Thread: Triton, here I come.... I think...

1- Noise - I keep hearing how quiet an induction motor is on a bench saw vs the noise of a power saw. Just how loud IS the Triton saw? (I'll be getting the real Triton saw for the 2000)

I can't tell you in exact dB's, but its fairy loud as most circular saws are....

2- Quality. From what I've seen so far, the Triton benches worry me a little with their little plastic bits and pressed steel tops. And a piece of MDF as a slide in the router bench? I've always liked cast iron/alloy as a more accurate material - but since everyone likes the Triton so much (well, most people....) it can't be too bad. I'm quite happy to modify it if needed or use suitable jigs etc to get the results I want. But I was a little concerned.... when you compare the general finish with a real bench saw, it did make me wonder...

Obviously there is a big difference between the two. Some users have reported warping of the table on the Triton... I havent had any problems and my table is stillnice and flat... The MDF in overhead router mode is used to 'raise' the table up to the router itself, as the router cannot plunge down too far to reach the height your table is set for crosscut mode. The Trion would probably be ok for your needs. You can pickup a basic bench saw setup for around $1000, which would be a couple more hundred than buying the Triton WC2000 + Circular Saw.... This may be a better option, but then if you need portability, the Triton wins easily, plus you have the advantage to switch to crosscut mode which is very handy indeed. Either way, there are adcvantages and disadvantages to both.

3- Bench saws have a blade tilt facility, the Triton doesn't. I believe the only way you can do angled cuts it to use either the 45 degree side of the rip fence or the bevel attachment, which only goes down to 15 degrees. So, what if you wanted to do less? Or use a larger piece of wood where the bevel tool was impractical? Is there any ability to tilt the blade in the Triton saw, even if just a little bit? I've seen dovetailing done on a saw bench using a suitable jig and a tilted blade and it worked a treat. But I'm wondering if this is possible on the Triton. If not, how hard would it be to modify something to allow the blade to tilt?

You can probably tilt it 1-2 degrees if you really wanted to, but there is always the danger of hitting the track/slot on the table, but you could check this of course before firing up. Would be very difficult to modify the table to do this... I know Timbecon in WA sell a similar system as the Triton which does allow tilting of the blade, but have not seen or used it so can't comment on quality and usefulness of that particular system.

4- I'm told that biscuit joining is the way to go for the kitchen cabinets. So, I was going to get the Triton biscuit joiner. But I'm wondering if I wouldn't be better off with a separate dedicated biscuit joiner tool. The Triton can't do biscuits in the middle of a panel (I know you can route them with a small bit, but...) so what does the Triton biscuit joiner do that a separate one (for about the same price) doesn't do? I really don't know which way to go, here.

The Triton system will make it faster to cut your biscuit slots and much easier to allign them perfectly... It cannot cut slots in the middle of a panel however, so if you need that, I would suggest going for a standard biscuit joiner machine.

5- The saw stabilising bracket (ABA020) - is it needed for the Triton saw, or is it just to make inferior saws come up to scratch?

Not needed for the Triton in my experience. The Triton saw is perhaps the best circular saw I have seen and used. Well worth the extra $$ for it

Its a tough choice, but if you were going to be doing a lot of this stuff in the future and you need easy portability of the system, Triton is great and will serve your needs well. You could buy a cheaper table saw which may or may not be more accurate, but you then do have the opportunity to use custom jigs that are generally available that wont fit the Triton. If you needed to do dovetails, you could invest in a seperate jig for that purpose.

I'm 50/50 on this one. A generic table saw is overall a better choice, but the portabilty of the Triton has to be considered for your particular need, plus the fact that you can remove the saw from the Triton and use it separately (if you dont have another circular saw already for this purpose).

My 2 cents (minus tax)


1- Noise

No louder than any other circular saw- ear protection a must.

2- Quality.

Don't worry about the plastic bits & MDF- just the designers choosing a suitable material for the task required. When I first looked closely at the Triton, especially the router table, I had the same reaction, however after getting (all!) the gear, I have had no issues with the plastic / MDF components, and (putting on my BE(Mech) hat), was very impressed with the design of the Triton gear, from both a use, and assembly point of view.

MDF has been used where a more expensive material is not required, and it is sacrificial (user-replacable / customisable). I can't say that I have actually used the MDF slide on the router table as a slide much- tend to ignore it- work slides past the bit easy enough anyway.

If you want a serious slide, see my post about adapting the ETA300 to fit the router table- now there is a serious slide- able to hold a full sized door!

Pressed steel top- not had a problem, is very portable, haven't ever used a cast iron top to know what I am missing out on.



3- Bench saws have a blade tilt facility, the Triton doesn't.

