Has anybody tried a trend t8 router yet? + trend t8 vs triton tra001

[scooby]

Obviously you have one so know but it looks as though to me it's just a long threaded knob to wind the router down and for fine adjustment and to reduce the plunge depth. How is it used from above a table?

Yeah, I had a 2301 and (imo) it’s a better router than the Trends I’ve used. The table adjust screw is pretty crude but it works. I really regret not getting another when I got the T10

 

[Amateur]

Well Im bucking the Trend here.
I had a Trend T9 inverted in my table for 18 years before it gave up the ghost.
No problems except collet changes and used extensively on a weekly basis.
Changed to the T8 below table and can't fault it. Works great through the router plate. Only thing I changed was the height adjuster to a crank just to make moving the router up and down easier/quicker.
I cant for the life of me see the advantage of a router lift especially at the prices they want for them.
Ive always had my router table hinged at the back so it can be lifted off the table and a stay used to support it. This way you can change collets and make height adjustments quite easily.
As for Trend quality.
Any company bulk buying routers and having problems would certainly have a replacement/ repair as part of their contract. Besides they would have changed brands had the issues been so bad.
But its like cars, and asking, is this model any good.
Depends who you ask?
All I can contribute is that for 30 years plus Ive used most router types. For under table you need 1/2 collet models that give you the power to cope with their use and the ability to hold those thicker dia cutter for stability and coping with thick material.
As a final word Trend do look after their customers and if I were you Id be on to their technical department to answer any questions you have.

 

[Danmickread]

Well Im bucking the Trend here.
I had a Trend T9 inverted in my table for 18 years before it gave up the ghost.
No problems except collet changes and used extensively on a weekly basis.
Changed to the T8 below table and can't fault it. Works great through the router plate. Only thing I changed was the height adjuster to a crank just to make moving the router up and down easier/quicker.
I cant for the life of me see the advantage of a router lift especially at the prices they want for them.
Ive always had my router table hinged at the back so it can be lifted off the table and a stay used to support it. This way you can change collets and make height adjustments quite easily.
As for Trend quality.
Any company bulk buying routers and having problems would certainly have a replacement/ repair as part of their contract. Besides they would have changed brands had the issues been so bad.
But its like cars, and asking, is this model any good.
Depends who you ask?
All I can contribute is that for 30 years plus Ive used most router types. For under table you need 1/2 collet models that give you the power to cope with their use and the ability to hold those thicker dia cutter for stability and coping with thick material.
As a final word Trend do look after their customers and if I were you Id be on to their technical department to answer any questions you have.

Hi, it's good to see some positive words said about the trend as this does seem like the perfect solution for me.
The Triton just looks hurendous and horrible if I want to use handheld.
The dewalt 625 obs have a good reputation as a solid router but I have to but a router Raizer and insert plate and fit it all together and make it work.
The Makita 2301/3 again looks good but apparently the above table adjustment seems a bit crude and again need to sort out an insert plate.
The trend on the other hand seems like it's designed with table use in mind just as much as a handheld with the decent height adjustment and they sell the own plate to go with it. The router has decent power too.

Do you use the built in dust extraction when mounted in a table I'm wondering how this performs using this compared to extraction on a fence or whether it interferes with plunging to full depth and being able to change bits?

If I had a spare £800 then yes I'd buy a dedicated router motor and lift but I can't justify paying that.

I have a local dealer that selss trend so maybe I'll take a chance and get one from there and if there's any issues I can easily get it sorted.

 

[Cobbs]

Yes this is a problem!

It would seem like the makers of Router Raizer are no more - their website was last updated in 2005, none of their list of stockists (including US and Canada) now have them and having spoken to WWW it sounds like they went down the pan before covid. Damned shame, it looked like a good product that would have saved me some money!

 

[scooby]

Hi, it's good to see some positive words said about the trend as this does seem like the perfect solution for me.
The Triton just looks hurendous and horrible if I want to use handheld.
The dewalt 625 obs have a good reputation as a solid router but I have to but a router Raizer and insert plate and fit it all together and make it work.
The Makita 2301/3 again looks good but apparently the above table adjustment seems a bit crude and again need to sort out an insert plate.
The trend on the other hand seems like it's designed with table use in mind just as much as a handheld with the decent height adjustment and they sell the own plate to go with it. The router has decent power too.

Do you use the built in dust extraction when mounted in a table I'm wondering how this performs using this compared to extraction on a fence or whether it interferes with plunging to full depth and being able to change bits?

If I had a spare £800 then yes I'd buy a dedicated router motor and lift but I can't justify paying that.

I have a local dealer that selss trend so maybe I'll take a chance and get one from there and if there's any issues I can easily get it sorted.

My post wasn’t designed to put you off just to let you know that the older trend/dewalts can suffer from the same issue when inverted. It’s obviously not a wide stream issue as there a plenty of people who trend, elu and dewalt (which are/were the same) in a table. It’s also apparently an easy fix, shown in the 2012 thread I linked to. They are good routers though.
Ive got a Triton in my router table (iirc it’s a MOF01). As a hand held router it isnt good, the plunge mechanism can bind very easily. You need to remember to put all of the pushing weight on one particular rod (can’t remember if it was the plunge lock side or not). In a table, the feature where you can raise the collet through the table and it auto locks is useful but not a game changer. I got it in a clearance sale so can’t complain too much, I wouldn’t buy another though.

I‘d Still consider the 2301 but have a look around as I’ve seen some (from screenshots) that are supplied with a decent micro adjust fence (I had that one) and ones that come with a basic looking fence. At the moment, I’ve got the T10, an OF1400 and the triton MOF001 and I still regret selling the 2301. In my experience it was the nicest to use hand held.
Just to add, Hitachi is another one to consider. I think it is the MV12, I know quite a few people in the past have used them and had no problems. Pretty basic but complete work horses.

 

[Mickjay]

Obviously you have one so know but it looks as though to me it's just a long threaded knob to wind the router down and for fine adjustment and to reduce the plunge depth. How is it used from above a table?

Basically it's a long machine screw which goes through the base and into the bottom of the adjustment thread, so it's just a matter of screwing it up and down. Just needs a hole in the insert plate to access the screw head. It's very crude but works perfectly and is very micro adjustable.

 

[ola c]

I have had my Dewalt 625 25+ years and a (two) Triton TRA001 a few years. To me the Dewalt is much higher build quality, Triton overall feels more plastic. My first Triton was returned due to severe vibration problem straight out of the box. Replacement not as good as my Dewalt either in that respect but I had to pay returns myself and if Triton would have considered the second to be within specification it would have cost me a lot so decided to keep it.

God thing with Triton is the quick handle for changing height. I don't refer to the winding handle above the table but the handle below that with one turn travels pretty much through the entire stroke. Great for changing bits but can also be used for fine dialling the height, I almost never use the above table handle option.

One drawback with the Triton is that it has short depth inside the collet, below the collet if mounted in a table. Bits with longer shanks can't always be inserted to the minimum insert line on the bit and that I consider a design flaw. Triton has some very nice features for router table use but except that I'm not very impressed with it.

 

[Danmickread]

Off topic here but where is the best place to buy 75 type aluminum L shaped profile that doesn't cost a fortune?