Triton Router - Digital Readout Possible?

Got this answer from CS at Toolstream (Triton), and still waiting for Wixey's response.

Tom:

I got an answer back from the guru. Below I what he said to me:

Hi Debbie

no reason why it shouldn't. Looks like the Trend one which is ok.

Thanks, and have a great day!

Debbie Long

I think Wixey will have the most detailed answer, but a look at their website doesn't look very hopeful because they only mention lifts and the Triton isn't on their list. So I'd ignore the Toolstream information, which was just a little too casual to suit me.

Trend makes a number of routers, a few of which look a little like the Triton

Alternatives: Many specialty bits have setup jigs available. Line the bit up with the jig and you're off and running. Or make you own jig, many of which will be adequate so long as you work with the finished side down. For any bits in sets, I go to Sommerfeld for their matched shank heights. Set the first bit and the others just drop in, in alignment. Sommerfeld has a quick set jig for many critical bits that also takes into account the thickness of the workpiece. They make one for their bits and another for Freud bits. There are a number of bits where simply knowing where the center is is sufficient for setup.

I can see the advantage of the digital readout for the planer, but not sure it's a great idea for the router where partial turns of the height adjuster produce a predictable rise or fall of the bit.

I'll add any Wixey response as soon as I get it.

Got the following email this morning from Barry Wixey himself. The picture is the Wixey mounted on an Hitachi router, which is pretty much how it will go on the Triton. That's nice customer support.

Hi Tom;

Thanks for your email and thank you for your support of our products. We really appreciate the forum comments.

There should be no problem using our system with the Triton router in a router table. Please check out the " will it fit my?" Wixey.com - Remote Router Readout - Will It Fit? section of our web site where we show the device mounted to a lot of different lifts.

Our system is very simple and flexible, but keep in mind it is a kit. You will always need to do a little drilling and bend one of our brackets. We have never heard of a lift that this will not work with.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Barry Wixey
Barry Wixey Development

Wixey stuff is great - I have it on my DW 735 planer and on my Delta Unisaw - both the fence gauge and I use one of their angle gauges to measure the blade angle. For my router table, I set aside my old under-table Woodpecker's router lift and Incra fence and went with a Ready2Rout/Ready2Lift package from NextWave Automation - uses a couple of CNC motors and a zero plate, much like a CNC machine, but in a router table. You zero the bit height and fence and punch in on a touch screen the bit height and fence position. It's pricey (about $1k), but I am SURE I spent nearly that much on the Incra fence and lift. Now I know where the bit is in relation to the fence and how high it is EXACTLY... I never had the guts to try inlay before - now, measure the thickness and width of the inlay strip (digitally), zero the bit, punch location and depth of cut in to the touch screen, and off you go. I still make test cuts because it's a bit new to me, but it really does work. I did some box joints with the program and it did what I needed it to do - a little tight, though - you have to add some space for glue - it's that precise...

Tom, I also use the Sommerfeld jig, and it's great. Did a test door with it and it was fine. Am in the midst of demo on my kitchen - got the face frames done, countertop next week... hard to find time for with a 60-70 hour a week job.

To the point of the question - beware when you go digital - you can over-obsess on being precise and it isn't generally necessary. Things made out of wood are seldom precise - and even if they are, they change...

Larry