True, but can't say that I have specifically missed that feature either- again perhaps a case of not knowing what I am missing out on. Angled cuts can be done in cross-cut mode.

The aluminium track isn't actually needed adjacent to the blade..... (mine is a little worse for wear after a number of coving attempts) Can't say I've tried, but that would give extra clearance next to the blade if angling it was required.... (And the Triton saw does 'angle' very easily)


4- Triton biscuit joiner.

I use mine a lot. But then, I have seen a handheld one used very effectively too.....

5- The saw stabilising bracket (ABA020)

Definitely not needed with the Triton Saw. instead, you will never regret the day if you purchase the height winder kit


Few extra bits- I haven't found the planer attachment as useful as some of the other rigs- perhaps save that money for when Triton finally releases the dust helmet. The Maxi Extension table is a must!!!

Oh, and the Superjaws are....super!

I could say it another way, but then I'd have to moderate my own post!

I have a couple of them now, and I'd even encourage the Triton-bashers to give the Jaws a second look even if they had objections to the bench etc.

I bought a full Triton setup in January and have just sold it because it did not meet my requirements (which I should have thought through properly in the first place:mad: )

1.The Triton saw screams like a banshee, and a proper table saw is definitely quieter. Mind you, it is no louder than any other hand-held circular saw.

2.Pressed steel will never be as solid as cast iron, but it depends upon the degrees of tolerance required in your work. If you are doing fine work, where cuts need to be within 1-2mm, say, then the Triton will not be good enough. If, however, your work is not quite so demanding, then it will do the job adequately.

3. The lack of a tilt or dado blade capability is one of the main reasons why I sold my unit.

4.I would always prefer the portability of a hand-held biscuit joiner, as the cut does not require such precision that it must be bench based. By the way, I would prefer to use pocket hole joinery rather than biscuits - you may want to check that out.

5.The saw stabilising bracket is totally unnecessary if you buy the Triton saw, and I agree with the suggestion to buy the height winder kit. Your back will forever thank you for it.

All in all, the Triton is a solution to a problem (a number of them). What you have to determine is - are they the same problems you have ?

Giesse, before you part with the readies have a look at the Dyco woodworker this is a five in one machine 9" saw 6"buzzer 9"sanding attatchment router and jigsaw table. You can also add the wheel set to make it moveable but at 120kg you wont be lifting it up any stairs. You the have your saw for doing all those other jobs that require it as well as a cast iron top for stability. If you look at the current Australian Woodworker Neil Scobie has a write up on the machine.
I have to agree with stuart the Superjaws are great, I have had mine about 6 years now and they have done a power of work .
For more info on the woodworker www.cws.au.com

Just my 2 bobs worth
Regards jim Carroll

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts.

I like the idea of fitting the ETA300 to the router table. I don't know how often I'd need to do this, but it's nice to know the options is there. However, I was wondering - does the ETA300 attach to the table top or the stand? i.e. if I have the router table mounted on the Workcentre base, can I use the ETA300, or does it attach to the Router top and therefore still won't fit?

Does the aluminium surround around the blade come out easily? If so, it sounds like there would be plenty of room for the Triton saw to tilt in position.

Everyone says to buy the height winder kit. At this stage, I'm not sure how often I'd need to adjust the height of the blade, but perhaps I may once I get into it. What kinds of jobs would require adjustment of the height on a regular basis (pardon my obvious ignorance, here...)

Superjaws are another item that look rather cool and everyone loves, yet I'm trying to justify them. Once again, where will they come in handy, short of creating my own diamonds from coal brickettes....hey.... now there's a thought....

Re the noise of the power saw, I guess I'd get used to it if it just sounds like any other power saw - and I had this small thought that if its quiet, is there a chance that one might forget its running and the blade becoming a danger? The noise would tend you remind you that IT'S ON!!

I would expect my cuts to be well within 1-2mm, probably within .25mm, I'd hope... What does everyone else think about this level of accuracy. Would 1-2mm be too generous? Sounds a bit rough to me...I would hope the Triton was a bit more accurate than that...

Once again, pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is a dado blade? I've heard a few people say you can't get one for the Triton, but what does it do?

Pocket hole joinery - I've read about it, but doesn't it leave rather obvious visible holes at every join?

Jim, I had a look at the Dyco Woodworker ad - thanks, but it just doesn't seem quite what I'm after. It's got a few things that I don't really need, but doesn't look like it would do very large sheets, plus the weight I think would be an issue. Portability and storage do rate fairly heavily in my weighing up of options.

Once again, thanks for all comments - much appreciated.

