In a couple of recent threads there has been some confusion about the LR32 hole drilling jig, this thread will address some of the questions that seem to keep popping up here and around the net.
First the LR32 will fit the OF1010 and the OF1400, I don't know for sure, but I assume the 1000 will fit also. Next, some have said that the Festool 35mm bit will not cut into wood, stating the router spins the bit too fast and only burns the wood. I have had success with this bit, I use the router on speed setting #1, the slowest setting. I have tried poplar, cherry, pine, oak and birch ply with no problems. As others have posted on this site, you don't have to buy the entire kit, you can just buy the parts you want. Below are the two kits Festool offers:
~ Part # 58329, Festool LR 32-SYS Hole Boring System For OF 1010 & 1400: Includes: Guide Plate, Centering mandrel, 2 side stops, 2 end stops, 2 clamps, 35mm carbide-tipped hinge-location bit, two 5mm carbide-tipped dowel drills in  #1 Systainer. Router and rail(s) not included.
~ Part # 583290, Hole Drilling System for OF 1010/1400 Routers: Guide plate with centering mandrel and two side stops, two end stops. Router, drill bits, rail(s) and clamps not included.
The parts in bold that are not included in the kits are necessary for standard use of LR32.

Here are some pictures of the parts to the LR32 system.

Parts need for standard use. Not pictured, router and clamps.


End stops.


Side stops.


Guide plate, centering mandrel, mounting screws for OF1400.


Festool 5mm bit and 32mm bit.

OK now that we know what the parts look like, we can get started on the how-to for the standard use of the LR32!


PS: If you know any of this info to be incorrect, please let me know, thanks.

In this tutorial I will be making a sample of a frameless, full overlay cabinet, the settings I use here are for my particular hinge. The settings you will need may be different.

The first thing that needs to be done is to mount the guide plate to the router. I don't have the OF1010 (yet), so pictured is the OF1400.

Just screw the guide to the base of the 1400, screwdriver is in one of the two screws. Note, centering mandreal and thumb screws to mount 1010 off to the side(take a close look, left of center, you can see the pin that drops into the holes in the rail.)


Base with OF1010 mounted, use centering mandreal and thumb screws.

Next is to adjust the side stops with the router, you only need to do this the first time you use the LR32. This is the only thing that is easy to understand in the manual, so I won't cover it here. Alright, now we fit the end stops to the guide rail. But first a word about the end stops. The end stops can be set to have either a 16mm or 32mm offset from the edge of the work piece to center of first hole in the rail (remember this). We will drill the shelf pins in the cabinet first, so we will set the end stops to the 16mm offset.

You are looking at the bottom of the guide rail. Note, end stop to the first hole is 16mm, and the you can see the "16" on the end stop.

What it should look like from the top.
Side stops go on now, 37mm from the edge of cabinet is the standard for most hinges, so that is what I will set the side stops to. Sorry no picture of this, don't worry it is very east to do. Mount the side stops to the rail to set the distance from edge to your first row of holes. We will line up the rail/end stop to the top of the cabinet (on the left in the picture below) Put the whole thing on the work piece.

Note TOP on the work, this the top of the side piece of the cabinet.

You are on the right track if it looks like this.

Here it is from below, very important, make sure you put the end stop up against the end of the work piece.
Clamp the rail and the work down, now remove the side stops, they will get in the way of drilling the holes.

Place the router with 5mm bit on the rail and we are ready to drill the back row of shelf pin holes.
More to come..........




 

Start the router in the hole where you want your first shelf pin hole, I want it to be 176mm from the top, this will be the 6th hole from the end stop. Make sure the guide is in your first, set depth for the bit. Fire up the router and start to drill, lift lever and slide over to the next hole, drill, repeat until drill all holes, last hole will be 6th from end of work piece.

This picture shows lever.
Remove the router and rail.

Should look a little like this.

Another pic, again note TOP on the left side.
We now need to drill the second row of holes ,so we will turn the work piece so the "TOP" will be on the right side.

Here it is, "TOP" on the right.
Now, place rail and side stops back(still set to 37mm) on with the right end stop indexed on the "TOP", this is very important to get your holes to line up!!!

End stop indexed against the "TOP", also note the hose hooked on the work piece, don't do this (I will show you why shortly)!
Again, clamp and remove side stops and drill just the like other side.

Darn it!
This is why you don't want the hose to get hooked on the end, I was hurrying, thought I had the guide locked in the hole on the rail, well I was wrong! Good thing this was just scrap.
The hinges I had on hand came with #6 wood screws, so I changed the 5mm bit to a 1/8" straight cutting bit to pre-drill for the hinge locations (for base plates)and drill for them. It would be much faster if your hinges used 5mm screws.

Close up of pre-drill for #6 screws.
Well that takes care of the cabinet side. Now on to the door.

Watch a video of LR32 in action on you tube,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eBCsC5FYIk

What Mirko is pointing out is right on the money.

Mirko, the hinges I would normally use do have 5mm screws, I just didn't have any today, so I pulled these hinges off some old cab I had around just for this how to.


