Triton TPT125 - Anyone know if this is normal?

[reyes]

Not that anything's perfect, though ...

Not even a Makita?

 

[mikej460]

Just jumped in a bit late but my TPT125 doesn't flex either, no thump or obvious movement and it performs really well for it's cost. There can be a bit of snipe so at the moment I overcome it by thicknessing over length boards. I do have a 19mm black melamine board to rip down to make a new bed as others have done on Youtube.

 

[okeydokey]

If your not happy now after fiddling with it send it back as you will always be hesitant,
anyone else have a recommendation for new at the Triton sort of price area?

 

[baldkev]

Secondhand dw1150 or the exact same thing in elu colours

 

[reyes]

If your not happy now after fiddling with it send it back as you will always be hesitant,
anyone else have a recommendation for new at the Triton sort of price area?

Yeah that's exactly what would happen, and I'd just not settle with it.

Last night I removed the 8 screws that hold the side rails and then checked there was nothing causing a lift somewhere, which there wasn't. And, in reattaching those side rails, I placed enough pressure to flatten the table; rechecked afterwards and it had made no difference.

So, Makita is on its way. I pondered just replacing it with another Triton but the Makita has some nice features that are worth the extra (hopefully!)

Really appreciate everyone's replies. I'll post an update on first impressions when I receive it!

 

[accipiter]

Only time I have experienced any "thud" or bang on my TPT125 was when I set the thicknesser too low (using the side tape/depth measure on the side) and ended up taking too much off in the first pass. This also ended up with snipe at infeed and outfield. I now slowly reduce the height of the blades initially allowing the rollers to feed the wood and then continue to lower the blades until they start to remove wood. Found that this also reduces the snipe or gets rid of it all together.

I'm not saying the OP is setting the blades too low and this is a (possible) cause of what he has experienced... just you can't trust the set of the measure on the side for depth/height of blades setting.

 

[reyes]

Only time I have experienced any "thud" or bang on my TPT125 was when I set the thicknesser too low (using the side tape/depth measure on the side) and ended up taking too much off in the first pass. This also ended up with snipe at infeed and outfield. I now slowly reduce the height of the blades initially allowing the rollers to feed the wood and then continue to lower the blades until they start to remove wood. Found that this also reduces the snipe or gets rid of it all together.

I'm not saying the OP is setting the blades too low and this is a (possible) cause of what he has experienced... just you can't trust the set of the measure on the side for depth/height of blades setting.

You're absolutely right, and I backed right off when doing some additional tests, even doing quarter- and then half-turns which, if I remember rightly, equated to a max of ~.8mm or so.

The thud was accompanied by the wood making a quick upward rock prior to then being engaged by the cutter. So, workpiece is fed through the infeed, roller engages and the tail of the wood visibly (and of a significant amount) rocks up and then back down before being held firmly through. I now assume this is due to the play in the bed allowing the workpiece to not be resisted by the bed but instead push it down until it meets the frame the bed should be fully resting on.

I mentioned above that I removed the bed plate last night; one thing I didn't state is when I held it up, it's quite well warped, too.

 

[accipiter]

You're absolutely right, and I backed right off when doing some additional tests, even doing quarter- and then half-turns which, if I remember rightly, equated to a max of ~.8mm or so.

The thud was accompanied by the wood making a quick upward rock prior to then being engaged by the cutter. So, workpiece is fed through the infeed, roller engages and the tail of the wood visibly (and of a significant amount) rocks up and then back down before being held firmly through. I now assume this is due to the play in the bed allowing the workpiece to not be resisted by the bed but instead push it down until it meets the frame the bed should be fully resting on.

I mentioned above that I removed the bed plate last night; one thing I didn't state is when I held it up, it's quite well warped, too.

Sounds very much like you ended up with a "Friday" job... one being finished on a production run on Friday... ☹ Incomplete assembly and *testing* before packing for dispatch.
Something I forgot to mention... I did find that I had to hold the wood flat on the infeed table, pressing down slightly, to not allow the weight of the roller just before finding the blades to lift the first part of the wood off the infeed table and it then dropping back down. I'm guessing that it is something that occurs with all/most *thicknesser* machines and something we learn as we progress when in this woodworking lark as a hobby/enthusiast.
Good luck with the machine you're getting to replace this one...

 

[reyes]

I did find that I had to hold the wood flat on the infeed table, pressing down slightly, to not allow the weight of the roller just before finding the blades to lift the first part of the wood off the infeed table and it then dropping back down.

That is very handy to know, thank you. I shall be doing that on tonight's tests!

Haha, maybe it was me being on the receiving end of a Friday job then! I know what I'm like on a Friday night so I suppose I can't hold too much bad will against them.

Fingers crossed the Makita is all good.

 

[accipiter]

@reyes I should have mentioned that I now try to do the same on the outfeed as well and try to support/ keep the wood flat as it exits...