Big Triton (TRA001) Router - Which router table should I use

[mobanded]

Hi

I am an enthusiastic amateur wishing to renew an interest in routing. Having recently bought the big Triton router I am now considering an appropriate table top to go with it and would welcome any advice.

This is my predicament - I can buy the Triton router table (RTA300) and the Tritan Stand (RSB300) for about £200 ish. Reality is I do not need a base unit and would prefer to build my own. However, I do not have the confidence (yet) to build an ACCURATE router table top with insert and would prefer a pro job with lots of lovely gadgets/jigs!

So, do I buy both Tritan products?; or, do I buy the Triton router table (RTA300) and fit it on my own base (information on whether I can or cannot do this seems to be scarce)?; or, finally, do I spend the £200 on a table top only, and if so I would welcome suggestions?

Thanks, in advance, for your help.

Regards
Ed

 

[ByronBlack]

Or make your own cabinet, and buy the base and insert from axminster.

 

[Argee]

PM sent.

Ray.

 

[Anonymous]

I use the large trioton router and mounted it in the New Yankee Workshop table design (drawings come form their website). Cost around £80 for all materials and it is big, flexible in use with loads of drawers etc. and steady.

A good solution

 

[andycorleone]

With £200 in my pocket I would buy INCRA Ultra Lite http://www.incra.com/product_rtf_ultralite.htm for About £145
a Router Table Insert for about £20
a Router Table Top Top £35

and later Build a stand or cabinet

 

[gidon]

Would agree with Andy - except I wouldn't even worry about an insert. Spend the money on a Xtreme Xtensionand screw the router directly to the table - no concerns on cutting out the hole for the insert and getting it exactly level then. Your table can be as simple as 2 bits of MDF glued and screwed together. You can laminate it if you want but you don't have to.
See my effort here:
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... highlight=
You don't really need the mitre track either - there are generally better ways of making those sorts of cuts anyway.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Anonymous]

Would agree with Andy - except I wouldn't even worry about an insert. Spend the money on a Xtreme Xtensionand Gidon

Sorry, can't agree with this point. I fitted an xtreme extsion to my router table and the extra vibration, coupled with it being in a large wooden box (effectively) made the noise unbearable - at least twice as loud as without the xtension. Two screws vibrated loose after a couple fo hours use too.

 

[ike]

Haven't tried an Xtreme extension but the CMT extensions suffered vibration to some degree with any size cutter - agree about the greater noise level too). I wouldn't recommend an extension of any type in a router as you will be restricted to very light cuts, which sort of partly deafeats the object of having a 3-1/2hp router.

 

[Argee]

Would agree with Andy - except I wouldn't even worry about an insert.

Without an insert, the very facility designed specifically for table use - above-the-table bit-changing - wouldn't work. It's so useful that anything that prevented it would be a nonsense. I'm no fan of extensions either, no matter how robust they seem, they will only increase run-out and - as stated - noise.

Ray.

 

[andycorleone]

is not a "Router Table Insert" the aluminium plate? :-k

 

[Lord Nibbo]

I fitted an xtreme extsion to my router table and the extra vibration, coupled with it being in a large wooden box (effectively) made the noise unbearable - at least twice as loud as without the xtension. Two screws vibrated loose after a couple fo hours use too.

You should have sent it back for another one Tony. Mine works perfectly in my Trend 11 with no vibration at all. :?

 

[gidon]

Mine works perfectly too Tony (no virbration) - in three routers I've used it in (including a Trend T11, Elu MOF177 and Elu MOF98). And no extra noise that I've noticed.

Argee - but the XX also allows bit changing with a quarter twist of an allen key. And this can be done easily from above or below the table. This is the best feature of the XX IMO.

Cheers

Gidon

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Would agree with Andy - except I wouldn't even worry about an insert.

I'm no fan of extensions either, no matter how robust they seem, they will only increase run-out and - as stated - noise.

Ray.