I hope to add more pictures and details and if time permits, some short video clips.
Brice

Brice,
How did you post the pics with the writing underneath them?
Is it possible because of the gallery option?

Mirko

Thanks Dan

  Thanks Dan. The pics were taken with a cheap didital camera with a tripod. I hate when people post  bad pictures on the net, I didn't want to do that. With this tutorial I wanted to keep the writing simple and let the pictures do all work. I really would like to do more tutorials, I  always read on woodworking site everybody asking, "why do people spend so much money of on Festool tools?", if they could see they in action, I think more people would understand. Anyhow, glad you like the thread.
Brice

Thanks for the pictorial, Brice.  I guess I just wasn't reading the instructions that came with my LR32 correctly.   

Is 22.5mm from the edge a standard for the Euro hinges (I use Blum)?  How do you deal with face-frame vs Euro cabinetry?  For instance, my doors are all 1" wider than the cabinet opening width due to my 1/2" overlay.  Does that mean I'd need to set the offset guides to 35.2mm (25.4/2+22.5)?  My next project (garage) will likely be frameless, but the wife prefers traditional face-frames.

Brice,

"Thank You!!!"  Very nicely done!!

Your pictures coupled with your explanations are very helpful.

jim

Brice,
Very well done!  This is exactly the sort of review I was imagining for the forum.  Others can use your work as a model.

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

Mirko, we need you to do something like this also!!

Stay in touch,
Matthew

You were reading them clearly, its just that they aren't very clear.

  Best advice here, read the instructions that come with your hinges they will be very clear on the layout.

Nice job, Brice, but when you do the edits for the final draft, you might want to mention:

1.  In regard to cabinet sides, the LR-32 is designed to work with sides that are even multiples of 32mm.  If the user deviates from that, it's a lot more time-consuming to use it.

2.  In regard to cabinet doors, the LR-32 is designed to work with doors that are "full overlay" in the top to bottom direction (which is why I put "full overlay" in quotation marks) to fit sides that are even multiples of 32mm.  (The LR-32 will also work regardless of whether the cabinet door is "full overlay top-to-bottom" as long as door length is an even multiple of 16mm, but the odds of that are slim.)  If the user deviates from that, it's a lot more time-consuming to use the LR-32.

3.  The setting of the side stops for the hinge cup hole will depend on the hinge, the thickness of the cabinet sides, and the overlay of the door (side to side).  Definitely need to check the mfr's recommendations, and it helps to do a few mock-ups with some scrap if you haven't previously used the particular hinge with material of the thickness that you're using.

Regards,

John

 The intended purpose of my jig was to make doing multiples as quickly as possible, and at the same time, in a Carefree manor. I really do not have to think every time I need to drill a door.
 I have worked in custom millwork shops for 16 years, and everyone of them has a system, I began my trade just as the CNC machines from europe, were beginning to make an impact in north america. I watched as each shop, one at a time began to swich over to CNC machinery. The younger people cought on quikly but the "old Timers" could not give up there systems, so they where in a way, forced to move on.
 I am somewhere in between I was fortunate to learn the European system early on. Once I finished my apprenticeship the Company that sponsered me was at the stage were 50 % of the people working there were in an office type setting. The reason for this was if your good, you go work in the office programing.
 I was a purist who liked the idea of the CNC machine, but could not work in a shop that had you in front of a machine loading parts, or walking around supervising.
I finaly settled at a shop that had two of these CNC routers, but there was only one guy in the office, and the reason for that was the people that were working in the shop had all the experience and the guy in the office along with the two machine operators, where just tools. This system worked great because the people with the passion for woodworking had all the control, we simply could aproach the CNC operator with are sketches and he would route out our parts for us.
This became the perfect balance of new and old to form the best system for what we were trying to produce.
 To sum up what I am trying to say is, to me, the Festool system is doing what the CNC industry did, but this time it is suited for the small one man shops. I continue to be surprised by these tools and the level of quality they can produce.
 Its fair to say that The LR32 can produce the same quality as a CNC machine(250,000$), the TS plung saws cut like European CNC panel Saws(150,000$)and the dust colection and sanders are better that what most shops have (NO JOKE) I could not do what I do without these tools, is the bottom line. The efficiency that it brings to a one man shop is really amazing!
ramble ramble yadda yadda

Mirko

 

I have been on the fence about the LR 32 -- I have some kitchen cabinets to make as well as some library shelves. A shelf drilling method is important, but if the i LR 32 takes more time and effort with non-multiples of 32mm, then it makes me think again. On the other hand, there do not seem to be too many other options ... If you have used the LR 32, is there a need to consider modifying cabinet design so that everything is a multiple of 32mm? This means some adjustments in materials and setup for other machines, or at least that is the way I read it.
Thanks

  I agree with you that clamping is the most inconvenient part of the LR32 system. John when you use multiples of 32mm do you still clamp, if not, I can see how that would be way easier, I don't think I would trust doing that way.
Brice