Delta 34-184 Universal Tenoning Jig

Delta 34-184 Universal Tenoning Jig Review By Dean Bielanowski

Despite all the advances in joinery methods and technology these days, the good old mortise and tenon joint still remains one of the more popular joints for cabinet and furniture builders around the world. It offers a solid, strong joint, that when combined with today's quality glues, is hard to break! Constructing mortise and tenon joints is a time consuming process. Originally hand crafted with chisels and saws, the joint could take a good hour or more to construct and perfect. These days, however, the process is somewhat easier and faster with new chisel mortising machines and table saws and routers that can create tenons very quickly and efficiently. The table saw, combined with a bandsaw, can make tenons relatively quickly, but to make the process safer and more accurate, the table saw owner requires a tenoning jig. Today we will look at the Delta 34-184 Universal Tenoning jig to see how it stacks up. Packaging and Assembly The Delta 34-184 tenoning jig is packaged well in formed styrofoam and coated in copious amounts of grease/oil. It's always a great feeling to have your hands coated in grease from a new tool package, isn't it? At least you know its probably brand new! Anyway, after using half a bottle of mineral turpentine to clean up all the parts, assembly could begin. The grease had successfully inhibited all rust from the parts, which is a good start. Instructions for assembly are supplied, and these are easy to follow. Assembly takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on how fast you are with Allen wrenches. I recall some woodworkers who had purchased similar tenoning jigs (not necessarily the Delta brand) having issues with burrs on the base of the jig, which leaves nice scratches and marks on the table saw surface. As a result, I quickly checked mine over and am happy to report that it looked and felt clean and smooth. The manual recommends coating all unpainted surfaces with a rust-inhibiting protectant, so I applied a non-silicon paste wax to these areas, and to the base which helps it glide across the table saw surface easier as well. The last step is adjusting the miter guide bar to the slots in your table saw. The adjustable bar means this jig can accommodate small variances in table saw miter slots that you might find across various manufacturers. Getting a snug fit in the miter slot is important, but you don't want it so snug that it becomes difficult to slide along. After an additional 15 minutes of guide bar adjustment and checking the tenoning jig was square with the table etc, we were ready to go! Features Adjustable Guide Bar for snug fit into miter slots Can be used on both left tilt and right tilt table saws Rapid and fine position adjustment 2 jig handles for improved user safety 2 Year Limited Warranty In Use Before using the 34-184 tenoning jig, we made sure we had it fine tuned to our saw for best accuracy. The function of the tenoning jig is quite simple. Basically, the tenoning jig allows you to hold lengths of material upright safely while you pass it through the blade. You could also use it to cut a slot in the end of timber if you had a need to do so, for spline or key-type joints if you had no other easier method of achieving this. The thickness of the slot is initially determined by your blade width, but with fine adjustments, you can widen the slot to your needs. Attempting this by hand would be quite fool hardy, particularly with long, narrow stock. The clamping arm on the 34-184 is adjustable to accommodate various sizes, and thicknesses of material, and provides a solid grip on the workpiece, achieved by winding the clamping handle in and out. The design of this handle makes the clamping task quick and easy, and most importantly, comfortable as well. We we able to clamp and unclamp pieces very fast with this jig, which saves time and improves productivity if working in a commercial setting. Setting up the piece to cut tenons can take time as a new user of such a jig. After you have made shoulder cuts for the tenon, you can set the workpiece in the tenoning jig to make the cheek cuts. Adjusting the workpiece to achieve the correct position to cut the cheeks can be achieved via rapid, or fine jig adjustments. To move the work support plate quickly, you must loosen the triangular (delta) locking knob, press down on the quick release button just behind it, then slide the jig in macro movement in or out as necessary. Fine adjustments are made by keeping the lock knob loosened, then turning the fine adjustment knob on the far left of the tenoning jig. Each full turn will equate to roughly 1/16" of movement. A graduated measure is cut into the adjustment bar to allow some accuracy when fine-tuning the position of the jig. Once you have the workpiece positioned for the cheek cut, remember to re-tighten the lock knob to keep it in place, check the piece is secured firmly in the jig, check your saw blade height, then switch on the machine ready for the cut. Note that you have to remove your saw blade guard and splitter to make the cuts, so extra caution is needed. The guide bar does feature two round washer-type plates that will fit some T-shaped miter slots to eliminate the possibility of the jig raising up out of the miter slot during the cut. these can be removed for those miter slots that do not have the T-slot feature. Ok so with everything ready to go, and saw blade spinning, grasp the two handles on the left side of the jig and move the jig forward, running the workpiece through the blade to make the cut. You can bring the jig back past the spinning blade relatively safely because the workpiece should be clamped firmly in the jig, although do note that Delta recommends that you turn the saw off before bringing the jig and workpiece back past the blade. You may find the offcut sometimes comes whizzing back at you, but generally it is a small piece, plus you should always stand out of the line of the blade anyway for any table saw cut. Keeping your hands on the handles ensures your precious body parts stay well away from the spinning blade during the cut, a good safety feature. After one side is cut, you can unclamp, turn the workpiece around, reclamp, and cut the other cheek of the tenon. Alternatively you could make multiple passes to remove material, eliminating the need to make shoulder cuts to begin with, although we found this took much longer, particularly if you have multiple tenons to create. If you need to make angled tenons, the Delta 34-184 Tenoning Jig will suit this operation. It features an adjustable backstop, which can be tilted backward to accommodate angled cheek cuts. What it does not have is an angle gauge to aid in setting the stop, although this is not really necessary as you can set it with the end of your angled workpiece resting flat on the table. Conclusion Fit, finish, and accuracy are all there, as is sturdiness of construction. The Delta 34-184 Universal Tenoning jig is a heavy piece of equipment, but this assures safe and accurate woodworking practice. It performs the tasks it is designed to perform extremely well. Best of all, there is little or no maintenance to be carried out on such a product, except to check occasionally that everything is still square to your table and blade. For the furniture/cabinet makers, and table saw owners among us, the Delta 34-184 is certainly one piece of equipment that no workshop should be without. Highly recommended! Available to Order Online through these companies... Click graphic to go to their direct product page for this item FREE SHIPPING AVAILABLE!

Delta Universal Tenoning Jig Photos All photos copyright onlinetoolreviews.com. Use without prior written permission prohibited Delta 34-184 components unpackaged and ready for assembly. Graduated scale makes positioning for cuts a little easier. Quick release clamping arm/handle Coarse and fine adjustment is achieved by loosening the l ocking knob. Angular backrest support allows you to cut angled tenons Hands safely out of harm's way. Blade height set and ready to go! Making the first cut to complete the tenon. A completed tenon. Looks good doesn't it?

Delta 16" Variable Speed Scroll Saw (Model SS250)

Delta 16" Variable Speed Scroll Saw (Model SS250)

Quick Specifications Motor: 1/4 HP Variable Speed Speeds: 400-1800 rpm Throat: 16" Cut Thickness: Up to 2" Table: 298mm diameter, 0-45 degree left tilt Additional Inclusions: User Manual, Scroll Saw Safety card, Extra table insert blank.

