Taking a Gamble

[Trigger]

Hi All,

I've taken a bit of a gamble today. I have wanted a 2Kw router to fit in my table (under construction) and was moving toward shelling out on a T11 or DW625. I was leaning toward the 625 as I'm going to purchase a Woodpeckers Router Lift and therefore don't need the T11's through table adjustment capability plus D&M had them on offer for £199.

Anyhow, I was looking through eBay this afternoon and there was a brand new Triton TRA001 and with an hour to go at £109 so I bid and got it for£112 Just hope spares will be still available a few years down the road :?

 

[OPJ]

I know B&Q were selling them off a little cheaper some time ago but, still, that's a bloody good price - well done! :wink:

With Silverline taking control of Triton tools in the UK, I can't imagine you'll have much trouble getting hold of spares in future.

 

[Trigger]

Unfortunately I missed out on the B&Q bargains Olly but it's a lot of router for £112 so I'm not too upset.

BTW I went to Bendrys the weekend. Lots of native oak, fir & spruce but little else. However I have found an excellent supplier of ply , verneered pply & mdf as well as kronospan laminated boards.

http://www.avonplywood.co.uk/

A good service, no charge for cutting & they will edge band to order even for the diy market and only 10 minutes away

 

[Dave S]

B&Q were selling them at £98 so not much less than what you paid. They have been going for £140 plus p&p so I think you did well.

i don't think you'll regret your choice for table use - I'm very happy with mine.

Dave

 

[Trigger]

I've got the MOF as well Dave and have been really pleased with that but I wanted a router to permanently mount in a table and one with a bit more grunt at that. The above table cutter change on the Triton as an absolute boon so in a way I think I've got a good router for table use at a good price.

I did notice another one on Ebay with 2 days to go that's at £95 so if anyones interested take a look. :wink:

 

[John. B]

It's the best router I've had fitted to my table.
I was lucky enough to get from B&Q for £88. 00 (with my 10% discount)
Had it for about 2 years now, no problems

 

[Trigger]

Hi John,

Most owners seem to give them pretty good press as you have done as well so finger crossed.

I just hope my table truns out okay now I've taken the plunge (pardon the pun). :roll:

 

[Chems]

I picked one up for £98 about 6 months ago, but I had to drive about 100mile round trip to get it. So for the extra £14 quid you paid I think your well in there.

I've taken the spring out of mine which makes it a lot easier to adjust using the fine height adjuster as the spring used to make it a little jerky and occasionally get it caught with a racking motion.

All you need for table mounting is the 2 coach bolts that are on the quick release system, don't be caught out looking all over for longer versions of the screws that the base are screwed on with.

 

[Jake]

I've taken the spring out of mine which makes it a lot easier to adjust using the fine height adjuster as the spring used to make it a little jerky and occasionally get it caught with a racking motion.

The instructions say to take it out in a table.

 

[Trigger]

Hi Chems,

Half a tank of fuel costs a bit these days and as you say for £14 difference I can't really complain.

My MOF manual says take the spring out for table use so I'm assuming the TRA001 is the same but thanks for the reminder.

All I really need now is some time to spend on my table construction but unfortunately I'm half way through decorating my sons room and he wants a bookcase made to store his vast collection of books, DVD's, CD's etc. so I'm spending today knocking this up out of 18mm thick white melamine faced chipboard . A job for the biscuit jointer me thinks but I'll probably stop to watch France beat England later. :evil:

 

[OPJ]

BTW I went to Bendrys the weekend. Lots of native oak, fir & spruce but little else. However I have found an excellent supplier of ply , verneered pply & mdf as well as kronospan laminated boards.

http://www.avonplywood.co.uk/

A good service, no charge for cutting & they will edge band to order even for the diy market and only 10 minutes away

Bendry's sounds good then; might have to check then out myself one day. What are they like for prices?

I've only heard very good things about Avon Ply although I've not actually used them myself. I don't think there's a "better" supplier for veneered boards in our area though! :wink:

 

[John. B]

trigger wrote
My MOF manual says take the spring out for table use so I'm assuming the TRA001 is the same but thanks for the reminder.


I put my spring into a plastic sandwich bag (sealable) into the drawer under the table, so easy to get lost :roll:
just a thought.

John. B

 

[Chems]

You can use it with the spring in, I did for a while but like the manual says its a lot easier with out it in. I prefer it without hand held as well, no need for a spring with the rack and pinion.

 

[Oryxdesign]

I think Wizer has one for sale on here somewhere.

 

[Argee]

You can use it with the spring in, I did for a while but like the manual says its a lot easier with out it in. I prefer it without hand held as well, no need for a spring with the rack and pinion.

With the plunge spring in, the fine adjuster has to overcome the weight of the router and the spring pressure. Removing the spring is kinder to the worm gear of the height adjuster. As you can see from this picture:

the worm gear (foremost white vertical rod) is hard plastic, the cog it engages with is metal (just visible to the rear of the worm gear), so the less stress on the worm gear, the longer it will last.

It was originally designed as a "shear point" for the mechanism and although I understand that newer models have metal worm gears, I've yet to see one in the UK.

As Chems says, you can use the router upright without the spring, but plunging by use of the rack and pinion handle doesn't feel quite right to me, so I always take the few seconds to replace it for hand-held work.

Ray

 

[Trigger]

I used the MOF hand held without the spring in this afternoon Chems, using a bearing guide cutter and template to radius my melamine faced chipboard bookcase. A lot easier than with the spring but I'm not sure what it would be like trying to plunge cut using it. I'll give it a go tomorrow.

John, the spring is sat in the MOF case at the moment. If I put it somewhere 'safe' I'll never find it again

 

[Chems]

I suppose its a matter of choice, I like using the wheel for my up and down!

 

[tenpin]

How much was it you paid \/
One in the router table and one for handheld

 

[Trigger]

I think I feel slightly unwell :mrgreen:

When did you get these Tenpin as I looked all around my area and couldn't find any at all in the local B&Q stores ?

 

[frugal]

BTW I went to Bendrys the weekend. Lots of native oak, fir & spruce but little else. However I have found an excellent supplier of ply , verneered pply & mdf as well as kronospan laminated boards.

http://www.avonplywood.co.uk/

A good service, no charge for cutting & they will edge band to order even for the diy market and only 10 minutes away

Bendry's sounds good then; might have to check then out myself one day. What are they like for prices?

I've only heard very good things about Avon Ply although I've not actually used them myself. I don't think there's a "better" supplier for veneered boards in our area though! :wink:

I have bookmarked Avon Ply for later as I am just north of Bristol. What are their prices like (I can't stand web sites that show details of what the company sells, but no prices).