Triton 2 1/4 Router

[Boyd Cockman]

I've read several online reviews on this router .Some good , some very good . I'd like to know from real people that own or have touched one , how do they stack up. My interest is in a smooth plunge and good balance. I will be using it to cut inlays and cut mortices in small boxes. Any opinions and help will be great. The closest store that will have one will not get it until next friday.

[Ken Milhinch]

Boyd,

Had one, used it in my table, sold it and replaced it with another Hitachi.
(I have 7 routers - 3 Hitachi, 3 Makita, 2 Bosch) Whoops, that's 8 :p
Points I would make;
1. Suited to table work in that blade changing above the table is easier with the locking collet. ( I also change my Hitachi above the table so it's not exactly exclusive to Triton)
2. Plenty of power, but then so has the bigger Porter Cable, Milwaukee, Hitachi, Makita etc etc.
3. I found it too top-heavy for hand routing. It certainly does not seem as well balanced as the Hitachi.
4. The unit I had suffered from dust incursion into the power switch which had the effect of stopping it. That was a known problem, and I believe they have rectified this now.

Overall, its not a bad unit, but I personally prefer the Hitachi. You should definitely handle one first, and you might find you like it.

[Robert Mickley]

I have one in my table.
The only problem I've had with it is dust. I got it summer of 05 and it just the other day started giving me a problem. It still runs fine but the dust has caused the locking pin to hang up. you turn it off and it won't crank up far enough for the pin to engage the shaft. Thats after a lot of hard use.


It's fine in a table but like Ken said it feels top heavy for hand held use.
Would I buy it again? In a heartbeat. I feel its quality is every bit as good as any other router out there.

[Gary Keedwell]

Hello Creekers....Just a note to say that I went to the Woodworks show yesterday in Massachusetts and they sold out the 2 1/4 Hp Tritons. They sold like hotcakes. The guy said that the review in Fine Woodworking Mag. was the cause.
Also talked to vendor selling Wixley angle gage and he said he could not get enough of them to sell. He ordered a bunch and is waiting.
Just posting a couple things of interest to those who might be interested. :rolleyes:

Gary K.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I have the Triton 3.25 HP router. I got it at a show for $190.00

I use it solely in my table and my slot mortiser.
I would be happy buying another one (at the show price only) just to have them permanently mounted in each rather than swapping back and forth.

I like the Triton in a table because:
1.) No need to pay $$ for a lift. The winder and micro adjustment are perfect and I don't mind bending over.

2.) Above the table collet changes.

3.) Plenty of power.

4.) At the show price of $190.00 it was a good buy, but I'd not pay a penny more.

I'd not use it as a hand held because :
1.) the Depth stop is a howling joke, does not repeat, and slips. It is a cheap cheesy bit of plastic trash - which is where mine went - in the trash.

2.) Clumsey & top heavy (but the soft start is quite good)

3.) Fear the thing will sling a bit. The collet is quite possibly the worst engineering hash job I have seen in a router collet. It's crude the threads are course and actually grind when you screw them together. The strain relief on the collet is one through-cut and two partial cuts which guarantees tha the stress will all accumulate in those two partial cuts and eventually the modulous of elasticity just won't be there one day and POW.