Delta Machinery is generally well-known in woodworking circles as a company/manufacturer that produces quality tools for all levels of woodworking skill. Their 16" Variable Speed Scroll Saws are no different. The model under the spotlight today is Model SS250 (or similar Model 50-540). This model is one of Delta's lower end scroll saws, however, it offers excellent value for money for the hobbyist, amateur or established woodworker not requiring a 'production-style' machine. Assembly Out of the box, the Delta scroll saw requires only a small amount of assembly on behalf of the user. The table and locking handles come unassembled, most likely to help prevent damage during shipping. The table is covered in a protective grease paper to prevent rust and requires removal of the paper cover and then cleaning of the table with kerosene before use to remove the grease coating. Once this has been accomplished, a nice smooth, well-machined table top was revealed. It is now your choice whether you apply a paste wax film on the table to prevent further rust, which is highly recommended! Assembling the table to the scroll saw is relatively straight forward and only involves inserting two special screws and locknuts (provided) to secure the table in place. The table/tilt lock knob assembly is then fitted just as easily. Step-by-Step instructions are provided with well illustrated pictures in the accompanying manual, which is really great to see and makes assembly a painless and frustration-free process. Next the hold-down rod and air blower assembly is fixed to the saw. Again, just a few turns of the hex wrench and this is easily accomplished. Attach the air blower hose to the air outlet on the hold-down mechanism and you are connected and just about ready to go. The inclusion of a small tool holder bracket is a great idea. The tool holder attaches to the rear arm of the saw on the right-hand side and will hold Delta's lower clamp adjustment tool and about 30-odd scroll saw blades in the cylindrical pipe-like pocket. Overall assembly time took around 10-15 minutes. Quite respectable! Important Scroll Saw Tip Scroll saws, by nature, produce quite a lot of vibration when in use. They are but one of many tools that need to be clamped or bolted to a solid workbench or stand before use. It is dangerous to use a scroll saw that is not properly secured to a solid stand. Excessive vibration will also damage the saw components or cause them to wear much faster that usual. Securing/Clamping the Delta 16" V/S Scroll Saw Delta does manufacture their own Scroll Saw Stand (Model 40-654) however it will only accept the 18" and 20" Delta Scroll Saws, so you will have to find or build your own stand for the Delta if you do not have a sturdy workbench or other location to secure it to. The SS250 features 4 locations on the base to insert bolts for clamping. Each point also feature rubber soles and upper lips for improved vibration cushioning. These points will take around a 7-8mm diameter bolt comfortably. While I achieved good success bolting the Delta to my workbench, my basement has a solid brick bar with hard pine top. I found clamping the scroll saw to this provided virtually no vibration whatsoever, even at highest saw speed. The perfect scroll saw setup! The location of the clamping holes/points makes bolt-clamping or C-clamp fastening very fast and efficient. Quickset II Blade Change System & Blade Tensioning Without a doubt, one of the primary concerns of the scroll saw artist is the ability to be able to achieve fast blade changes to allow inside/fretwork cuts to be achieved efficiently. When you are working on a project requiring hundreds of individual inside cuts, the time it takes to release and re-insert blades into your pre-drilled starter holes becomes essential, unless you have all the time in world that is. Many of us don't, so this is a common question one asks when deciding on a scroll saw to purchase. Thankfully, Delta have come up with an efficient blade clamping system called the Quickset II system. The system basically entails the use of 2 quick-release levers to release and re-engage the top blade clamp. The basic procedure for this is as follows (please refer to our pictures to the right as well): 1. Release blade tension lever - simply pull it forward (takes less than half a second). Some woodworkers choose to remove the table insert first if required. 2. Undo the Quickset II chuck-locking lever which releases the blade from the upper clamp. (this is a lever which opens and closes a small clamp-type attachment that holds the actual blade... much like a vise). 3. With blade released, insert in next hole for cutting. 4. Insert blade back into Quickset II blade clamp and engage the upper-clamp lever to tighten. 5. Re-engage the blade tension lever. 6. Done! Start scrolling. The upper chuck/clamp assembly also features a small adjustable locknut. Adjusting this locknut allows various widths of scroll saw blades to be used and held firmly in place. While tension is usually quickly applied and released via the main tension locking lever, further tension adjustments can be made with the addition tensioning knob situated on the top arm of the saw. This knob will generally set the overall tension of the blade and should be used to attain that 'High C' sound woodworkers often refer to when the blade is 'plucked'. This usually indicates correct blade tension. A blade change for inside cuts can indeed be done in around 10-15 seconds. It will in fact likely take you longer to insert the blade into the next pre-drilled hole! The bottom (under the table) blade chuck is open and closed using a special blade chuck tool provided with the scroll saw. This long hex-wrench type tool includes an elongated hew-end wrench which is attached to a parallel guide pole. When the pole is located into the lower blade holder, the hex wrench will automatically align with the blade holder screw which is used to pen and close the lower blade check. Fairly simple operation and the tool means you don't have to reach under the table to adjust the lower blade chuck/clamp. The Delta SS250 In Operation I have been using this scroll saw for over 18 months now and so far, the saw has performed very well. An important factor in maintaining acceptable results with your saw and extending the life of the motor is to use quality scroll saw blades and change them over before they become too dull or blunt. There are a number of good blade manufacturers around, but I personally prefer Olson Scroll Saw Blades. They are high-quality blades and available locally to me at a good price. Flying Dutchmen blades are also highly recommended by others and available in the USA. Let's take a look at a few of the operational features of the Delta SS250 itself. The variable speed control dial and power switch are located on the front left side of the machine. If you have the scroll saw sitting at hip level, and are a tall person, the table can sometimes get in the way of the controls. This is no big deal really, it just means you have to reach down and under a little to access the machines controls. One well-noted issue with the variable speed knob, is that it is a little inaccurate through its physical range in controlling the saw speed. What I mean by this is, that you can reach full speed (1800rpm) on the knob when it is only about 60% of the way through its physical range, so trying to judge a specific speed by using the knob and gauge around it is difficult. After a little bit of use, it is not too difficult to set your desired speed and be pretty accurate in doing so. A recognized safety feature of the ON/OFF switch assembly is that a special padlock can be inserted to prevent the machine being switched on or used when you are not around. great if you have curious young ones that sometimes sneak into the shop on occasion. For angled cuts, the table itself tilts left from 0-45 degrees and is fastened with a standard lever-type fastening system. Not too much excitement there. The dust blower is a little disappointing on the Delta SS250. It is really only effective at full speed. Anything lower, and it doesn't have enough 'puff' to effectively clear the dust away. A simple, cost-effective solution is to buy a small fish tank air blower motor (or other similar device) and rig it up to the Delta. While it is a minor inconvenience and an additional expense, the extra 'puff' this addition will provide will blow all dust away from your work quickly and efficiently allowing you to enjoy a continuous clear view of your blade and cutting line. The Delta performed well with a wide variety of thickness cuts. Its maximum cut capacity is 2" high, which is pretty much standard for machines of this size. One must remember that the throat size (16" on the SS250) is something to consider if you plan to scroll saw larger pieces. I have only ever cut plastic on the Delta once before (I haven't really had a need to cut much else other than wood), but with the appropriate blade and speed settings, no problems were encountered. The Delta performed satisfactorily on hardwoods as well. As a test, I attempted to carve through some Ipe, a known dense hardwood, and managed to do so successfully, although feed rate must be reduced in order not to strain the small motor and Ipe has a tendency to dull blades really fast as well! The SS250, when properly clamped to a vibration-proof surface is very quiet as one would expect from a small induction motor. With the proper tensioning, a quality blade in place and a little wax/lubricant rubbed on the blade, cutting through most woods is also a quiet affair. Lubrication of the machine is necessary to maintain good performance and to prolong the life of your machine. Delta's manual states this should be done after each 20 hours of use. As a personal rule, when starting to use any new piece of machinery, I usually let it run for a minute or two and then give it a little 'lube' right from the start. I have found this to work well for many tools. I then usually cut 25% off the recommended lubrication intervals. So if Delta says 20, I will lubricate the required components every 15 hours of use. Lubricating the Delta SS250 is fairly simple and involves the removal of the plastic side plate on the "C" section of the saw. It is then a matter of lubricating four points on the machine, 2 of which require the removal of pivot bolts. It is no drama and provides a little 'therapy' knowing that your extra care will earn your machine a healthy lifespan. There really isn't too much more to say about the Delta SS250 short of actually giving you some scroll saw lessons! Conclusion For around US$99, The Delta SS250 is a great scroll saw for almost all non-production purposes and even for some small production purposes as well if suitable for the task. It is an ideal saw for the beginner, and despite the small issue with the air blower and a need for an external light source, it offers excellent value for money. Recommended! Available to Order Online through these companies... Click graphic to go to their direct product page for this item

