# Is my TRC-001 now an anchor...?



## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

As some of you may have read I just purchased an older TRC-001...

And before I even got to put it on the first piece of wood I may have rendered it useless...

I had it on the back seat of my truck, opened the rear door and it jumped out on to the driveway...apparently it shifted...

So here's the assessment...the coarse height adjustment broke off leaving the splined collar cracked and split, when I plunge it the orange release turns as it plunges and it sticks about half-way down/up...I have the springs and pins but I think I am missing a piece between the engage/disengage button and the inner "stuff".

Since I didn't get a manual with it I am now going to the parts diagram and see what parts I need. Don't know what to do about the plunge sticking until I open it up. Guess making sawdust will have to wait.

What turned out to be a really good deal on the purchase could now turn into spare parts for another Triton owner.

Cheez...this is one for "did this ever happen to you"...I sound very calm, don't I...?

I am now going to make myself a pot of decaf coffee and ponder my position (it might be fetal position in a minute)...

Have any of you taken your Triton apart to help me understand how the engage/release works (from a parts perspective not operational)...

P.S. - just went to the parts diagram and it's not clear enough...will need to find a better one...I'm looking at the Triton "Operating and Safety Instructions...anybody have a better one...?

Thanks for sharing in my grief...

And for those of you who can't resist offering that I shudda bought a Bosch...please do not hold back... 

Nick


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

The plunge sticking scares me as it means something's bent. Others are probably going to contradict me but I suspect it's only good for parts now .
I guess at this point there's no loss other than your time to assess the damage by taking it apart .I wonder if they sell all the individual parts ?

It could have been worse as it could have been a Festool router!


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

[email protected]

Okay then...router is apart...here's the quick review...pictures to follow as I don't have the camera to PC cable to download...

Tools required: long handle #2 Phillips (some of the angles are a bit acute to take top cover off...

Process: took out brushes...off with the dust guards (long handle comes in handy - or a short stubby)...off with the base plate...then the dust port (had to take off the guide mounting knobs (only one)...lock down lever, out with the brass hold down beneath it...

That's when I discovered that the lever (before disassembly) didn't back out enough to allow travel of the plunge...PHEW...it's fine without it (will adjust better on reassembly)

Then the plunge spring, then the micro adjust knob and everything else that had a screw or spring in it... I naturally put all the screws back into their holes so I wouldn't wind up with any spare parts...  I put everything in a bucket (literally)...

There is a c-clip behind the height adjustment clutch and gears...that has to come out to take out the broken culprit and the engage/disengage plastic shaft (watch out for the spring inside). For whatever the reason I was spared the excitement of losing any parts when it came apart in the driveway...even the spring behind the engage/disengage button (pardon the non-technical lingo as I don't have a real good parts explosion...

Long story made short...? Only one part broken and it's probably not worth an attempt at crazy glue (the big white plastic part that connects between the adjustment knob and the gear/clutch inside)...

Now need to order the part and then (YAY ! ! !) sawdust...

The router is assembled very simply...good design from my novice point of view. My original post was two hours ago...made and had coffee...put a coat of poly on the shelf I had made (20" X 40", complete with routered/molded edging), took pictures and patted myself on my back for not losing it... 

I will post pictures as soon as I can download from my camera...

Next I will Google for a parts diagram...I know...typical male...first assemble/disassemble, then read the instructions...  Just to beat the opposite gender woodworkers out there...  If anybody has a good link or diagram, please let me know...

All in all a productive couple of hours...and I owe it all to not losing it...

Thanks for listening to my story...comments are welcomed...

Nick


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Have I got the right place to contact for parts...? 

Kreg...?

Customer Service Hotline
(800) 447-8638
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CST


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## Rogerdodge (Apr 24, 2014)

Hi Nick,

As a mariner of many years standing , I would certainly not advise using your router as an anchor ; even with plenty of scope it is bound to drag and you will be on a lee shore before ye know it. Well done with the calm and methodical approach - an example to us all.


Rog


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well good going Nick. As I said it wouldn't hurt to disassemble it and assess the damage and it ended up with a good outcome .


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Rogerdodge said:


> Hi Nick,
> 
> As a mariner of many years standing , I would certainly not advise using your router as an anchor ; even with plenty of scope it is bound to drag and you will be on a lee shore before ye know it. Well done with the calm and methodical approach - an example to us all.
> 
> ...


Aye, matey...aargh...if the wind blows, sail into it...if it does not, ye be in the wrong place...the mistake was made long ago...

...and people wonder why I'm so patient in traffic...sail underwater for 6 months at a time and then complain...

It did work out fine...soon as I get the part, I'll be sailin' again... 

Thanks...Nick


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

Triton is a very user friendly self maintenance machine Not sure who new parts distributor is. Kreg no longer is but may still have parts left over in their router graveyard. give them a call monday


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

RainMan1 said:


> The plunge sticking scares me as it means something's bent. Others are probably going to contradict me but I suspect it's only good for parts now .
> I guess at this point there's no loss other than your time to assess the damage by taking it apart .I wonder if they sell all the individual parts ?
> 
> It could have been worse as it could have been a Festool router!


Scared me too until I took the lock lever off...PHEW...

Years ago I wouldn't have known Festool from toilet bowl...today I only know one more thing - it's too rich for me...

