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Thread: DW621 vs Triton M0F001 plunge routers

  1. #1
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    DW621 vs Triton M0F001 plunge routers

    Folks -

    As mentioned in a previous post, I destroyed the base of my old PC 693 plunge router. To make myself feel better I decided to just get a new plunge router, and I've gotten it down to the DW621 and the Triton.

    The DW621 has lots of good reviews; the new-ish Triton M0F001 also gets some very positive reviews. I can't find anywhere that they are compared sort of head-to-head, so before I pull the trigger on one of these, I thought I'd see if folks have comments comparing the two.

    The Dewalt is a bit more expensive, ($229 vs $219 for the Triton) and the Triton sweetens the deal by including a bunch of accessories. OTOH, the dewalt has really stood the test of time. And, there was apparently some concern about Triton's financial viability a year back? (although the owner of the north american franchise posted here that he wasn't going anywhere)

    Anyhow - I'd be interested in thoughts on this choice. And if anyone knows of any particular deals out there, I'd be appreciative of hearing.

    Ken

  2. #2
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    Handheld I prefer the Dewalt, in a table I prefer the Triton.

  3. #3
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    I should have mentioned that this was going to be strictly handheld use. In my router table I have a bosch 1617 fixed base, and I've been happy with that.
    Ken

  4. #4
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    I used to use DW621 routers. It is a very good design. It plunges well, and has better dust collection than any other plunge router I've tried.

    I use routers pretty hard. I usually need to replace the front bearing every few years. I never did figure out how to do that on the 621. It must be difficult, because DeWalt wanted about 60% of the price of a new router to do the job. So I got used to buying a new 621 when the front bearing failed. But then the time-to-fail on the 621 started getting shorter. Eventually they'd fail before the one year warrantee was over, so at least DeWalt would cover the cost of the repair. But I'd need a router while they repaired the broken one, so I'd buy another. For a while, I had a whole bunch of 621s in various states of failure. When my next-to-last 621 router died in three months, and my last one was dead on arrival, I gave up on DeWalt.

    I now have a Festool. It is ridiculously expensive, and the dust collection design is not good, but at least it has lasted two years without failure.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post
    When my next-to-last 621 router died in three months, and my last one was dead on arrival, I gave up on DeWalt.
    This seems to be a slow starting trend and not just with DeWalt. There are tools that have "stood the test of time" in prior years but now several seem to be living off those laurels IMHO. I have kind of gotten used to taking a second look at items I wouldn't have given the time of day to a year ago and also begun to closely inspect current versions of what used to be the de facto standards.

    There area a decent number of 2HP+ plunge routers/combos available. Probably more so than ever before. Can you tell us what narrowed the field down to these two very different routers? That could help us make better suggestions and help owners of the machines in question respond with more focus on what's important to you.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  6. #6
    My vote is for the Triton. I own 5 routers and my Triton rocks! Now, I DO have the 3 HP one - but have heard that they are both solid. I don't know why you would want the dewalt one. My other great one is my Bosch - although the switch sucks - I had to take the actual switch appart a couple months ago and the crub was so thick in there that the metal leads would no longer touch when engaged! Otherwise I love it - 2HP Plunge. I bought it used.

    The other is a PorterCable... you standard one that I think everyone ownes at least on of... hmmm - it's not plunge. And then I have two crappy Craftsmens - for "outside" use.

    That triton will make you happy. Just do it!!! I know that a lot of extras come with it - but the 3HP doesn't. The softstart is fantastic, too.

    OH - try to find the vacuum hose attachment for it though. Don't know why Triton had to make it somewhat proprietary!!!

  7. #7
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    Thanks for the replies, folks.

    Glenn, what got me down to those two routers was a combination of things, but a large part was just the information I could find on them. In pretty much all the threads about plunge router choice, there are always votes for the 621, and aside from Jamie's post here, never a bad word. In the 3 or so tool reviews I could find - none of which included the Triton, and all of which covered only some of the models out there - the 621 was first or second choice. The Triton has gotten good reviews on FWW, here, and a few on the web that really describe it in depth, all positively.

    The features in particular that interested me were the micro-adjust and dust collection, and of course I wanted it to be mechanically sound. These two seemed to fit. My third choice would be the Bosch 1613, but I didn't want to have to repurchase the bushing set I already have. A small point, admittedly.

