Triton 15in Planer Thicknesser Moulder. This is the first of three videos looking at the new Triton 15in Thicknesser. This installment gives an overview of the unit, and looks at its planing/thicknessing function.
Filed under: Podcast | Tagged: Moulding, Planer, Thicknesser, Triton, Video |
Stu's Shed 
Hi Stu. Sorry to be a nuisance and dumb at that but I can’t download and save the video pictures. Get the sound but no pictures. All OK when just watching straight from your site. Can you tell me what I am doing wrong? Have only just got onto your site through WWF and it is great. Appreciate efforts you are going to. Have already decided to buy a jointer after watching appropriate video. Keep up the good work. Rob
Hi Rob,
The most common cause of those symptoms is not having the right codec (the compressor/decompressor) for the video format. I encode mine with H264 so it is as compatible as possible with the mp3/mp4 players (such as iPods) as it produces a relatively small, but high quality video file, and is obviously cross-platform compatible.
It may be just a matter of getting a newer version of whatever playback program you use (Windows Media Player, Quicktime etc), or getting a newer version of the codec. Bit surprised however, as I haven’t changed the codec I use (other than perhaps version – not sure!) so if earlier videos work, so should the latest, but perhaps it is a newer version of H264?
Failing that, try the .flv file – most modern browsers should be able to handle it.
Good luck!
Stu
Firstly congratulations on passing 110,00 hits now.
I have spent the evening watching with great interest your videos on the Triton Thicknesser (TPT15)
A question on thin edge thicknessing please…..
The video showed planing on the wider ‘flat’ sides…. how well does it perform when doing thinner edge sizing … e.g. if thicknessing some sawn timber down to say 100 x 14mm ?? Is a jig required for this scenario of ‘edge planing/sizing’ ?
The answer is that you wouldn’t. Sure, a jig could be used to stabilise the work, but the thicknesser would still have a problem pulling the work through – lots of friction, too little a purchase area. Without a jig, it would be too dangerous – the likelihood of the work falling over (or attempting to), and becoming a kickback is very high.
But both of those scenarios avoids the fundamental point that – if you are using the tools as designed (and that is of course assuming you have the full collection), then you have already dressed one face, and one edge 90 degrees to that face on the planer (jointer). The thicknesser is then simply used to dress the opposite face. The final edge is ‘dressed’ by the tablesaw – ie it is cut off as you rip the piece to the required width. Given all that, there should be no need to ever try to run the thin edge through the thicknesser.
If you don’t have a planer (jointer) and need to dress the edge, then this can be done with a handplane, or on the router table, with a straight bit, and the fence set with an offset – ie the outfeed of the fence bought forward by a mm or so and ligned up with the edge of the straight router bit. In this configuration, you can then do a planing pass. I think I cover this technique in my router table video (well I should of if I don’t!).
I’m looking at buying a TPT15 very soon. I have my eye on one still new in the box.
One concern is spare parts, blades, fan impellers, brushes, the usual wear out items.
Have you needed to obtain these sort of spares and did you have any troubles.
I note that Triton and GMC no longer exist for after sales spares.
How is your machine after a couple of years of use.
Great video thanks very much. Very enlightening.
Hi Lyle, My solution was once Triton was bought down by GMC liquidating, I sold all the Triton gear that I had which I thought would need ongoing spares support, that I wasn’t prepared to use till failure then simply replace. That included the 13″ and 15″ thicknessers.
The fan impeller particularly is prone to failure, so having a few spares of the impellers can be important. No idea about the availability of the blades – they are quite thin, but they may be the same as some thicknessers still on the market.
Instead, I sold both the 13 and 15″, and bought the Carbatec 381 15″ thicknesser. Cost a bit, but it’s an awesome thing. The noise difference is incredible – brushed motors suck compared to induction motored machines!
Not sure how much the 15″ is that you are looking at, but if it is close to the original $1000, I would definitely be looking elsewhere. For a thicknesser with no after sales support, spares etc, you wouldn’t want to spend much more than 50% original RRP, and that is for one new-in-box. If it ends up a lemon, you are stuck with it and no spares.
Thanks for that Stu.
Now you got me thinking.
Would you have an opinion on another thicknesser/moulder, or thicknesser.
I have a Triton Mk3 setup and router etc. I was thinking the thicknesser/moulder would be good, but I maybe don’t need a moulder ( I haven’t previously).
Do I need a 15″ or would a 13″ be sufficient.
Your opinion on a thicknesser for a hobbiest would be appreciated.
Been looking along the likes of Timbecon-Carbatec CT-235, DeWalt DW-735, and Jet JPM-13.
Lyle.
Hi Lyle,
Good questions! I thought I really wanted a moulder, so jumped at the chance to get the Triton 15″ when it became available, and I had quite a range of the moulding blades.
You know the only time I used it as a moulder? Demonstrations and the video for Shed.TV The router table covers all my needs. This may not be true for commercial picture framers, or builders perhaps, but for the hobbiest, I would say it is definitely the case. Invest in more router bits instead!