Delta 16" Photos All photos copyright. Use without prior written permission prohibited Nicely machined round and flat working table. Powered By a quiet 1/4 HP induction motor. Left tilting table: 0 - 45 degrees. The handy tool caddy. Table angle gauge and adjustment lever. Rubber feet shown here front and back (and more on other side) help dampen vibrations when saw is clamped or bolted down to a table. Quickset II System: A - Global Tension Knob B - Tension Release Lever C - Chuck Release Lever The integrated dust blower is only really effective at full motor speed. The ON/OFF Switch and variable speed control. You may even notice the holes in front of the switch to attach a special padlock for additional safety. Scroll Saws are great tools and can be used for a variety of purposes. Here is a quick scroll saw project I am part way through, cut on the Delta SS250 Scroll Saw.

Triton Superjaws

Triton Superjaws (SJA200) Review By Dean Bielanowski

Australian company, Triton, have been responsible for some excellent advances in tool and woodworking advances over the years. They have amassed a good selection of unique products for the woodworker, handyperson or DIY enthusiast. Some of these products we have reviewed on this website, and all have received quite a positive review. The Triton Superjaws is not a new Triton product. The SJA001 model has been around for several years, and I have owned one for just as long. Recently, Triton updated the design of their original Superjaws and released the SJA200 model based on user feedback and further research and development. The Triton SJA200 Superjaws So what are Superjaws? Basically, think of them as a heavy duty woodworking clamp or vise on steroids! Well, calling it a woodworking device is not really fair. It can clamp and hold onto many types of materials and objects, and is expandable with add-on accessories to provide even more functionality. The tool is a giant clamping jaw which offers a large clamping capacity between 0 - 956mm (37.5 inches) and can apply up to 1000kg (2,240lbs) of clamping force, which should be plenty to grip on to just about anything very securely. I have not had a general woodworking or workshop situation for the Superjaws yet where the tool could not deliver the clamping force I needed for the task. So how do you apply this force? In answering this question, we also reveal perhaps the best feature of this tool, in our opinion at least, and that is the speed at which something can be securely clamped. Unlike a normal workbench screw-type vice which can require numerous rotations of the handle to secure differing sized objects, to secure an object in the Superjaws you simply slide the top moveable jaw up to the workpiece, ensure the lock/release switch is in the lock position, then with your foot, push down on the foot pedal to apply the clamping force required. That's it! The jaw slide is much smoother with the new model, incorporating ball bearings, whereas the older model used a type of tension flap mechanism that was a little harder to slide. The older model also required a locking plate to be pulled out to hold the clamp at the desired clamping force, however, the new Superjaws features a lock/release switch on the front side of the fixed jaw within easy reach, which is much easier to use, and no more bruised shins. The moveable jaw can also be advanced up to the workpiece by pushing on the foot pedal repeatedly. Each push on the pedal advances the jaw about 25mm. Opening the jaws back up is as quick as clamping them. Simply move the lock / release switch to the release position, push down on the foot pedal and allow it to slowly release upward removing the clamping force exerted by the moveable jaw. The moveable jaw is reversible to provide that maximum 37 odd inches of clamping capacity. Each side of the jaws features a removable urethane clamping face. This is rigid enough to provide excellent clamping force, but not so hard as to easily damage or mar materials being clamped, however, due to the large amount of clamping force Superjaws can apply, you do still need to be careful when clamping softer materials. The urethane facings also feature horizontal and vertical "V'' grooves which are very useful for clamping metal square tube or square form lumber on an angle for cutting, among other things. The design of the Superjaws' support legs has also changed in this latest model. The previous model had a "connecting" brace that joined the three legs together, which, while providing good stability, was not ideal in some situations, particularly if the Superjaws were being used on an uneven surface. In the new model, the legs are implemented independently of each other, but still retain the three point tripod style support. Being independent however, there is more tolerance for uneven ground, allowing the user to use the Superjaws on even moderately uneven surfaces. The Superjaws is designed to be portable. In fact, you can easily fold it up and store it in the trunk/boot of a standard sized car quite easily to transport it around. Each of the three legs can be folded down, as well as the foot pedal, underneath the main body of the Superjaws for compact storage or transportation. And weighing in at 16.5kg, the tool is not excessively heavy to cart around for the heavy duty clamping features it offers, and not to mention the all-metal durable construction too. Legs lock into place using clamping knobs to ensure they do not fold in during use and when in transport mode they are secured equally as well so they don't fly out and become a menace. On the bottom of the front two legs are integrated foot plates. The user can place their foot on either of these plates as necessary to provide even more stabilizing force to the Superjaws while in use. Applications The SJA200 Superjaws can be used for a wide variety of clamping tasks. I use mine regularly just to hold wood for hand sawing, and it does a great job of this, allowing easy access to the wood on both sides for the clamping jaws. When it comes time for quick glue-ups of smaller pieces, the Superjaws provides a strong hold on smaller items until the glue has had time to set. For planing full size doors or fitting door locks, the Superjaws provides a positive grip on a door in almost any clamping configuration. There is enough capacity to clamp the standard size door horizontally across its width too, allowing the planer obstruction-free access to the top or bottom of the door. I use the Superjaws regularly for drilling pen blanks, for holding boards for dowel drilling, and even for hand planing, sanding or surface work of wooden pieces prior to assembly. The Superjaws also work great for holding smaller finished projects like small book stands, children's furniture etc for spray finishing (just be sure to cover the Superjaws themselves to avoid contamination from overspray). For metalworking, I have used the Superjaws to hold metal components for welding, hold one piece mower blades for sharpening with the angle grinder, or just to bend small pieces of bent sheet steel back to flat. It is a handy shop press. The front (immovable) jaw's top surface is also sturdy enough to act as a light metal shop anvil for bending thinner pieces of steel or aluminum etc. An accessory set of cast Engineer's jaws can be purchased and added to the Superjaws for heavier metalworking or metal clamping tasks. You can also use the Superjaws to make a moveable accessory table. Just take some rigid sheet material, glue or temporarily nail on a piece of wood underneath which the jaws can clamp onto, and you have a handy extra work surface to use for whatever task or project requires it. Accessories A range of accessories are available (at additional cost) to further enhance the Superjaws' usefulness. I mentioned the Engineer's jaws above, but you can also purchase Log Gripping Jaws. This jaw set has teeth-like protrusions which positively grip onto logs of many sizes, allowing you to easily and safely cut logs to length with a chainsaw, or to work directly on the log (for bush-style furniture) at a much more ergonomic, and back-saving, height off the ground. These jaws can also be used to clamp poles or rounded objects much more securely than the standard flat urethane jaws. The third optional accessory is an extension tray. This tray attaches to either side of the body of the Superjaws and provides a place to put your hand tools, safety gear, fasteners, or lighter power tools in easy reach of the user. The tray also incorporates an extension wing that sits at the same height as the bed of the jaws so extra lateral support can be given to the clamped object if needed. Conclusion Having owned the older model (SJA001) Superjaws, and having no problems with it so far (although other users of the old model did occasionally have issues with the sliding jaw, and bruised shins!) I was interested to see how the Superjaws could be made better. Well, I will say that this new model does seem to be an improvement to the old model, both in design, ease-of-use, and by directly addressing and fixing some of the more common issues experienced with the older model. I cannot speak highly enough of the usefulness of the Superjaws. The only negative I can see, and it is really a necessary evil, is the large footprint of the tool. However, any device being able to exert 1 ton or more of clamping pressure is going to be fairly large, and the ability to easily fold the tool up and move it out of the way pretty much addresses that issue anyway. Regardless, this tool has to be one of my favorites in the workshop. It is so darn useful I now have two, which also now gives me some of the most versatile "saw horses" money can buy! Kudos to Triton again for delivering another fine woodwor... err general shop clamping device. You would be hard pressed finding a Superjaws owner who is not happy with their purchase. Most I come across rave about it, anyway. Retailing at around AUD$199 in Australia and around USD$160 in the USA, the Superjaws is comparable in price to a semi-decent woodworking vice, but it offers some much more versatility. It is definitely good value for money. Available to Order through these Companies... Click graphic to go to their direct product page for this item Australia USA For more information, or to find dealers worldwide of Triton products, visit www.triton.com.au

