Triton TRA001 plunge issue

[Rick Herrick]

This is almost brand new.  I have it installed in a WP plate on my work bench.  Has worked ok so far.  I did some work this weekend and then today went to change the bit and I cannot adjust the router up high enough to engage the spindle lock.  Its like it has hit the end of its travel.  I can't find any reason why it won't go the last 1/4".  Below are 2 pictures.  The first shows the base (grey tab) getting close to the black plunger.  The second shows the two touching but won't go any farther.  Any Triton experience out there?  I am not a super user for routers to begin with and this Triton is a little weird in operations.  But when it works, its brilliant.

 

[MikeGE]

I sold my TRA001 last week, so I don't have it in front of me.  However, you have to slide the cover over the power switch out of the way and turn the power off before you can raise the motor and lock the shaft.  It's a health and safety feature to make the router more cumbersome to use while inverted in a router table.  There is a way to disable this feature, but I never did it because I never got around to using the TRA001 in the table.

Also, did you remove the plunge spring like Triton recommends before mounting it to a router plate?  This makes the height adjustments much easier, and you can reinstall the spring if you want to use the router as an external plunge router.

 

[Rick Herrick]

[member=70363]MikeGE[/member] Thanks Mike, I have been using it in the table just fine until today.  The spring was removed initially.  I do wonder about your power switch suggestion.  Again, I have used fine before now so I have to wonder if I did something out of sequence, that I think you might be suggesting ?

 

[edwarmr]

I believe I know the cause of your problem. I had a Triton plunge router in a Rockler router table I sold a few years ago. I was having problems before I sold it raising the router up high enough for the spindle lock to engage. I felt a lot of resistance when raising it. I checked that the power switch was off and that the plastic cover over the power switch closed and it did. No visible saw dust or wood was blocking anything.

So I took the router off the table and noticed a black plastic cover on one of the metal posts that allow the router to plunge up and down. So I took that plastic cover off (I believe it is held down by a screw) and noticed it was absolutely packed with saw dust and would not allow the router to raise all the way. I cleared the sawdust out and everything worked perfectly. It allowed me to sell it and not feel guilty as well.

Let me know if this works for you

 

[Rick Herrick]

[member=70363]MikeGE[/member] Thanks again Mike, your post made me think a little more.  Due to the unfriendly position of the power switch in this router, installed in a router table, I left the power switch enabled. In order to not screw up and hurt myself, I basically could not turn on the router without dragging an extension cord over.  I checked my power switch and it was on.  Turned it off and the frame plunged the full depth and the spindle lock engaged.  Thank you.

What I don't understand is that switch has been in the on position since being in the table and I have done several bit changes.  So why was I allowed to do those?  Very weird.

I believe I know the cause of your problem. I had a Triton plunge router in a Rockler router table I sold a few years ago. I was having problems before I sold it raising the router up high enough for the spindle lock to engage. I felt a lot of resistance when raising it. I checked that the power switch was off and that the plastic cover over the power switch closed and it did. No visible saw dust or wood was blocking anything.

So I took the router off the table and noticed a black plastic cover on one of the metal posts that allow the router to plunge up and down. So I took that plastic cover off (I believe it is held down by a screw) and noticed it was absolutely packed with saw dust and would not allow the router to raise all the way. I cleared the sawdust out and everything worked perfectly. It allowed me to sell it and not feel guilty as well.

Let me know if this works for you

[member=70011]edwarmr[/member] Thanks Ed, yep I went through trying to remove everything I could around the turret to see if that was causing my problem but nothing worked. My router is pretty new so I was hoping it wasn't a dust issue but I will keep that fix in mind for later.

 

[AstroKeith]

You really should have a 'NVR' switch mounted on the router table. This is your main on/off switch for the router in operation.

 

[Roseland]

I have mine mounted so that the height knob faces me when I open the door.  The fine adjustment is at the front on the left, and the lock front right.  The switch is out of sight at the back left, but I know exactly where it is and have no trouble working by touch.

Just one point: I had the same spindle lift issue once, and found the clear plastic cover over the switch hadn't spring fully to the "protect" position; a quick wiggle and it was fine.

I believe the Triton routers are the best there are in a table; no one has ever come up with a convincing explanation as to why a more expensive router in an expensive lift is any better...

Andrew

 

[AstroKeith]

I have mine mounted so that the height knob faces me when I open the door.  The fine adjustment is at the front on the left, and the lock front right.  The switch is out of sight at the back left, but I know exactly where it is and have no trouble working by touch.

Just one point: I had the same spindle lift issue once, and found the clear plastic cover over the switch hadn't spring fully to the "protect" position; a quick wiggle and it was fine.

I believe the Triton routers are the best there are in a table; no one has ever come up with a convincing explanation as to why a more expensive router in an expensive lift is any better...

Andrew

I too think it is great value as a table router. I too can find and adjust the switch, height adjust and lock, etc without thinking. To me the key attributes are good power and rock solid position when locked up.

For me the fine height adjust is the weakest point. Mine wont drop under its own weight, so there is quite a lot of backlash when changing direction with the fine adjuster. Now I have a digital height gauge it got a lot easier and I always just rough set it low and fine adjust upwards.

Below table chip collection isn't perfect as they left gaps in the clear plastic shrouds to accommodate the rise and fall action. My shop vac doesn't produce enough flow to pull in all the chips. My CTL Midi probably gets 95%.

 

[Rick Herrick]

You really should have a 'NVR' switch mounted on the router table. This is your main on/off switch for the router in operation.

I have one, just haven't installed it yet.

 

[Rick Herrick]

I believe the Triton routers are the best there are in a table; no one has ever come up with a convincing explanation as to why a more expensive router in an expensive lift is any better...

Andrew

Thanks Andrew, so far I agree 100%.

 

[AstroKeith]

You really should have a 'NVR' switch mounted on the router table. This is your main on/off switch for the router in operation.

I have one, just haven't installed it yet.

Safety first  [scared] (in many countries to is illegal to use a table machine without NVR)