A 13″ thicknesser will handle most jobs (although I do enjoy having an extra 2″)
Given the models you are looking at, your budget looks to be around $1200 (I assume you mean the 236 – I couldn’t find a 235). If you were prepared to spend all that on a thicknesser, I would definitely encourage you to consider adding $200 more, and looking seriously at the CTJ-680 from Carbatec. Induction motor, 3HP, 3 cutter head, full cast iron in and out feed. Comparatively quiet operation, solid as! I personally went for the model above that, but only because I could afford to, and even so there were plenty of very happy owners talking up the CTJ-680, so it won’t disappoint.
At the other end of the spectrum, there are the GMCish models of 12.5″ thicknesser, around the $300-$400 price tag. The extra could be put into another tool, such as the $1000 WDS-400 drum sander- another tool I have been very happy with (although it was about $300 cheaper when I got it earlier this year) (see what deal you can wrangle!) That gives up to 800mm of sanding width It is not a thicknesser, nor will it replace one (although there are ways and means……!), but again, I’m very happy with it in my workshop.
More food for thought eh!
I have inherited my departed father-in-law’s WDS. I was looking at a thicknesser and came across the TPT15. (new in box still – at under $700)
But now I am having second thoughts – re spares.
I am currently having a workbench made, steel framed. I have the WDS on one end under the bench on a rollout heavy duty drawer frame and was going to do the same on the other end for the thicknesser.
Limits are power, I only have the normal single phase 10amp outlets in my shed, and shed size (just a 4 x 7 M titan style already bursting at the seams.
So back to the comparrisons.
Have a look then at the Hare and Forbes, or Carbatec 12.5″ models, or 13″ one.
As to shed size, mine is only 4×8, so I know what you can fit in one! I know what bursting at the seams feels like (when I had a 6×3) I’m still tight for space, but working hard to keep the shed functional.
As to power, I recently got an electrician to get more power down there – 2x15A circuits, 3X10A. The two 15A are: 1 for tablesaw, 1 for thicknesser.
Good luck in your searching.
Thanks Stuart. Will definitely look at them.
Not an option for me to run extra power (it is all underground and the $$ can not be justified).
I’ll also look back into the TPT15. On the woodwork forum there was a bloke who has sourcred spares from an American firm which produces the TPT15 under the ‘grizzly’ brand I think. I’ll do another search and see what I can find. If spares are available I might go with it for $$ and the few times it’ll get fired up in anger.
Definitely I’ll go to Carbatec and H&F this weekend and see the other oness in person. Always a good option for having a local-ish company to get spares/help from.
Thanks again for your input.
Lyle.
Hi Stuart,
A friend put me on to your website to give me ideas for the tools I might require for a home project I am planning. I recently saw a garden bed made with ‘B’ Grade recycled hardwood railway sleepers stacked four high. They are generally 2400 x 240 x 130. The person who did this job went to a lot of trouble planing and sanding the exposed faces and edges with hand tools and a grinder with sanding disc. It must have been a lot of hard work although the finished job was incredibly awesome.
Would a thicknesser be able to handle preparing planks of timber this size? Each railway sleeper can weigh up to 80kg. Would the 130 face edge be too narrow for this machine? I am looking at hiring one of these machines over a weekend as I would have about 20 sleepers to prepare.
regards
Steve
I have just bought the Triton 15″ thicknesser and am having problems, it seems to be shaking where the elevation arm is rotating when i don’t have material being planned.
Would you know what the problem could be or who could service the unit. It about 1 month old and i have only planned about a dozen bits of timber
I have worked out what the excessive shaking was. The impeller lost some blades & was unbalanced-amazing!!!!
anyway, i really like the unit and one of your subscribers said he sourced a contact OS for some parts, I was hoping he may be able to provide more information.
thanks
That would certainly explain it – I went through 3 of those impellers – more often than not it wasn’t an imbalance caused, because they blew every single blade on the impeller.
The problem was (apparently) that the Chinese changed their manufacture once they had the contract, and went from using virgin plastic as specified, to one that had recycled plastic content, making the fans a lot more fragile. Also, the original fans had sharp edges where the blades fitted to the body of the fan, which is simply poor engineering.
Once this was determined, and after a time, they reverted back to using virgin plastic and added a radius to the bottom of each blade.
They were going to use clear or translucent plastic, which can only be virgin plastic, but instead the impellers ended up still being black, and a painted dot put on the back to indicate that it was virgin with the improved design.
This image was the result of the last impeller I had fail (while I was running a course to make it worse) before I sold them both off and got my Carbatec Deluxe 15″
https://stusshed.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/thicknesser.jpg?w=128&h=104
Hi Stuart
My 15″ moulder/thicknesser came from Carbatec.
I can’t remember how many times they told me they had never heard of the problem with the impeller!!!!!
I think I went through 4 or 5 before I gave up and fitted my dust extractor to it instead.
Works very well.
I would love to get my hands on the moulder blades to be used for picture frames.
Cheers
Wolffie
Wolfie, just got an extractor.
Good call
FWIW, selling some moulding blades for this thicknesser on Ebay at the moment (and impeller blade – original, as an emergency backup only!)