Triton SJA200 Photos Photos from http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com The Superjaws in the folded storage/transport position. Unfolded and ready to go! The new lock/release switch The foot pedal for applying clamping force The jaws in normal mode with urethane clamp heads Note the removable jaw has been reversed so the maximum 956mm capacity can be obtained The locking clamps ont he front legs prevent those legs from folding inward. A 4 x 4 post clamped in the Superjaws for easy sawing. When clamping something at the edge of the clamp as shown, a similar sized filler piece should be used on the other end to prevent the jaw warping, however, here I am showing the ease that the Superjaws holds this length of RHS steel on end. A pen blank sitting in the V-grooves of the urethane facings.

Triton Multi Stand

Multi Stand Review By Dean Bielanowski

"A versatile multipurpose support stand with extra-wide tripod base for excellent stability on level or uneven ground." Photo Source: Triton Website - http://www.triton.net.au

Triton is well-regarded in Australia and abroad as a manufacturer of innovative tools for the amateur to professional woodworker. Many Triton tools incorporate 'first on the scene' features which provide improved reliability, improved safety and use-ability. The Triton Multi Stand is no exception to this rule and takes the regular roller-stand concept and transforms it into a more versatile piece of equipment. Let's take a closer look and see why! One would imagine that a work-support stand like this would not really have that many features, however, in true Triton design spirit, they have incorporated a few extra 'goodies' that improve the versatility of the Multi Stand over standard roller-type supports. I thought perhaps the best way to review this item might be to take a look at what Triton themselves claim as the stand-out features of the product and then comment on whether the marketing blurb offers a good degree of validity, so let's put their marketing hype to the test! A versatile multipurpose support stand with extra-wide tripod base for excellent stability on level or uneven ground. The Multi Stand certainly is versatile. I have used it for a large number of purposes. Predominantly, like a roller-stand, I use it mostly for outboard support of work pieces both on the table saw and router table. As we will see shortly, however, the Multi-stand has given the roller concept the flick and gone with a new method of guiding and supporting the work-piece while it is being cut/shaped. The versatility of the multi-stand could be granted to several of the key features of the product, however, one key feature stands out. Unlike the roller-stand, the multi-stand actually has two support surfaces that sit on top of the U-shaped upper support frame when viewed from the Front plane (see accompanying photos). The U-shaped design means that there exists about a 2-1/4" channel that runs the length of the upper support. This channel is actually a makeshift vice and features a small, but effective clamping system to hold work-pieces of varying sizes. Along with the three sturdy legs, each with a 1/2" hole to hold metal pins that can be used to hold the multi-stand down fast in dirt or on the lawn etc, the multi stand can be used for such applications as holding a door while hanging/hinging it or use 2 multi stands and a pre-made table top for a quick and easy display-type table for parties, functions or other purposes. On uneven ground, the Triton Multi Stand performs well within it specifications, but of course, center of gravity rules apply and you can't expect the stand to hold a heavy, long piece of lumber with the stand on a sharp downslope or side of a hill unless you keep the center of gravity of the whole system within its base of support. It's simple physics... Small molded ridges incorporated into one side of the U-shaped channel help hold wooden stock firmly, but these may need to be covered if you are clamping delicate work to stop damage. The small vice component also contains 'teeth' to hold material effectively and the same considerations of care must be exercised if holding delicate work. Is it versatile? Yes! and the number of uses are only limited by your imagination really. I often use the Multi Stand to hold a tool tray I have built. Essentially, it is a 4-sided tray made out of ply and a 2" pine framing piece glued to the base of the tray. The pine framing piece sits in the vice of the Multi Stand and holds the tool tray above it. A great, versatile tool tray setup that can be easily moved around to all your machinery. The low-friction slide surfaces provide smooth, controlled travel without unwanted "steering" of the work piece. They ensure your work only moves when you want it to. This is one of the innovative, yet simple features of the multi-stand that makes it unique. It uses 2 half-rounded parallel hardened plastic slide surfaces instead of rollers to guide the work piece when used as a work piece support during cuts/shaping etc. Triton claims the surfaces are low-friction, and indeed they are! I have yet to run something over it that stuck or caught on these slide surfaces. Even a rubber car mat slides over them nicely... The advantage these slide bar surfaces have is that they can be positioned at any angle to the work piece without the work piece being misguided by the stand, unlike roller stand heads that need to be positioned at 90 degrees to the direction of travel. The following diagram from Triton best shows what I am referring to here: At any angle on the Triton Multi Stand, wood will feed over it nicely without deviating, whereas common roller stands will guide the wood away from the intended path if not initially positioned properly. Photo Source: Triton Website - http://www.triton.net.au These slide surfaces are removable and held in place by countersunk screws. (3 across the top of each slide bar). Just by the feel of the plastic slide bars, they may be prone to damage if you were to drop the stand on a hard surface with the slide bars making first contact. This was one thing I wasn't prepared to try, but if it did happen, I would imagine it would be a very simple process to obtain replacement parts and remove and re-fit the damaged bars. I don't plan on breaking mine any time soon by the way! Swivelling and tilting head clamps pieces of wood to give many applications in the workshop, at home and on-site Personally, I don't count swivelling heads as a major feature. This should be standard on all types of support stands, and not really needed in many cases as these stands are simple enough just to turn around anyway. The tilting head however, combined with the Multi-stand vice feature mentioned earlier opens up yet a few more possibilities. I recall seeing in one of Triton's video promotion tapes that the Multi Stand was used to hold a long length of timber clamped in the vice with the head set at roughly 45 degrees. Hanging off one end of the length of timber , which was now perched 10 ft up in the air, was a spotlight/floodlight. This was a great idea for a portable lighting system that caught my eye and demonstrated one of the possibilities the tilting head feature offers. The head can tilt from 0 to 90 degrees and can also be used to support stock when cutting compound angles on a bandsaw for example, with your bandsaw table tilted, and the Multi-stand providing additional support. This is particularly useful when working with 'flexible' material like thin ply sheets for example that tend to flex, bend or twist when no support is directly available. Height adjusts from 635 - 940 mm (25" to 37") and folds for easy transport and storage. The height range of the Multi-stand will likely suit 90% or more of your support requirements. Height is adjustable via the large hardened plastic knob just above where the legs meet the main vertical shaft. The plastic knobs are very generous in size and allow you to achieve good leverage to apply and release tension on the shaft to keep it locked at your chosen height. There are occasions when a little extra height could be useful, but it is difficult to meet everyone's requirements while still maintaining a compact and sturdy system. The 3 legs of the multi-stand are attached to the base via a standard bolt-washer-nut configuration and assuming you don't over-tighten the nuts, the legs fold in very smoothly. Along with the tilting head, which can be tilted down for storage, the whole unit folds up to a fairly thin and compact size to make storage much easier. Perfect if you only have a small workspace or shop to work in. Supports over 100Kg (220lb) While I didn't fully test the 100Kg load limit, I certainly would have placed close to around 70kg on the unit at one stage and experienced no problems at all. The Multi-stand is very rigid and solidly built. It has a bit of weight to it and will not easily tip over or fail as long as you are sensible with its use. There are very few (if any) situations in general woodworking practice where a load of 100Kg (220lb) or more would need to be applied to the stand, and if there was, you would probably be looking at other alternatives to hold that kind of weight anyway. Conclusion The Triton Multi-stand has taken a very important safety tool every workshop should have several of and added a few simple, but effective changes to create a unique stand with far greater versatility than a regular 'roller-type' stand. I have used roller stands previously, but since buying the multi-stand, I can imagine the 'rollers' will be seeing much less use in the future. I have already started saving the coins for a few more Multi Stands for my shop and priced at around US$70 or AUD$79 (if you are in Australia - Triton's home land), they offer good value for money for the versatility they offer. Triton Website - http://www.triton.net.au

Multi Stand Photos All photos copyright. Use without prior written permission prohibited This deliberately darkened photo highlights the small vice assembly inside the U-channel Height adjustment knob provides quick and ergonomic action The head of the Multi Stand can tilt from 0 to 90 degrees Solid metal construction allows 100kg (220lbs) of load to be achieved safely. Here is my portable tool tray made specifically to fit in the Multi Stand. Holes in each leg's foot allows pins or tent pegs to be inserted for added stability on rough/outdoor surfaces Photo Source: Triton Website - http://www.triton.net.au Photo Source: Triton Website - http://www.triton.net.au Photo Source: Triton Website - http://www.triton.net.au

