Triton Router - Worth the Money

[Richard Spain]

WoodCraft has the Triton 2-1/4 HP Router listed for $209.00 with $100.00 of accessoeries and I am not familar with this brand. Does anyone have an opinion on the brand and/or the price. Thanks. http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5890&homepagedeal=true

[Paul Greathouse]

Richard

I've heard they are good routers but one thing to consider is dust collection. The Triton dosn't appear to have it. Considering a dedicated plunge router, the Dewalt 621 is a great choice. It has through the plunge tube dust collection and is a high quality smooth running router. It can be had for about the same price. There are usually several "new in the box" listed on Ebay at any given time. I got mine on a buy it now for $125 plus shipping.

I think Dewalt is also offering their new "fixed base/plunge base" kit with through the plunge tube dust collection also. Both Dewalts are in the 2 1/4 hp range. Just something to consider.

Many times the listed value of free accessories is inflated to make the deal look better. I'm not implying that it is in this case but I have seen it happen before.

[Dave MacArthur]

Hi Richard! Welcome to Sawmill Creek!
There is a TON of info here, and usually most things you'd want to know you can get an instant answer to by using the SEARCH button near the page top--I like the advanced search best.

Someone was asking about this router, as well as the 3 1/4, a few days ago, here is the link:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=80312&highlight=triton

Another person had a thread on first all purpose router, which ended up with a lot of discussion on the Triton, here it is:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=79920&highlight=triton

Fine Woodworking rated the Triton 2 1/2 best router designed for use in a router table in their recent tools review issue. General consensus is it's a great router and a good deal! I myself want the 3 1/4 HP one with the same engineering improvements, still waiting.

Again, tons of info here for immediate consumption if you can learn to dig it out. Welcome again, and go for that router!

[Richard Spain]

Thanks for the information on the site and your opinion. My learning curve is a bit steep at this time so your help is greatly appreciated. What a wonderful place.

[Greg Hines, MD]

Thanks for the information on the site and your opinion. My learning curve is a bit steep at this time so your help is greatly appreciated. What a wonderful place.


I do not have a Triton, but everything that I have read is that they are a quality router. In particular, as I understand it, the 2 1/4hp is well suited for table work, including above-the-table bit changes and height changes.

Regardless, it does sound to be a good price on it.

Doc

[Jim Becker]

Triton generally gets good comments on any of their products. I admire them for breaking into the business as well as they have over the past few years...it's not easy going up against the well known name brands and generating the market as they have.

[James Hendrix]

I purchased the 3 1/4 hp and mounted it in my table. It will stay mounted full time. It is too big and heavy for me to hand-hold. I have been very pleased with the performance.

James

[Steve Bietau]

Richard,

I got a triton at xmas. Only light use (hand and table mounted) and very happy with it so far.

Steve

[Steve Sawyer]

I bought the Triton 2 1/4 HP model about a year ago, and I've been very pleased with it for both hand-held and in-table use.

It does have a dust collection port that works very well in most cases when hand-held. I do recommend getting a very flexible, good-quality hose for your shop vac so the hose isn't an annoyance when you're using it. I bought a 10' section from the local Banks Vacuum franchise. The Triton has molded threads in the dust port to engage the spiral wire reinforcement ribs in the hose. I also picked up a "nipple" that I screw onto the hose when connecting it to my ROS, then I unscrew that and screw the hose directly into the Triton's dust port.

No buyer's remorse for me on this item.

[Wayne Cannon]

The 3 1/2 HP Triton has excellent dust collection (I don't know about its smaller cousin), diagonally up and out from the base shroud. The vacuum hose clamps in place with two screws, as opposed to the DeWalt's friction-fit slip-on connection (I have both Triton and DeWalt). For hand-held use, the friction connection is quicker/handier. My Triton is in a table.

I find the DeWalt's top-mounted hose reduces the stability of the router, making it much easier to tip, especially if you happen to snag the vacuum hose or reach its end.

[Wayne Cannon]

I forgot to mention that the Triton's internal fan exhausts toward the bit -- the opposite of most routers. This enhances dust collection and also helps to keep sawdust out of the router -- especially for inverted table-mounted operation.

In a table, almost no dust winds up in the router compartment -- maybe a couple of tablespoons of sawdust after a half dozen cope-and-stick doors and raised panels.

[Wayne Cannon]

I just finished installing a 3 1/2 HP Triton in a table, but have very little actual use of it yet.

The Triton has a lot of nice features, especially for router table operation. A lot of people like it. It doesn't seem to have quite the finish and smoothness of operation I've come to expect in my PC and DeWalt routers, but nothing I would complain about. For table operation, the Triton has a pretty wide base opening (a problem with the DeWalts) for large bits, though not as wide as the PC 7518.

The 3 1/2 HP Triton has the best built-in height adjustment I've seen, including normal plunge plus coarse and fine rack-and-pinion adjustment. Its lack of a simple cylindrical motor housing (like the PC, DeWalt, Bosch, etc.) prevents the use of many after-market router lifts, etc. I'm not home, but don't recall standard holes for mounting rods for after-market edge guides, circle guides, etc. It comes with a somewhat tacky-looking sheet-metal edge guide, but one that should still work fine.

[Steve Sawyer]

The 3 1/2 HP Triton has excellent dust collection ... diagonally up and out from the base shroud...I find the DeWalt's top-mounted hose reduces the stability of the router

Those same observations apply to the 2 1/4 HP model.