    And I left out the combo units because I have two fixed base routers now, and don't really need another. I suppose the logical thing for me to do here was just to get a new plunge base for one of the two that I have, but sometimes you just want another tool.

    I didn't consider the Festool because, although I believe that they are good tools, there's just a limit on the amount I'll spend for this.

    It's hard to really cover the field of choices for something like this where there are so many models out there. It wouldn't at all surprise me if there's an excellent choice I've missed. As it happens, this is one of those purchases that I need to get on with the current project, so it may be that I've skimped a bit on the product research.

    Ken

  8. #8
    Ken - I don't think people include the Triton b/c so few people have it or have used it.

    I just kept reading great stuff about it and their fantastic customer support, etc. etc. etc...

    There's this one review I kept seeing - and the guy came back a year later and said he would buy it again... even with the couple of flaws it had. Based on finding, Triton improved the next line.


    Now - i should have mentioned - I bought my triton 3hp for nearly 90% in table use.
    • I wanted something powerful for raised panels.
    • I wanted micro-height adjustment (so was looking at router lifts)
    • wanted above table bit changes (router lift)
    • wanted my router to look like Robby the Robot (joking)
    • Variable speeds - 8000-21000 RPMS
    • SoftStart is a plus - especially since it's so powerful - don't need it torqueing out of my hands
    • Great customer service was a plus, too. Isn't it always!?
    • oh - and it's INNOVATIVE. This company was improving on and tool that has been basically the same industry-wide for decades!
    The Triton has all these features - and I didn't have to buy an expensive router lift. I do have to reach under the table though...


    The money I saved I got a aluminum table insert instead of phenolic... the big routers are heavy and I didn't want warping... although I have heard of the aluminum ones warping... I will maybe device some sort of "holder" brace to alleviate some weight. The router stays in the table. I also got a cast iron table saw insert.

    The lift of the bit clear up through the table is one twist of your hand. There is ONLY ONE WRENCH!! I have a rare earth magnet that keeps it handy right under my cast iron table saw insert (Peachtree Woodworking!) - I don't need any other little tools to lift, or adjust it...

    I did recently by a switch for it. I'm lazy. I always had to fumble around under the table to find the switch... and I aligned the router in the table so the switch was in the back, but the adjustment kknobs were in the front. I still have to reach under - but only once to turn it on ... and the again to turn it off. Otherwise, while I do all my cuts with the first bit - I can use the switch. Changing bits is about 30 seconds, if that. I take longer to FIND the next bit.

    Vacuum - freakin amazing. Albeit, proprietary - I just sort of stick the vacuum hose up near the hole and I still get 95% of all the chips. I think you will always have a few escape artists! I dont' have a "box" built around it yet, so maybe I'll get to 99% someday.

    I say get the Triton. Be daring! Here's the famous review:
    http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/rev...itonrouter.htm
    Last edited by Dennis Lopeman; 03-08-2010 at 11:34 AM.

  9. #9
    Oh - forgot to mention - yup - I had cold feet, too!! It's hard to make a choice on something that has had so little feedback.

    But - there wasn't ANY negative feedback that I could find. My research is probably borderline psycho!! I'll spend weeks. WEll, actually I think I've been eyeballing this router for years!!! For real.

    The only negative thing I saw was the whole business thing last year... and that's gone now.

  10. #10
    Oops - forgot the Triton variable speed - and softstart is really great for inhand use. I'll add to the bullets above.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Platt View Post
    In pretty much all the threads about plunge router choice, there are always votes for the 621, and aside from Jamie's post here, never a bad word.
    Good info Ken. Not selling Jamie's experience short but as an example. . . I run a Bosch 1295DVS for a ROS. Everyone seems to love them but more than one person posted that the brushes wore out too soon. I have run this thing mercilessly for years without issue. My point is that, on occasion, some folks have a bad run with a certain tool and some don't. I would take Jamie's experience to heart but his experience may not be your experience.

    The features in particular that interested me were the micro-adjust and dust collection,
    I love the heck out of all my Milwaukee routers. They are my go-to machines. However, they run a production body style and dust collection is a distant afterthought. Great machines but, not designed with dust collection in mind.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

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