Triton 380mm Planer Thicknesser Moulder

Triton 380mm Planer Thicknesser Moulder (TPT15) Review By Dean Bielanowski

The Triton MK3 and Workcentre saws have been an Australian success story for the Triton company. In more recent years, Triton has been sold and resold and is now owned by Global Machinery Company (GMC). Since being taken over by GMC, a whole new range of Triton tools have been released onto the market, many retaining the same quality and innovation as the original Triton products. One of the major new tools to emerge in 2007 has been the TPT15 Thicknesser/Moulding machine. With an interesting design and plenty of features providing accurate results, we just had to grab one and test and review it! We did note however, that unlike other Triton products, this particular unit is being re-badged and sold by several other companies. The Triton TPT15 Thicknesser Moulder The TPT15 is quite a large machine, as most 15" thicknessers are. Thankfully it comes mostly assembled, but you would be advised to have a friend on hand to help get it out of the box and to set it up. The entire kit has a net weight of 65 kilograms, so unless you are a bench-pressing adonis, a friend on hand will save a trip to the chiropractor. The tool comes supplied with a pressed metal stand upon which it sits. Assembling this stand will consume the majority of assembly and setup time. About 85% in fact. Once assembled, the thicknesser can be lifted onto the stand and secured with the provided fasteners. Attaching the crank handle and dust collection bag is really the only other tasks required to complete basic installation. Note that by basic installation, I am referring to setup for thicknessing tasks. As this is also a moulding machine, setup for moulding tasks requires additional time and installation of the special moulding cutters (which we will look at later). The TPT15 is a solid tool. While it is a mix of cast iron, metal and plastics, all the important components are constructed from the heavier materials for durability and accuracy. This is a professional woodworking machine that should deliver many years of good performance (although this is still to be seen with this new tool). The cutterhead rides on four solid support columns to ensure the blades remain as true and square lengthwise as possible in operation. Should these require adjustment out of the box, this can be made fairly easily via adjusting screws underneath the thicknesser. Full instructions are provided for achieving this important setup check in the included printed manual. The TPT15 is powered by a 2.5HP motor which delivers 11,000 cuts per minute via two double edged TCT blades. This motor power has been more than enough for handling even full width hardwood planing, although shallower passes are required if planing full width to prevent motor overload. Shallow full width passes will also provide a cleaner finish on the surface of the material. You can further aid the ability to deliver clean cutting by adjusting the feed speed of the material. The motor features overload protection circuit, so if the motor does become overloaded, it will trip to prevent motor damage. This is a great insurance feature and should help prevent those smoke disasters that inevitably result in uncontrollable cussing and a big hit on the bank account for replacement or repair. To reset the circuit, an overload button is pressed several minutes following machine shutdown. Make sure you are aware of why the machine overloaded to begin with before continuing, to prevent further overload. In most cases it is because too much material is trying to be removed at once. Decrease cut depth or use the lower feed speed to avoid this. A standard ON/OFF switch with removable yellow safety key provides ON/OFF tool control. The TPT15 offers 2 material feed roller speeds, so for wider planing or deeper planing passes, the slower speed can be selected for better results. At the low planing speed, the planer feeds material at 11 feet per minute. On the high speed, this is doubled to 22 feet per minute. Choosing the correct feed speed for your material will guarantee best results. You will learn over time which feed speed works best for the materials you are using. As a general rule, I use the lower speed for hardwoods or finish planing, and the higher speed for softer woods or lower depth of cut per pass planing in general. But again, if you are concerned, run a smaller test piece, or just choose the lower speed for harder woods (unless the wood is very susceptible to burning, like cherry). The option to select from two feed speeds is a great feature, but a necessary one, particularly when you use the machine for moulding, where the lower speed is required for this procedure. To change feed speeds, a large orange feed speed adjustment knob is situated atop the motor casing (on the left side). The feed adjustment is made while the machine is turned ON. The feed rollers are also height adjustable. This is important when using the moulding function. There are three feed roller height settings, which are adjusted at the front lower right of the machine using a special wrench provided with the tool. Setting I is used for general board planing. Setting II is used for moulding cuts, and Setting III is for initial moulding cut passes with larger knives. The maximum planing width is 380mm (15") with a minimum planing length of the same 380mm (15") value. Planing height maxes out at 150mm (5 29/32") according to the manual. The maximum depth of cut per pass is 2.4mm (3/32"). I have rarely ever planed anything at the maximum depth possible in a single pass on any thicknessing machine. Not only does this put unnecessary load on the tool, but the finish on the board is rarely as good as you can get with multiple smaller depth passes. Sure it saves time, but that saving is not worth it in the long run. I have a rule not to remove more than 1mm per pass on a thicknesser, no matter how soft or wide a board may be. If you need to be taking 2.4mm per pass at once from a board, you would be best to resaw the material on a bandsaw instead. You will be saving your motor, and saving wood, which adds up in dollars over time. Enough dollars to cover the cost of a bandsaw if you do not have one over a year or three! The planer head rides on 4 solid support columns (one at each corner of the cutterhead). There are several methods for setting planing height. First is the crank handle located on the top of the machine. Winding this either raises or lowers the cutterhead in small increments. A full turn will raise or lower the cutterhead by 1.6mm (1/16"). When I am planing wood in multiple shallow passes, I usually lower the cutter head by a half turn between each pass. This will result in roughly 0.8mm of material being removed each time. If I am working with boards wider than 10" or with extremely dense hardwoods I may reduce this to quarter turns, and for the final finish pass, even less, to provide the cleanest surface possible. Remember also, that in general, shallower passes will also maintain blade sharpness. But I guess you have to balance depth of cut vs actual number of cuts to determine what is best for blade life. In my experience, I have found that more shallower passes beats less deeper passes in the long run to maintain blade sharpness and extend cutting life. There is a standard depth gauge on the right side of the tool with a marker arrow to provide a guide as to set cutting depth. It measures in both inches and millimeters and ranges from 0 - 150mm or 0 - 6". These are a rarely perfect guide to actual cutting thickness, not just on this Triton, but on virtually any thicknesser, so take the measurement with a grain of salt. For best accuracy, always have a good digital thickness gauge on hand to manually measure as you approach the final desired thickness of material needed. After saying this though, on the machine I have the guide is quite accurate, but you will need to run some pieces through the planer, check them with an accurate and precise measuring gauge, then re-adjust the needle pointer on the scale as required to zero in on an accurate reading. The scale sits on the moulded plastic part of the side cover on the right of the tool. This can flex a little, so I'm not sure how accurate the scale will be if it moves a little after time. Additionally, the actual pointer should have a horizontal top edge. On my unit, this was a touch out of horizontal and I had to slightly drill out one of the mounting holes on it to provide clearance so I can arc it upwards to horizontal and obtain accurate measure simultaneously on both the metric and imperial scale. Not a big deal, but be sure to check yours too! The second method for adjusting cutterhead height offers faster height change adjustment. The powered height adjustment lever is located on the left side of the cutterhead, just forward of the feed speed adjustment knob. While the machine is running (but not actually planing material) the user can simply push the lever up or