Help Me pick a Triton!!

[Bill Sanson]

Hey all, for Valentine's day my little Valentine has told me that she wants to buy me a tool for the shop and since I would like a router to mount almost exclusively under my table I thought that would be fine:) Elite tools has a sale on now for their Titon routers and I am stuck on which to buy. I plan to use the router on hardwoods, maple, cherry, walnut for the usual router uses with possible some raised panel and crown work in the future. I know usually bigger is better and the 3.25hp TRA001 is a safe bet and a beast under the table. However the smaller 2.25hp MOF001C comes with a lot of goodies and is apparently a bit of an upgrade on its bigger brother. The most useful thing I see that the bigger one doesnt have is the above table bit adjusment.
Ive looked at this for a few days and any advice someone could give would be great.

[Jesse Tutterrow]

I have the Triton TRA001 in my router table. I made 3 modifications:
1. Remove the spring.
2. Removed the plastic dust collector to enable large bits and using a bent wrench through the table.
3. Cut the switch cover plate off so I can raise the entire router bit above the table top with the switch still in the on position. Obviously, I use an external switch to control the router.

This weekend The Woodworking Shows (http://Thewoodworkingshows.com) is here in Saint Louis, and Sommerfeld Tools has the Triton TRC001 on sale for $199 and it does include the "adjust from above the table" option. I don't know their schedule maybe they will be in Halifax soon, or you know someone in an upcoming city that would buy it for you.

--Jesse

[John Coloccia]

Yes, the newer 3 1/4 has above the table adjustment. That's what I have in my own table.

[glenn bradley]

The current TRA001 is advertised as having the above the table adjustment feature that was missing in the past. I am not sure if the model on sale is old stock or not, you may want to confirm. It comes with only a 1/2" collet as most more powerful routers do. A decent quality adapter is only about $10 - $15 and works fine if you need to spin 1/4" shank bits on occasion.

My other experience is with the 2-1/4HP unit that comes with 1/2" and 1/4" collets and the other extras you mention. The router is designed for easy modification for table use and the springs are designed to be removable, very nice. Bent wrenches are not required if you mount the router to a plate. You will require an access hole in the plate for the height adjustment wrench.

As Jesse states, the power switch safety feature is a pain on the 2-1/4HP unit as well . I would disable this as he has done. Dad has been running the 2-1/4HP unit for years and seems to have gotten used to the switch fussiness so daily use may be a cure as well. The arbor locks itself at full extension for one wrench bit changes.

All the goodies dad got with the MOF001 (2-1/4HP) are still in the box. These unit are different ergonomically from our "western" routers in control placement and use. It is no surprise that they also do not conform to the near-universal 1-3/16" (Porter Cable) template size. Dad has purchase one of the 1-3/4HP units during the last sale. It will be used for hand use and accepts all the goodies he got with his 2-1/4HP unit that has never left the table so, bonus ;-)

He has little to no experience with "western" style plunge routers so I expect his learning curve on the control layout and use to be very short. Other who have muscle-memory on our plunge routers state that the re-learning process is very quick anyway. I found the controls to be different but, very friendly.

If your use will be mostly table (I bet you find you just leave it there) then I would go for more power. If you will really take the router in and out of the table (I have never removed a router from a table except to change table tops) then the template kit and edge guide equate to a sizable amount of money in goodies included with the 2-1/4HP unit.

[Michael Heffernan]

I also have the MOF001C 2-1/4 hp router. Mounted in my router table. I don't have any experience with it for handheld routing, as I use my two Bosch 1617EVS routers for that. I like the router for table use, with a couple of caveats:
1. The worm drive for the above the table winder mechanism in this router is plastic. I had to replace the worm drive after about a year and a half of winding it up and down in the table daily. Called HTC (who now distributes Triton products in NA) and they sent me a replacement which I installed. I would like to see them redesign this unit with a metal winding mechanism. So far the replacement drive is working just fine.
2. After setting a router bit height, when engaging the plunge shaft lock, the router moves up about 1/128th of an inch. It makes it a bit tricky to set the proper depth for a cut. Using a digital height gauge, I have been able to 'adjust' for the movement when locking it in place to get the correct depth of cut. It might just be my unit that does this. Anyone else have this happen to them?
I've gotten used to reaching into my table dust box to disengage the safety switch to raise the router above the table. Since I have to reach in to disengage/engage the plunge lock, it's a non issue for me. Plus, consider if you ever use it out of the table, or want to resell the router, you'll want this safety feature in place.
All in all, it's a good router for the table, IMO.
I didn't get the TRA001 at the time because it didn't have 'above the table' bit changing in the old model. Now that it's available, and if you have the funds, I suggest going with the TRA001. The extra HPs are worth it for table work.

[Terry Beadle]

Just a quick comment. The perceived need for more hp over less is not all that important. Unless you are using a bit that can not take fine cuts.... and that's not often for me. YMMV.

Usually it's better to take less than a 1/8th inch cut on routing in most hardwoods IMO. Either the 2 1/4 or 3 /14 will do dove tailing no problem. Sneak up on the right results gets me more successes than failures or mistakes.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I have the smaller one in a table, and couldn't be happier. The height adjustment (above-the-table) is excellent, and nearly as precise as the mucho-expensive router lifts. I cannot think of a single thing I don't like about this router. I'm planning on getting a second for handheld use, because, as you said, it comes with lots of goodies (edge guide, etc, etc).

The power switch does have this sliding safety cover (that others have mentioned). Personally, I just turn it "on", and leave it on, and use an external switch (just an extension cord with a switch cut into it) to turn the router on and off. Then, when I need to change bits, I flip both switches off for added safety.

[John Coloccia]

The power switch does have this sliding safety cover (that others have mentioned). Personally, I just turn it "on", and leave it on, and use an external switch (just an extension cord with a switch cut into it) to turn the router on and off. Then, when I need to change bits, I flip both switches off for added safety.

This is one of the things I always mention about the Triton. It doesn't bother you, and it doesn't bother me, but it bothers a lot of people. You wouldn't believe the rants I've heard about this one detail. I don't get it. It just takes a second to flip off the switch!

[Bill Sanson]

I also have seen tons of rants on the power switch, i plan to use an external switch anyway. I am thinking after much deliberation that although I may need it but the extra power would be nice. I am not sure if it comes with the above table adaptor but I am assuming so as they were sold out last week and just got new stock. I would call but it is deep in French Quebec and although my french is passable with some sign language over the phone may just be to much for me:)

thanks for all the responses, I'll let everyone know how i make out,

[Van Huskey]

The big one for table exclusive work, BUT get the mid-sized version if you do any hand held work at all with it.