Power Tools Reviews
Triton MOF001KC/MOF001C 2-1/4 HP Precision Router Kit
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 Router OK -- Amazon problems I ordered this router in January from Amazon. They said it was in stock at the time. After a month they said it was back ordered. After four months they cancelled my order. I was willing to wait for the item since the reviews were very good. I tried to get Amazon to re-instate the order so I wouldn't lose my place in line. Knowing it would be in stock at some point I thought Amazon would be reasonable about this. NOTHING DOING. They were jerks. Shipments from the distributor are just starting up again. I'll be curious to see what happens. I think a high number of loyal customers are likely to get screwed again. In stock soon, yeh right! While I am sure this item is great and will live up to the reviews, mine has been on order for 2 and a half months. Do not trust Amazon when that state "In stock soon". My expected delivery date has been extended three times. If I had known this up front, I would have found an alternate source. This amounts to false advertising on the part of Amazon in my opinion. Great in the router table I bought this router, based on a FineWoodworking review, to use in my router table. The appeal was: #1)being able to change bits from above the table (and NOT having to remove the router), #2)being able to adjust the bit height from above the table and #3)being able to do these without investing in an expensive router lift. It works as advertised - easy to adjust bit height, (mostly) easy to change bits from above the table. I am impressed that the collet rises well above table. Kudos as well to a well-designed, heavy-duty, plated, cast wrench. Nice collet lock (automatically engages when the collet is raised to full height). Smooth and powerful. It is mounted to my table, I located where to drill the hole for the adjusting lever (some sort of template would have helped...), and it seems to work well. As regards router table use, the only goofy thing to me is the on/off switch. You have to push back a safety cover before depressing the switch - in free hand use I think this would be an annoying extra step. In the table the annoyance is that I normally leave the router switch on, plug it into an outlet in my table, and operate it from an external switch - not a problem until it is time to change bits. Raising the collet above the table is supposed to engage a lockout (that little cover) so that you won't accidentally turn on the router while changing a bit. However if the switch is already turned on the collet won't raise all the way until you reach under the table and turn it off - and that's a little clumsy because it is on the backside. Then, of course, you have to turn it back on (clumsy) before starting out again. If you followed that - not a big deal, and I suppose it is a reasonable safety trade-off. I'll get used to it. One more thing that is a little odd is the plunge mechanism - I'm not sure why one would need more than a spring and a locking lever on a smooth set of plunge rods, but Triton seems to think so - there is an odd knob with a push button in the middle (and a locking lever). In the little bit I handled it free hand I didn't quite figure it out (I had to read the instructions for cryin' out loud!). This would only be an issue for me if I was using it free hand, and I'm not - my reliable Bosch routers do that for me comfortably. So, for router table: pretty great, especially for the price (less than most router lifts alone). For free hand use I don't think I'd pick it over the more conventional fare - Bosch, Porter-Cable, Dewalt, Makita, etc. It does come with quite a collection of extras for free hand use though, so you might want to handle it and compare prices.  Versatile, well-designed Like most people I want to have my cake and eat it too. I wanted a router that was versatile as a hand-held (read "Plunge"), but also wanted it to be suitable for table-mounting. The conventional wisdom is to buy a "kit" with both fixed and plunge bases, most of which are pushing the $300 price point. In addition, the fixed-base router still needs a "lift" to make above-table adjustments easy. Another alternative is a good plunge-base and a Router Raizer. This Triton covers all the bases in a beautifully-designed, easy-to-handle unit that doesn't require the purchase of a lot of "extras" other than (obviously) a table in which to mount it. It comes with two collets (not just a 1/2" and a crappy adapter). It's reasonably quiet, not too heavy, and the choice of either the "winder" or conventional plunge give you all the control you need. The "winder" is also handy when table mounting; a half-turn (about 180 deg.) moves the router through it's full range. It takes a little practice to grab the plunge handle while retracting the plunge-lock ring, but it comes quickly. No buyers remorse on this one. | |||||||||