This is my first post but I feel I must put my bit in here. I have had a 2000 since shortly after they came out. I owned a mk1 for many years.
Our current house was almost entirely fitted using the 2000 plus an el-cheapo mitre saw - easier for handling long lengths. Still building new furniture.
I have almost all the attachments including the large sliding table, and the height winder.
ACCURACY - entirely dependant on the quality of your saw and you. Until recently I was using a very good but old saw and the accuracy was going down hill - too much end play had developed. A new Triton saw solved that. The old saw has returned to being just a builders's saw.
NOISE - my vacuum cleaner is almost worse!! Just have to put up with it.
ANGLE CUTTING - I have the large bevel fence and it all works fairly well - being able to angle the blade would be better. Depends on how much you are going to do that sort of thing.
ROUTER TABLE - I have the original table but not the legs. I got fed up with the time consuming change over (considered buying the base unit) but was also unhappy with the flimsy fence and difficulty in adjusting it. Also being over 6ft tall I found the table too low for a router. Using various designs out of mags I have built my own (cost less than the new Triton one) and I am very happy with it - well I would say that woudln't I!!
PLANER ATTACHMENT- Only recently bought it. Since then my VERY old planer has had more use than in all its past life. Apart from a little difficulty in keeping it adjusted, it works well, within its limitations. The directions for setting it up found here and elsewhere (and not those in the box) were also very helpful. I have some thoughts on making a few mods to make it stay in adjustment or at least easier to adjust.
LARGE SLIDING TABLE - I wouldn't be without it.
QUALITY - Plastic bits and pressed metal top have never been a bother. I do find though that despite communciations with TRiton and many careful adjustments I have never got the saw to be square in both the table mode and the cross-cut mode. Its not much - the angle is too small to measure but it is detectable with the simple test of cutting a long straight piece of wide (>200mm) timber at 90 degrees and then turning and matching the ends together. As I rarely use the saw in cross cut mode (the sliding table replaces the need most times) I live with it, and the inaccuracy is so small that most times it doesn't matter.
I think that I have gone on long enough.

Every piece of woodworking machinery you purchase is a compromise, particularly when it comes to making a price/benefit/use comparison.

I have used an expensive bench saw with a heavy cast iron top. The top wasn’t flat, the blade had too much runout and the fence didn’t stay square. All of these problems were due to the person that owned the saw not setting it up correctly in the first place, and not maintaining it properly as he used it. Granted, it was not the most expensive tablesaw on the market, he could have spent more – but would that have overcome his problem? I doubt it.

I own a Triton Workcentre 2000/Triton Circular saw. I didn't buy the Triton because of its portability, I purchased it because it satisfied my price/benefit/use calculation. As is the case with many Triton users, my Triton is permanently set up in my workshop.

Other than its inability to trench-cut using a dado blade, I am very satisfied with it. Because I took the time to set it up properly in the first place, it is capable of doing accurate cutting within very high tolerances. The cuts are perfectly square even when measured against an engineer’s square. The table extension attachment means that I rip and cross-cut in the tablesaw mode. The height winder kit is invaluable when any cut is required that does not run entirely through the thickness of the timber, such as when cutting a tenon, or doing a cove cut. I believe Triton recommend that the blade be at full height when ripping and just above the thickness of the timber when cross-cutting. Therefore the easy adjustability with the height winder is welcome. And remember, if you purchase the dust extraction accessories, the saw is covered in a dust shroud, which makes the height winder kit almost a necessity.

Yes, the saw makes a noise, too much for my liking. But I can’t imagine using any noise-producing machinery without wearing quality hearing protection. Remember, loss of hearing is cumulative. With extended exposure it doesn’t take too much noise to negatively impact ones hearing. This is also true using a cabinet saw.

Hi All

My name is Grahame and after reading the posts for 6 months or so I finally took the plunge and registered.

My comments about Tritons:
* I have owned one for 3 years and it is okay.
* It does the things it was designed to do well.
* Would I like a table saw - Yes!

However having said that even if I was to purchase a table saw today I would still not sell my Triton.

Would I buy it again - depends on what I was doing:
* For structural work definite, yes.
* For general work, yes.
* For Cabinet Work, maybe. But I could not fit a table saw in my workshop so I would probably look at alternatives - and that requires some experience in seeing what others have done.

For me the Triton has one big advantage - I can move it! Does not sound like much but try moving your cast iron Sawbench up three stories or even across your workshop.

My workshop is small and is crammed with lots of stuff and the ability to be able to move things around is of major importance. If I want to cut sheets of ply or something then it is easy to move the Triton outside, etc. etc.

The Triton is not the most accurate machine around but it will repay careful setup if you are after dimensional accuracy - and always run a test piece! It still cuts better than me with a handsaw.

If I am really after 'straightness' in a rip or crosscut there are always other methods, planes and abrasives.

I still have the collection of jigs I made before I had the Triton and they work well, extremely well - they just take time to set up.