That's just so not true :shock: I've had mine in my Trend T11 in my router table for more than two years (it's never been taken out) It doesn't suffer run out, so no vibration and no extra noise. As I replied to Tonys post, if anyone experienced any of these problems they should send it back or look at the machine for bearing problems. :wink:

 

[Argee]

That's just so not true

It may well be, in your experience, but the comments I made were based on my experience. I did return the extension (refunded in full), but could not honestly recommend one.

Ray

 

[andy king]

IIRC, the Xtreme Xtension comes with the advice that it may have some vibration when first installed, but slackening the collet and turning the XX slightly can overcome this, but can be a little 'suck it and see' to get it right.
Quite why this should be the case I don't know, but it does work. First time I used one it worked perfectly, but removed it to use the router for something else (DeWalt DW625) and then refitted. It vibrated. Reset it using the advice given and it's back to vibration free use, so I'm still a big fan.
Still seems odd that it can be out of whack in one postion yet runs beautifully in another though!
One for the scientists...?

Andy

 

[ByronBlack]

This is getting a little off-topic, BUT IMO the XX isn't needed for what the OP is asking about, there are a number of routers that offer above the bit changing, but he is asking about the merits of various table setups. And considering his budget and new-ness to it, I feel just a simple pre-made table-top and insert plus maybe a commercial fence would be the quickest and easiest route to routing (Axminster do a nice a fence for £99 - made of cast-iron and fits their pre-made top).

 

[wizer]

do I buy the Triton router table (RTA300) and fit it on my own base

This is probably your best bet. The Triton router top is a great bit of kit and you could easily build a base around it and ultimately it will fit your router without a single headache. Infact i'm sure I have seen a thread over on the Oz forums about building a base for the RTA300

If you don't want to shell out for the RTA300 then the other option is to go for a premade table top & insert:

810177 Axminster Router Table Top £34.23
810175 Router Table Insert £19.95

Build a cheap timber base and use a straight edge as a fence. That is the most basic router table setup. You may save a bit of cash making the top yourself but imho it's worth the money to purchase it ready-made.

 

[ecp]

I think that the success or otherwise of using a collet extension is determined by various factors and different people seem to be having different results worldwide - not just on this forum.

I did a search on google and found reports and reviews which criticise them all - and others that praise some.

The two that seem to be the best recieved are the Xtreme and the Trend.

As Andy said, the Xtreme does appear to need setting up as the amount of chatter depends on the position of the extension in the collet. The fitting instructions apparently also suggest rotating it and marking the position (for refitting if removed) once a chatter free location is determined.

The reports I have seen referring to the Trend were on overseas sites (US and Australia such as this one ) so I am not sure if it is the same Trend we know in the UK.
Some people praise it and others report severe chatter.

I have a UK Trend extension (given to me free by Trend a couple of years ago when the T11E first came out and I reported a problem which resulted in a recall) which_I have never used. I will have to try it and see what happens.

Another factor appears to be the quality or age and wear of the bearing in the router.
Using cheaper and/or older routers where the bearings are not 'tight' seems to result in chatter more than a new quality router.

Another consideration that can also affect chatter, as well as exert wear on the bearing in the long term, is the length of the extension.
The further the bit is moved from the original collet the more chance of wear and chatter problems, particularly with large cutters or deep cuts.
In which case the Xtreme is the one least likely to be a problem as it is the shortest. (It also appears to be the only one that allows cutter changing above the table without fumbling under the table to lock the spindle)

 

[gidon]

That's just so not true

It may well be, in your experience, but the comments I made were based on my experience. I did return the extension (refunded in full), but could not honestly recommend one.Ray

So it seems it doesn't work too well in Triton routers - since Tony and Argee have both had problems? Maybe there's a little to much runout on those routers to handle any sort of extension?

Cheers

Gidon

 

[wizer]

Guys you've gone way off topic here. Can I suggest a mod break off the XX posts as this does not relate to the OP's problem.