of having and accurate system for settings.
(3) for barry...The Box this is 55cm high 75cm wide and 1meter long. 4 @ 4 x 4 legs, 8 @ 2 x 4 flush tennoned into the legs top and bottom. This is then clad with 20mm chipboard around sides and top.
Make shelf inside on short side for vacuum cleaner to sit and thin ply partition for dust collection . (put a base on if you do not want self emptying).
Doors?? where you like/need but seal edges with foam rubber weather strips to stop dust escaping.
As an addition - I was also thinking of grouping all the power pionts to one pannel - say router vacuum and possiply overhead light sysem up over back of sawtable and able to swing over to router.

Anyhow thats my project development ramblings and whats done works sofar just chewing over the cost of the incra fence system ( not so much the mitre board).

Cheerz
Sandy across the ditch

Hi Sandy

Thanks for getting back with the specs.
A few questions please.

The box dimentions of 55cm high I matched with the height from the floor to the very bottom edge of the Triton workcentre front and back. (The front is where the power switch is located and I'm facing the front of the workcentre).

The 1 meter length/Depth matched the Triton workcentres bottom edge from front to back.

However I measured 440 mm width. Measured accross the front from outside leg left to outside leg right. Did not match your measurement of 750.

Could I please ask what the extra 310 mm is used for?

Also does the 55cm height box have a top/partition on it?

Also, the Triton workcentre sides are open. Leaving about 300mm of open space. Could you please tell me how you managed this?

Perhaps its the removable box.

Could you please expand on the removable box? At first I thought it was a drawer for the dust collection to be emptied. But the 'in the sides of the table saw' has thrown me.

Could this possibly be a second box.
Which sits on top of the first box some how.
i.e. inside the work centre (not attached to the sides) and around the saw (leaving enough space to allow for the full extention of the height winder?

What are the dimentions of this box.
And how does it sit on/attach to the base box. And does it sit just underneth the table top and is tipped with foam for seal the noise and keep from affecting the table top?

Also, your suggestion for removing the legs would make it hard for me to move the workcentre around.

So I thought I could build the bottom box to fit inside the triton work centre.

I've also found that clamping thing to the frame twists the frame out of alignment. So my thought is to NOT attach anything to the work centre at all.

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An execellent idea ragarding hiding the vacuum in the box.

I have a singe vacuum with a single overhead 30ft hose that I simple unplug from one machine and plug into another.
And can use it to vacuum the entire single car garage.

So my plan is to leave the shroud AND bag as is.

Does anyone know where I can get the foam?

Grouping the power point to one panel is a good idea. However, you must be carefull NOT to have a single switch which is used to turn everything on with a single click.

This will overload your fuse. Be sure to switch on the vacuum first. Then the Powersaw.

I have mine set up on two different outlets.
I've got the power saw and the router on one since I never use both at the same time. And the vaccuum on another.

I've found that overhead fluoresent lighting is the go. I have 4 doubles setup in a single card garage and have no or very little problems with shadows. Not only does it light up my rulers but I never have a problem looking for other bits and pieces since the entire workshop is well lit.



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

The side panels I fitted to the 2000 workcentre are a couple of sheets of 6mm mfd with softcore glued to the inside and rails fastened inside to sit central on the workcentre's side rails this is held in place for now with a couple of bungie straps like on a kids bike. I couldn't get the saw to quieten down much being basically a (brushed) universal motor. But if the cavity is filled with something other than air this would stop it resonating. (I thought of pink bats but then you would loose the Cross Cut mode)

The Box. The dimensions (plus 20mm for the chipboard) were initially to have the saw mounted central and the oversized width was to mount tool racks or extension flaps. But once it was assembled I noticed that if I turned the workcentre 90degs, the dimensions will allow the saw and the router table to sit side by side. The router on the short edge - where the extension table would fit. All I have to do is figure out how to raise the router table up to the same level and keep it removable for the saw's cross cut mode.
Once the box's top in fastened down, mount 4 x 2 "fat side down" and rout groves the length for the worktables rails to sit into and fashion stops either end to limit movement. I would prefer to bolt mine down but haven't had to yet. The lower height is compensated for by cutting 120mm squares out of an old tire with tread (that I used my old skilly on) and glue and nail them onto the bottom for feet - this as certainly stopped it from wandering and helps find "level" on rough floor.


THEN... (later) redesign the top as a one piece table and remove the "set-twice every time you need a new cut" fence locks and mount the Incra III fence on rails and I should have a whopping Workstation still having the cross cut mode when required.

So far the work station is on the box and the saw has been trued up and there is no movement. accuracy is back to 0.02mm! every time, even when having to move it about. Very heavy.

With power I could be wrong and stand corrected, but when turning on appliances I thought you turn on the heaviest drain first?

Regards
Sandy

Hi Sandy,
Thanks for the continued responses.

I can't get the top box pictured in my head at the moment but I shall endevor to perservere. Hopefully I'll be able to see a pic before getting another rush of energy.

I've constructed a very rough draft prototype of quitening the noise from the workstation myself.
I've placed two pieces of 3/4" plywood on top (not in) of the base channel: http://www.triton.net.au/images/spares/WCA201.pdf
Part 27 WCA256 Base Channel

With two stops on both sides of each to keep it from sliding to the left or right.
I put one in front of the saw and one behind. I spent a lot of time attempting to size it just right for the height winder full up and full down position but decided later that it was a waste of time.
I've also covered the right side with 3/4" plywood with stops and latches. The left side is made of 1/4" mdf since I have the slideing extension table almost perminately mounted.

I had problems with tightening these all down to the workstation as the workstation seems to twist and affects my accuracy.

I've stuffed the empty space with the blue apple shipping crate (egg cartons like) padding. I had picked this up over a few months from the green grocer. Entending to line the walls of my workshop with curtins of the stuff strung together. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

I've stuffed as many as it could get in and attempted to cover the expance of missing plywood on the bottom with the stuff. I also drilled a few holes in the side for the saw air intake. But this was unneccessary since the bottom has a gapping hole and lots of room around the suffing is not air tight.


The experiment was a success for dampening the noise. But to what extent I do not know.

Does anyone know how to measure the noise levels? Something cheap would be nice.

I'd still prefer to build a free standing box to fit around the saw and bag in ripping mode. One which is not bolted to the workcentre frame as I like to move the workcentre around on occasion. But sealed with 1" foam to the workstation without affecting the balance of the workcentre table.

The box would also be lined and sealed with the 1"foam to reduce the noise. And perhaps empty space filled with the blue apple shipping padding as well.

Maybe pics later.




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