Yup...cudda been worse...glad it wasn't. I got a great deal on the router, long compression bit, 1/2 inch 2-flute straight, mortising bit and a plywood edging set. The bits alone were worth the money...

Thanks...Nick


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Nickp said:


> Scared me too until I took the lock lever off...PHEW...
> 
> Years ago I wouldn't have known Festool from toilet bowl...today I only know one more thing - it's too rich for me...
> 
> Thanks...Nick


Yes it's to rich for me to . Kinda cutting into my router table budget


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

So here is the broken part...Part #51, TRA147, Plunge Handle Shaft...finally found a good parts diagram with numbers...

(see pictures below)


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Address 


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No Dealers Found


US Distributor:

Toolstream Inc

70 West Madison Street,

Suite 5750,

Chicago, Illinois 60602, USA

Toll Free: +1 (855) 227 3478

Web: Toolstream US


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Thank you, James...

Here is where I found the manual for my push button version...

http://www.richelieu.com/documents/docsGr/106/117/6/1061176/1248986.pdf


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

'Nuther update...

I did a little research on how to glue plastic (poly, specifically) and found best recommendation was to use a glue with a bonding agent...sort of like Weldcrete before mortaring over painted cement. Loctite happens to have one for plastics and sold in Home Depot. So off I go, spend 4 bucks and hurry back to try gluing my plunge shaft back together. More for keeping my sanity than to repair permanently. So after gluin' and screwin' I coarse adjusted and plunged about 4 times and lo and behold - off in my hand... oh, well...it's the journey, not the destination (I keep telling myself)

In the process of watching all the gears work it's very interesting that it resembles a car manual transmission. There are two gears...one engages and disengages the micro adjuster, the plunger button engages/disengages the main gear (by way of an inner gear) from the shaft. So when the orange knob is pulled into the handle, it disengages the micro's gear from the micro adjustor. Then with the plunger button pressed/locked in, the main gear's inner gear is pushed away and it's free to plunge (neutral). The micro's gear needs to be disengaged when the main gear is engaged for coarse adjustment hence the reason for pulling in the orange knob...PHEW...You would think that with all the spring pressure from the main gear and the springs behind the orange knob the part might have been made of something else. It is very thin where the shaft meets the "top hat" that screws into the outer knob. I don't know enough about the product line but maybe the model with the turning center versus the push button center is an upgrade of the push button version.

I didn't think I wanted to know that much about the router before I even got to use it... 

...and probably some of you didn't want to know it either...I can take it... 

Thanks again for letting me update...tomorrow I start my phone calls for the part...

Regards,

Nick


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

keep us posted


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Well...the fun has started...

I called Toolstream only to find that they have no presence in US whatsoever. Spoke to a lovely young lady, Rebecca, who informed me that they have the part in the UK, not in US yet but working on it, and it cost 1.35GBP and 35.82GBP to ship. Imagine my surprise...I stopped the transaction.

After hearing from Rebecca that there is no support presence in the US whatsoever, I went to the Triton site for a "Contact us"...and I submitted an email expressing my concern over lack of support and parts in the US.

Shortly afterwards, Rebecca called me to explain that she had given me the wrong shipping amount and that it was really 7.50GBP...so I again expressed my concern and explained to her that I had left an email with Triton on their web site... And to my surprise again, Rebecca explained that she gets all those emails and she will make sure her management gets it...

Now here's what I'm thinking...This has got to be a Nick problem and I am simply over-reacting to a new experience and that I am completely naive in out-of-US support...after all, I haven't even put a single piece through the router... But I do believe I got a great deal in buying the router and I should probably just get used to this and stop my belly-aching...

Part (TRA147) is ordered but would love to hear from any other US Triton owners if they have a different source for parts. 

And, of course, I will take all recommendations to "welcome to reality, Nick" accordingly... 

Regards,

Nick


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## Loophole (Jul 29, 2013)

the Triton service people are pleasant and knowledgeable. They sent me parts for free that were damaged. I think the North America people are in Toronto. Jerry


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Nick you're starting to experience what it's like for those of us who don't live in the US but have to try and get parts from there.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Nick you're starting to experience what it's like for those of us who don't live in the US but have to try and get parts from there.


You are SOOO right, Charles...I read the forum every day and have never fully appreciated the problems folks have in CA, AU, UK, etc. No longer will I gloss over those posts so casually. 

The real issue I am having is the inability to express my experience regarding direct communications directly to Triton... they have outsourced EVERYTHING to their provider. To me it leads to more problems when the manufacturer isolates themselves so much. I experience the same issues with software manufacturers and their systems integrators and resellers.

I plan to enjoy my Triton...just anxious to put my first piece under it... part should be here any day. Having to deal with this is a good experience...I know more about the router's inner workings (maybe too much) 

...it's the journey... not the destination...

Thanks... Nick


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Living in the west has it's challenges . Everything seems to be in Ohio and the shipping to western Canada is terrible . It cost me $1500 for rubber flooring and $750 for shipping


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

News from the Triton front...

Plunge handle shaft arrived this week...went to post office to pick it up and promptly installed it. Bit of disappointment in packaging though...plastic part and nothing more than a bubble envelope...

Nice and easy putting it back together and now anxious to make some sawdust.

Thanks for listening...

Nick


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