Triton MOF001C vs Dewalt DW618PK

[John Peterson]

Ive been pulling what little hair I have out trying to figure out which router to go with. I was set on the Dewalt, but then I remember seeing the Triton at my local Woodcraft. I like the fact that the Triton comes with an edge guide, lower dust collection, upper dust collection and guide bushings.

The Dewalt has upper and lower dust collection, but only lower with the optional edge guide. I already have a fixed base router so the fixed base with the Dewalt is just an added bonus. The Dewalt is about $60 more with the edge guide.

My concern with the Triton is the cheap turret for depth stops. I think thats about my only concern.

I dont really have any concerns with the Dewalt, other then I have to purchase and edge guide.

The main reason I am stuck on these two is dust collection. Ive looked at Porter Cable and Milwaukee (my fixed base is a Milwaukee) and the Festool is way out of my price range. I was leaning more towards the Triton for the dust colletion reason, but like I said about the turret, which then lead me back to the Dewalt.

Anyone care to comment or persude either way?

[glenn bradley]

The De Walt turret is nothing to write home about. Most folks modify them so that they aren't so wobbly. I returned a 618 kit and got a Milwaukee 5616-24. The overall machine is in a different class for the same price. The thing that pushed me to return the 618 (among other things was the wimpy collet discussed here.

That being said, there are many, many happy DW618 owners out there which is how I ended up getting it temporarily. The 618 has a great low center of gravity feel to it. The Triton gets great reviews but there is a learning curve.

The euro-style (?) controls on the Triton are a bit different than what we're used to. Most reviewers state that they get the hang of it pretty quick. My dad's stays in the table at his shop so I didn't do enough free hand routing to learn it well but, it doesn't seem like a big deal.

I think either would serve you well but, I love the Mil ;-) It may not meet your needs as the DC is an included add on vac port and not built into the tool.

[Chris Holder]

Hi John,

I had a Dewalt 625 and just replaced it with the Triton MF001C and am completely sold on the Triton. My primary use for this unit is in my router table, so that may make a difference for you. I believe the Dewalt has a soft start feature, whereas the Triton does not, but Triton more than makes up for that in accessories (fence included, above the table bit removal, etc). I personally was not crazy about the plunge feature of either of these routers, although that may also not be an issue for you. For the money, my favorite router is the bosch 1617/8 kit. Soft start, smooth action plunge attachment, and very well made. My .02.

[pat warner]

Scrap the turret; maybe use thickness gages. All of the turrets are crummy.

[John Keeton]

John, let me help confuse the decision making process. I was sold on the Triton, but was concerned about the power issue. Lot of great reviews on the Triton, and it is probably a great setup.

Our local Woodcraft had an event, and the Freud rep demostrated an ft3000vce in a router table. I was very impressed with the soft start, variable speed, and above table adjustments. Ended up getting one and love it. I have a dust collection port on my fence and it gets 100% of the chips and dust from the router on edge routing. I haven't done any closed routing such as dadoes, etc., but imagine that some of that would not be gathered by the DC. You can see the installation at this link http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...d=5960&t=90392

Either of the other two are probably great choices - just wanted to throw something else out there.

[Eric Larsen]

+1 Bosch

The 1617evs is my absolute favorite tool to use. I also love the fact that for about $50, you can get the RA1165 router table mount. It's no mast-r-lift, but it gets the job done very well, for only 10 sawbucks.

[John Hedges]

I have the PC 895 kit, the DW 618 kit and the 1617. My favorite is the 618 because of the smooth plunge action and the low center of gravity. It is a joy to use that router, and if you get some Pat Warner bases for it you will be very happy. The Bosch is my second favorite and the plunge base is dedicated to my FMT. As far as the collets go the DW is a lot smaller, but has never given me a problem (and it is puny comared to the collet on my Milwaukee table router).

