Thread: Triton Steel Cutter and DIY steel tubes

The local Bunnings store had it on display at $399.00 last week.

I have seen it demonstrated elsewhere, I really thought that their claim, "it's the safest steel cutter in the world", could just possibly, be correct!

As for their steel and corner mounting attachments, I asked about the price and/or availability, but nobody appeared to know anything.

Mick.

Yes it does look and sound safe enough, not sure if I can justify the price though. Might have to stick to the trusty hacksaw for a while yet.
I like the idea of the tubing and the projects they show on their website are motivating. It remains to be seen if the cost outweighs the versatility.

After seeing the Steel cutter (x 3) at the local Bunnings and not being able to get any information on it, I fired off an email to Triton. Their response follows:

Thank you for your enquiry. There is currently no retailer in WA carrying our DIY Steel Range - it is possible there are a number of retailers awaiting supply (from us) of the required merchandiser display unit. Our help desk can advise if this is the case and will be able to give a rough indication of retail price. They can be contacted on 1300 655 686.

Our help desk will also confirm the availability of a new hose for your respirator and advise spare parts pricing.

Regards,

David Watkins
Triton Manufacturing & Design Co. Pty. Ltd.
14-18 Mills Street Cheltenham 3192
Ph: 9584 6977 Fax: 9584 5510
www.triton.net.au

Will let you know what the help desk has to say.

INTERWOOD

Thanks Interwood, looking forward to your report on the pricing.
Maybe we'll see the tubes in Bunnings in the new year, probably too new to have gotten around as yet.

the tubing looks good and the steel cutter just great... but for occasional work $399 for the saw is extravant and I imagine the tubing will be worth a bit. I cant see that it will do much more than my old mitre saw fitted with a cutoff blade and the good old arc welder .

Yes I do accept people are afraid of welding but if I can do it then I imagine so can anybody else

Nevertheless it will be interesting to see the cost of the tubing, they would make great legs for tool tables, router tables, mitre saw stands, etc.... has triton just shot itself in the foot?

DIY Steel has been shipped to warehouses in each state, just a matter of Hardware stores ordering it in.

Caution: These are recommended retail prices taken over the phone today
Tube Galvanised 30mm x 1800 $13.40 / length
Tube Powder Ctd 30mm x 1800 $18.20 / length
Tube Galvanised 30mm x 2400 $17.38 / length
Tube Powder Ctd 30mm x 2400 $24.04 / length
Tube Galvanised 40mm x 2400 $21.77 / length
Tube Powder Ctd 40mm x 2400 $28.43 / length
Corner Bracket Galvanised Pack of 6 $8.72
Corner Bracket Powder Ctd Pack of 6 $15.77
Straight Bracket Galvanised Pack of 6 $6.51
Straight Bracket Powder Ctd Pack of 6 $13.84
Screws Powder Ctd Pack of 100 $13.50

Hope that this helps you to get an idea of general prices.

Interwood

I asked Carbatec in Perth about the gear. They expect the saw in today, the 2 nd, as it was due last Monday. They have also ordered in the steel and brackets. It seems like there is a delay in delivery from Triton. The Orange Rep was in the shop while I was there and I asked about the RPM of the blade. She made a phone call to Orange headquarters and got the info. The blade turns at 4300 RPM. Without cooling I have my doubts about how long the blade will stay sharp. Traditionally cold saws run at about 20 RPM with coolant. Maybe this saw is aimed at square tubing with 1.6 mm walls and not solid stuff.

Anyway the future will reveal. If you have any info on this saw please let me know.
Have a good day

I saw the metal cutter 2 weeks ago at a tool sale a Fisher Discounts and demoed again last night at the Triton Club. Apparently they have tested the blade against other cut off blades - not sure what size stock they were cutting and got lots of cuts - cant remember the figures. The cost of the cut on traditional cutoff blade was about 12cents/cut and on the Triton was a couple of cents/cut.

The maximum stock it will handle is 50mm square. They did test cuts on 12 mm dia solid bar and on tubing. I have my doubts if it can handle cutting solid stock that is too large.

It has a nice almost burr free cut, and it cuts cool.

Thats about all I know.

BTW the new Triton cordless drill is meant to be $300 and should be available soon (like days from now)- apparently every Bunnings store will get 3 to start.

Cheers

The latest Triton News gives a good run down on it - sounds good - but I'll be sticking with my trusty cut off saw for a while yet - the stock sizes cut by the Orange saw are too limiting for me - solid bar to 13mm, angle to 100mm and varying wall thickness to 8mm - don't think that will fit in the new orange contraption.


The new 18v orange drill looks like a real winner though - also in the latest triton News - pity I just bought a new Makita job 4wks ago!!! Maybe Santa will be kind to me.


Merry Christmas to all


Wallace

Wallace,

Please elaborate on the sizes. Are these the Triton specs.?

I think the big Orange is about to see its first lemon. Have they lost the plot? Firstly do not misunderstand me. I like Triton and own more Triton toys than most people.

On this occassion, I think the R& D blokes have done more devopment than research.I look at the cutter from my perpective as some one with 40 years in the metal trades and see a tool limited to cut box section in 90 and 45 degree angles. I realise that liturgation potential has created that design of the tool. However, it a design that has met only a part of the design criteria of what a hobyist would desire.

Can it cut angle section, pipe, flat or round bar?
Experience tells me that sooner or later the hobbyist will require cut other materials and angles outside the above criteria. The materials and angles are those that my $150 Honkinese friction saw achieves with out problems.

The tool can cut accurately and quickly, but honestly how many purchasers who can weld up a frame,will require that level of precision. Is the tool trying to be an Industrial level tool like the $1000 plus Metal cutting Makita metal cutting saw. The blurb about economy of cut does not come into it when only a few of us will ever require large numbers of cuts.

George Lewin founded Triton on the corner stone of well enginneered, cost effective products for the hobbyist. Are those that currently run Triton are beginning to lose sight of that premise? The metal cutter is not cheap or well enginneered in my opinion. It lacks a fitness for purpose element in the overall design quality .

For less than the purchase price of this tool one could buy a cheapy welder and the Honkinnese cut off saw and have some dollars left over to buy box tube at reasonable prices from any steel merchant.
For many years I got by with an old circular saw fitted with a cut off wheel for docking and mitreing box and rectangular section.

Are expensive box tube and fittings a Triton way of saying they think we are too lazy or too thick to learn to weld, or a cynical exercise in pure marketing.
Welding just another skill to learn.

A disappointed
Grahame Collins

Some interesting points Grahame.

I try to avoid being a cynic but could the brief from parent company Hills have been "develop a tool that can be sold under the orange brand that creates a hobbyist market for our steel tube"

You wonder.........cheers.......Sean the usual optimist

I agree with both Grahame and Sean.

I have seen the saw demonstrated. Although a well designed saw, main feature was it safety but it was very limiting in what it could cut and too expensive.

I too have been using an old drop saw fitted with a cut off wheel for docking and mitreing rectangular section. However what I am thinking of doing is buying just the blade,which they will sell as a spare, and fit it to my old saw.


Peter.

Sounds like a good idea Sturdee. Have you checked the relavant speeds? I know the triton one goes quick, but how quick in comparison with a normal drop saw?