down to make faster depth adjustment. No real effort is required to raise or lower the cutterhead via this method as it is a powered adjustment. It's like a hydraulic lifting or lowering action that is really quite cool. The top handle does rotate as the cutterhead moves so be sure to be clear of that. The action is not overly fast, or slow, but it is much faster than I could crank the handle manually. It is a great feature and the operation is very smooth indeed. The third method of height adjustment doesn't actually adjust the height of the cutterhead, but rather, provides a set of depth stops that works like a depth stop turret on a plunge router (in a way). Basically a depth set knob on the side of the machine allows you to pre-dial in a specific depth setting and the cutterhead will stop at that setting as it is lowered. The depth settings available via this mode are: 1/8" (3.18mm) 1/4" (6.35mm) 1/2" (12.7mm) 3/4" (19.05mm) 1" (25.4mm) 1 1/4" (31.75mm) So, if you wanted to plane multiple pieces to say 1/4", you would set the pre-set depth dial to the 1/4" setting then lower the cutterhead until it engages the stop at this depth. Now, in theory, you should have a 1/4" piece of material after planing. This is a handy feature as a lot of woodworking projects require boards of these common thicknesses. The idea is great, but the implementation has room for improvement. Basically, it doesn't appear to be a hard definite stop as you reach the depth mark. It's more of a soft stop with room to play on the lower side of it i.e. you can continue to lower the cutterhead a little further, albeit with extra resistance, but there is still some guesswork as to where the stop point should actually be. What about if you want to take, say, half a millimeter or 1/32 thickness off a board? Well, the Triton has that covered too. On the front of the cutterhead is another depth measuring device. It uses a steel ball bearing type mechanism attached to a marker arrow and a scale. As the ball is pushed in (upward in this case), the arrow on the scale rises by the amount the ball is raised. So, to take 0.5mm off a board, what you would do is place the board on the infeed table with the front edge of the board sitting under the ball. Now lower the cutterhead and as the ball engages the wood and is pressed upward, the arrow on the guide scale also raises the same amount. Once the arrow raises to the 0.5mm mark (while you are lowering the cutterhead), you have a setting that will take 0.5mm off the board on the planing pass. Now feed your board through the thicknesser with power turned ON and, ideally, you will have removed the 0.5mm depth as set by this method. How accurate is it? Well, it wasn't perfect out of the box. There is a margin of error of around 0.1mm according to my digital measuring gauge, but it appears to be the most accurate measuring device on the tool for fine thickness control. To obtain highly accurate readings when thicknessing timber, your best bet is to use a thickness gauge. A quality digital unit makes life easier. I don't see the inaccuracies of the Triton scales as a bad point of the tool. Sure, it would be great if there were all perfect all the time, but I have yet to use a thicknesser with a manual reading scale that is perfect. Perhaps this is why some companies are now coming out with retro-fit digital height gauges that can be fitted to thicknessers to provide greater accuracy? Dust collection is another unique feature of the tool. Why? Because, like the fast cutterhead height adjustment, it too is powered. I first used the powered dust collection feature on their new model belt/disc sander, and it worked very well. The TPT15 has an inbuilt impeller in the dust collection corridor coming from the planer head. This feeds to an attached collection bag which is of a reasonable size, but you will need to close the bottom of the bag up. Alternatively, and perferably, you can attach the bag to a larger collection bin/container to collect shavings and debris for larger capacity collection. The bag has a draw-string type securing system designed to fit around the upper lip of a bin edge. So you have a thickneser and dust collector in one machine. This saves running two machines at once, which is great if you have limited power outlets or space to work in. If you remove the back cover of the cutterhead, which gives you access to both the dust impeller and the cutterhead (for changing blades) you will see there is also somewhat of a collection tray to hold the shavings within the corridor while the impeller extracts them into the collection bag/bin. Since the extraction works all the time (i.e. when the machine is on, whether actually planing wood or not) it has ample time to remove any remaining debris in the system. The airflow is also very high. More like a high speed, lower volume vacuum extractor than a high volume, lower speed twin bag extractor. You could easily use it to dry yourself off after a dip in the pool if you felt like some party tricks, but I wouldn't recommend it! Moulding Operation To undertake moulding cutting tasks on the TPT15, you will first need to build a guide jig from MDF (or similar material). There are plans shown in the user manual to build this, although the print is small and you might need a magnifying glass to read them. Luckily, my eyes can still decipher the measurements and plan without the need of other visual aids. You need to supply the MDF for the task, but all the hardware for the jig is supplied for you. It will take probably an hour to make the jig from scratch if you have the right thickness material on hand (12mm and 19mm boards). It is fairly simple, but routing the four slots for the adjustable edge guides will take up some time. Alternatively, you could use a drill press and drill multiple holes to make the slot. I actually did it both ways and they both worked fine. The moulding jig then attaches to the thicknesser bed with clamps that grab underneath the tables (via the small gaps between the folding table and the base) so your jig drill holes need to be accurate here. The jig measures 1 meter in length so it extends from the front of the machine through to the back to provide good support on the infeed and outfeed sides and is designed so that it can guide the material through squarely, and be adjustable to accommodate varying width pieces. Next you need to install the moulding knives. Two sets of basic profiles are supplied with this tool, each set comprising two of the same cutters. The good thing about installing the moulding knives is that you do not need to remove the planer knives from the machine. I won't go into detail on installing the knives but to say that they are attached and secured using moulding gibs and they are fairly easy to install, although the pictures in the manual don't really provide an ultra clear description. Basically, the gibs are seated in the slot, the mouding blade sits between the flat gib face and the face of the slot milled in the cutterhead, and the blade is hard against the reference point. Spacers are used along the length of the gib so it does not bend when tightening (as most moulding knives are not the full length of the gib). The spacers must be the same width as the moulding knife (several different thickness spacer sets are provided). Then the screws in the gib are screwed outwards from the gib and this causes the gib to wedge the moulding knife between the gib face and the slot face, essentially securing into the cutterhead. Sounds trickier than it is really. Similar to installing planer/jointer knives. It is recommended to run the machine for a few minutes the first time you install the cutters and then re-check that they are still secure before actually running material through the machine. They should be checked every few hours of operation following that. However, they will probably not be left in the machine for extended periods of time anyway, unless you plan on using the TPT15 as a sole moulding creating machine. The knives are removed quite quickly, along with the gibs and you can go back to normal planing using the standard planing blades already installed. A number of knife profiles will be available to suit the machine. Alternatively, for custom profiles, you could also have these made by a good machine shop or blade shop to fit the machine with your desired profile. So, the idea is that you dimension your stock close to final dimensions. Depending on the type and style of moulding you are creating, you might need to make the width the final dimension before cutting it, or make it a little wider if the cut requires a little edge treatment or clean up after the majority of the shaping has been done. Again, all instructions are provided. With that said, the moulding jig you created earlier is used to support the edges of the moulding as it passes through the moulding cutters. As you can imagine, if there were any side-to-side deviation of the piece as it ran through the tool, your profile would not be clean, sharp and