*** 1- Noise

Your Triton will be as noisy as the saw you fit to it.

*** 2- Quality.

I cannot complain about the Quality of the Triton. It works well and so far I have no problems with it - other than the paint on the table. I managed to scratch right through it when I was cutting some bearers.

Personally my comment would be if only most things where built up to Triton 'Quality'.

With regard to 'real' saw benches their quality varies from good to poor. Check out the amount of 'free-play' in the adjusting mechanisms. Not a problem once you know it is there and how work with it - but it is an indication of the tolerance they work to.

*** 3- Bench saws have a blade tilt facility, the Triton doesn't.

The saw, inherently is not designed to be tilted.

It my case if I want to cut an angle I either:

# Take the saw out and use like any other power saw,
# Pull out the router and machine down the edge,
# Work out a method so that I do not have to cut the angle


*** 4- I'm told that biscuit joining is the way to go for the kitchen cabinets.

Don't know. Still using dowels and splines.

*** 5- The saw stabilising bracket (ABA020) - is it needed for the Triton saw, or is it just to make inferior saws come up to scratch?

In my case it is to make my saw stop sagging. Set it up to cut 90 and after one cut it will have moved. Bracket it up and it stays there.

SAFETY.

The Triton has one fault in my opinion in that it is very easy to have the saw blade exposed and spinning. If you want to remain in one piece treat it with the respect it deserves. And that applies to eveyrthing.

So there are my opinions. It really boils down to what you want to do with it.

Giesse, answers to your extra questions:

ETA300 attaches to the stand, not the table. Thus, there is no reason why you can't use the ETA300 and the router table together already, if the router table is on the Workcentre. I just can't be bothered with the time & hastle of changing from one top to the other, so have both the router, and the saw permanently set up.

The aluminium surround will probably not remove easily- wasn't designed to. If you were to go down this path, it would be a matter of cutting or grinding the aluminium away permanently. Benefit? dunno- haven't looked at whether this will give any tilt capability yet. Disadvantage? Other than marring the workcentre top, I'm guessing the only other thing affected directly is dust collection, but am quite happy if someone else has come up with any other disadvantages.

Buy the height winder kit. If you are using the saw correctly, the height should be adjusted EVERY time you cut a bit of wood of different thickness- is safer (minimum amount of blade exposed), decreases chip tear-out, and I'm sure I have missed a couple of other points here too.

If you are altering the height of the blade, it also increases saw stability, as you are not relying on the saw's own inherent ability to adjust height which is no where near as stable as the winder kit.

Secondly, I often want to drop the blade completely below table level so I have a flat surface to work on (small shed (6m x 3m)), and I just wind it out of the way.

Superjaws- you'll probably use on almost every project, and a number of times you didn't think of. I also use them as a very handy press when assembling turned pens, as it leaves both hands free to be able to stabilise the pen.

Don't need coal brickettes to create diamonds. An oxy acetylene torch is perfectly adequate. (Final year engineering project for a B.E.)

1-2mm should be easily achievable once the table is set up properly. It is as accurate as you set it up, and the quality of your saw. Sanding, (hand) planing etc to get down to the final dimensions.

Dado blade - cuts trenches (think of it as a saw blade with variable thickness- up to 10mm and more.) I use my router, with the limitations of having to do multiple passes if the router bit is not exactly the width that I require.

"Pocket hole joinery - I've read about it, but doesn't it leave rather obvious visible holes at every join?"

Yup. Personally, I hate the look.

Am I trying to convince you of Triton- well absolutely, but only because of personal bias. If you make an informed decision before purchasing, you won't have grounds to complain afterwards.

Giesse,

You are mostly hearing from Triton converts, fans, zealots and disciples here. Why don't you ask the question out on the general forum, and see whether others think Triton is the way to go.

Because perhaps he doesn't want to listen to all the cringing Triton Bashers there and wants opinions from those who have actually used the workcentre. Sure a good tablesaw is better, but good ones are big, heavy and weigh and cost a lot. That's not what he is looking for....

You sound a bit sensitive there Dean. Is there a history of "Triton bashing" on this forum ? I haven't been here long, but I was only suggesting that when you want to buy a hat you don't only seek the opinions of those who wear them. You should ask those who don't too.

As a "paid up and proud" Triton user, I agree with several of the earlier posts that the equipment is only accurate to 1-2mm. I doubt that the equipment can be accurate to anything less than 1mm due to the the fact that it is a circular saw mounted into a holding frame that is the workcentre, designed to be portable by nature. This is regardless of the care taken in setting up.

Another important factor in all of this is the measurement of dimensions. I have found discrepancies between say using a retractable tape measure, a quality steel rule and the markings on the Triton fence.

(Holds up the pressed metal top to deflect the expected barrage)