[Jamie Buxton]

My experience is that DeWalt's reliability has gone downhill. Most of the power hand-tools in my shop used to be DeWalt, but they are no longer. When they've died, I've replaced them with new DeWalts, and those have failed prematurely. I've sometimes replaced the failed ones with other DeWalts (I've been through four DW621 routers), only to have them fail too. I've finally given up and bought other brands, hoping for longer life from them.

[Andy Casiello]

I have a DeWalt 618, a PC 690LR and a couple of older Craftsman routers. The DeWalt is a joy to use. It's really stable, easy to handle, great soft start and it's powerful. It really outclasses the Porter Cable router. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.

[Bond Turner]

I went through two Triton routers. They are very good routers, but like anything that sees heavy use and is mechanical, it will break. That is when I realized that the Triton is not a great choice. There are no local service centers where I live, so it had to be seant away to NJ and I was without a router for 2-1/2 weeks. I am only an amateur, but I use a router at least 3-4 times a week for one thing or another. After the second broke I went and got a Milwaukee and love it. Five year warranty and 12 service centers in a 10 mile radius of me. Hope this helps.

[John Peterson]

Well I called Woodcraft, and to talked to someone (actually the owner). He said that the Triton is a very good value, meaning the router itself and the extras. He said that he personally has a Dewalt 618, and loves it. One other thing I was concerned about was the edge guide attachment with the Triton. It doesnt seem to be as good as some of the others. Theres no micro adjust. He felt that the Dewalt guide is the best thats available currently.

He suggested that I come in and try them both. So I think thats what Im going to do.

He also said that PC is having some quality issues right now and they (Woodcraft) are having a hard time getting some instock. From what he said, PC is offer $20 gift certificates to customers that would like to wait. Which kind of sucks because the 894 was also another contender.

[Wayne Cannon]

From what you say, I would go with the DeWalt, Bosch, etc., over the Triton.

I use DeWalt, Triton, and P-C routers -- the Triton only in a table application. I'll say up front that the Triton works well in a table application, but has several features that would annoy me for hand-held work.

The Triton has some innovative features (fast and vernier adjustment, automatic shaft lock at full extension, easily removable spring for inverted operation), but the DeWalt uses better materials. I haven't had any problems with it, but the Triton uses more plastic parts compared with the DeWalt. The plunge action on the DeWalt is smoother, but the Triton's works fine except when inverted.

The Triton is the bit-change champ. There's no question that bit changing is significantly more convenient in the Triton than the DeWalt, Porter-Cable, or any other router I've tried. Fast, long throw, through the base plate, with its automatic shaft lock.

The Triton fence is functional enough, but it is a cheap piece of heavy sheet metal with a totally non-standard keyhole attachment to spring-loaded vertical bolts protruding through the router's base. You cannot attach a third-party fence or accessories, like the MicroFence to the Triton because it doesn't have the horizontal attachment holes that most other routers have for that purpose. Nor does the Triton have a somewhat-standard cylindrical body that can be clamped in a variety of devices, most notably router lifts and tilt devices.

Visibility of the work through the base of the Triton is more restricted/distorted by the safety shroud and dust-collection shroud. The DeWalt does not have the safety shroud, and the dust collection shrouds are flat -- still not the greatest visibility, but it has fewer bent pieces of acrylic to distort your view. A corrugated vacuum hose is attached to the Triton with a screwed-down acrylic saddle clamp. If you want an easily disconnected dust collection hose, go with the DeWalt or keep a short length of corrugated host permanently attached to the Triton. I don't know how they do it, but the Triton does have more room for my fingers between the plunge-posts, base, body,and turret when the safety shrouds are removed.

[Brett CoughlanAus]

What use is it likely to see? Triton for table work, DeWalt for hand held.

[John Peterson]

I will probally use the plunge for mortises, dados and rabbets. My fixed base Milwaukee will be use edge profiles. Then most likely I will throw the fixed base from the Dewalt under my table until I get a dedicated lift and router. All of this mind you is if I get the Dewalt which is where Im leaning now.