continuous, but wavy and inconsistent. So proper tool and jig setup will assure good results. Also consider material density and cutting depth, as most of the same rules apply to finish quality and blade durability as they do with regular flat surface planing. In Use Ok, so I think I have covered most of the important tool features and functions above, and any I haven't I will cover here, as they directly affect use of the tool. To begin with, whenever using the TPT15, always wear hearing and eye protection. Dust protection might also be a good idea, although there appears to be very little debris that escapes the clutches of the dust collection system in use. But as we know, it's the dust you don't see that causes the most harm! Hearing protection is a must. The TPT15, like most thicknessers, is a loud machine, particularly once the blades start attacking the wood. There are no specific sound output ratings I could find for this tool, but my guess is that it would be well over 80db, and more like 90-95 decibels in use, if not a little more. Some of this can be attributed to the additional noise the tool makes because of its integrated powered dust collection. But anyway you look at it, using a thicknesser generally means using hearing protection. You cannot really avoid it (unless you wish to suffer the consequences later). Flat surface planing is fairly straightforward. The feed rollers do a great job of controlling the board as it passes through the cutterhead. The speed is constant, and having the 2 speed option allows a lot more control over the process, and the finish of the piece. In front of the first feed roller is a set of anti-kickback pawls. These are designed to stop a board being flung back at the user if it catches on the blade and overpowers the feed roller input. While I have never had a thicknesser kick back on me, I have heard some stories from those who have, and while not as dangerous in general as a table saw kickback it seems, I have no doubt it is still cause for concern. I did once have a grab and throw on a jointer when the front edge of a shorter stile dipped down into the cutterhead and threw it out of my hands and backward. A bit of a wake up call! I make a rule to always stand to the side of the tool as much as possible so I am not in the firing line of any tool. I cannot comment on the effectiveness of the anti-kickback pawls on the TPT15 (as it hasn't happened yet), but it is good to know they are there and will hopefully prevent a nasty accident should a kickback occur. The pressed metal stand presents the tool at a comfortable working height. I haven't had any problems using it at the default height, even though I am a few inches over the six foot mark. An extra inch or two higher would better suit me, but you could always make your own sub-base to raise it up if you feel the need to. For the average height person, the tool height is probably ideal. And while we are on the topic of ergonomics, I must say that this machine is probably one of the most comfortable to use. Pretty much all handles and adjustment features are large and comfortable in the hand, affording greater control in my view. The large crank handle is excellent, as is the feed roller speed adjustment knob and powered height adjuster lever. The workpiece rollers on top of the tool allow you to move a planed piece from the rear of the tool back to the front of the tool (or rest it on the bars as you make your way back around). Carry handles at both the top of the tool and the bottom make it easier to move around, should you need to, but a two-person lift is definitely a must. To reduce the footprint of the tool when not in use, the infeed and outfeed tables can raised up like a drawbridge, and small magnets on the cutterhead body hold them up in place. It makes it easier to move to with these up. In terms of snipe, yes the TPT15 has that too, unfortunately. But, again, most thicknessers do, to some degree. I have found that just about all of them with fold-up/down tables will produce snipe to some degree. Some of the fixed cast iron infeed/outfeed table thicknessers are a little better in this area, but snipe can be reduced somewhat by building a single piece sub-table that runs from infeed to outfeed and secured by holding cleats on either end. The material then rides through on the sub-table, in theory, providing a more consistently flat surface than riding over three different surfaces (infeed table, planer bed, outfeed table) etc. Good support technique can also help reduce this. With good support and a sub-table, snipe can be greatly reduced and almost eliminated on the TPT15. Both infeed and outfeed tables do have a basic height adjustment feature to modify height when they are in the folded down position, so investigate and alight these too for added snipe protection. I found that they needed adjustment out of the box, and once correctly set, the snipe was barely noticeable unless you were looking for it (which I was of course). But a properly set up machine will deliver the best results right from the start, so spend time getting things right, and you will enjoy the tool, and the results even more. There is no actual manual cutterhead locking device on the tool that I could find, but from my experience with the tool already, I can tell that the cutterhead sits firmly in position, in pretty much any position, and the results indicate that it remains parallel as well, delivering evenly thicknessed boards across the face and edge surfaces. Changing blades on thicknessers can be a daunting task if you haven't done it before. On the TPT15, the process is relatively simple, well much simpler than some other machines. Once the back cutterhead housing is removed via three srews, access to the blades can be gained. A locking latch will lock the cutterhead in the right position to remove the blades. This is handy as the drum cannot rotate while you are trying to the remove the blade. The blade gib is loosened via the locking bolts and the blade can be removed with the supplied blade removal magnets (they look like two little gauge handles). To re-insert blades, the process is essentially reversed. The TPT15 uses unique double-sided blades that engage on pins on the cutterhead. This means no need to set blades to parallel or fiddle around with fine tuning of blade alignment. Just place them onto the pins, re-secure the blade gib and you are ready to go. A nice feature, although it does reduce accessibility to standard thicknessing blades available on the market. If you have a spare set of blades (recommended to avoid downtime if one set is out for sharpening) these can be stored on the tool in the blade storage compartment on top of the cutterhead - nice feature. Moulding takes a little practice to get your initial workpieces sized correctly etc and to sort out the planing heights for desired profiles, but once you have that worked out, this is a handy feature that will no doubt be used by any woodworker looking to add decorative trim to a new piece of furniture, or to replace classic trim profiles in period homes or on antique furniture projects. If you were trimming out a new house from scratch, you could literally save bucketloads of cash milling your own mouldings with this machine. Go to your local hardware or home center and check out the price of some of the fancier mouldings and trim! Conclusion Overall, the TPT15 actually exceeded my expectations. It is actually much more impressive in the flesh (i.e. when you see one in person) and I admit that I was a little skeptical when I saw the product release photos when it first came up. But now I am a believer. Sure, it is not perfect in all regards (i.e. the measuring scale employed could have been slightly better engineered) but since I use a digital measuring gauge anyway for checking board and piece widths, this really didn't matter to me. Your mileage may vary of course. I am very happy with the overall build quality, ergonomics and smooth action of the tool. Having the dust collection integrated into the tool saves me a lot of time fiddling with extractor tubes as well (if you don't have them permanently installed to each machine). I think for the asking price of AUD$999, you do get a lot of tool and features for the money, but as always, weigh up what you need and how much you are willing to spend before making a decision! The TPT15, in my opinion, is definitely worthy of the Triton name (even if it is not strictly a Triton patented product) and will definitely retain shop real estate space for many years to come! Available to Order through these Companies... Click graphic to go to their direct product page for this item In Australia In most cases, the TPT15 will need to be ordered in via the Special Orders departments of these retailers... In the USA Triton Workshop Systems USA/Canada Click Link Above! Note: The Grizzly G0477 is a re-badged version of the same machine reviewed here. For more information, or to find dealers worldwide of Triton products, visit www.triton.com.au

Triton TPT15 Photos All photos copyright onlinetoolreviews.com. Use without prior written permission prohibited TPT15 set up complete. Shop is open! Infeed and outfeed tables lowered. Ready to go... Note the integrated handles on the side and the material roller bars on top of the machine to allow easier transfer of stock from the back side of the machine back to the front. The cutterhead assembly is heavy duty and very well designed. Main ON/OFF switch with yellow safety key, as well as the circuit overload breaker switch to protect motor from damage. Here you can see the feed roller speed adjustment wheel knob, and the powered cutterhead adjustment lever too. Crank handle up top raises or lowers cutterhead in finer increments. The pre-set depth dial. Set a final thickness for the planed material, lower the cutterhead until it engages the stop, and away you go. The manual measure scale in inches (left side of scale) and millimeters (right side). Need to take 1/32" off a board of any thickness? This feature will help you do that. The feed roller height adjustment mechanism. The rear of the tool. Note the grey circular channel extending to the left of shot. This is the dust corridor. Where it meets the black section, that is where the dust impeller is housed. The Moulding Jig made and attached to the machine. The TPT15 handles planing of hardwood of all widths without any problem. It might be advisable to attach the dust bag to a collection bin however! This was the mess with just two passes! A perfect moulding, first go on the TPT15! OTR Video! Watch a video clip (2.5Mb) of the moulding proccess at work Here I make the last two passes of a moulding usi, the second being the final finish pass with minimal material being removed. Click on Image to Play video file (AVI - DivX)