Steve Jones
Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2007
- Messages
- 405
I made a discovery the other day which I thought I'd share.
The LR 32 system edge stops are intended to place the rail at a measured distance from the edge of a workpiece for making shelf holes (amongst other things) and I use it for that purpose regularly, however I also make 1/4" dados 3/4" in from the the back edge of end panels and decks on my cabinets and using the TS55 is faster and easier than any other method (a 1/4" dado is 2 passes with the saw), so I needed a simple method of placing the rail a measured distance from the edge just like for the 32 hole router operation. However the system is design to offset the router since it cuts some distance away from the edge of the rail.
While experimenting I found that referencing the scale against the outer edge of the plastic block (rather the the small scale embossed on top) gives an exact placement for the cut line.
In the first picture you'll see the embossed scale (hard to see in real life too, I really need to put some whiteout or something on the scale on the black plastic block) is set to 13mm.
In the next picture, the outer (right) edge of the plastic block is at 19mm...
and putting a metric rule against the rail shows that the distance from the edge of the workpiece to the cutting edge of the rail is exactly 19mm, add an allowance of 2.5mm for the kerf means I set the edge stop for 21.5 and end up with a dado with the closest edge 3/4" (19mm) from the edge of the workpiece.
Due to the short length of the edge stops, this works for dimensions up to 4 5/6" (110mm) but I find it very handy.
Another quick tip (I haven't read all the manuals and unofficial manuals for the L:R32 system so this may have been covered already), but to set the edge stops the same (reading one scale to set it is tough enough on my old eyes) set one and put it in place on the rail with the stop pin against the workpiece, move the rail so the edges are parallel then with the other one unlocked, place it next to the first, slide the pin up to the edge of the workpiece and lock it, the two will be set together closer then you could ever do it by eye.
Update: the scales are adjustable, mine are set exactly for the router (1400) but check your own result before relying on this method, but I think you'll find the same accuracy I did.
The LR 32 system edge stops are intended to place the rail at a measured distance from the edge of a workpiece for making shelf holes (amongst other things) and I use it for that purpose regularly, however I also make 1/4" dados 3/4" in from the the back edge of end panels and decks on my cabinets and using the TS55 is faster and easier than any other method (a 1/4" dado is 2 passes with the saw), so I needed a simple method of placing the rail a measured distance from the edge just like for the 32 hole router operation. However the system is design to offset the router since it cuts some distance away from the edge of the rail.
While experimenting I found that referencing the scale against the outer edge of the plastic block (rather the the small scale embossed on top) gives an exact placement for the cut line.
In the first picture you'll see the embossed scale (hard to see in real life too, I really need to put some whiteout or something on the scale on the black plastic block) is set to 13mm.
In the next picture, the outer (right) edge of the plastic block is at 19mm...
and putting a metric rule against the rail shows that the distance from the edge of the workpiece to the cutting edge of the rail is exactly 19mm, add an allowance of 2.5mm for the kerf means I set the edge stop for 21.5 and end up with a dado with the closest edge 3/4" (19mm) from the edge of the workpiece.
Due to the short length of the edge stops, this works for dimensions up to 4 5/6" (110mm) but I find it very handy.
Another quick tip (I haven't read all the manuals and unofficial manuals for the L:R32 system so this may have been covered already), but to set the edge stops the same (reading one scale to set it is tough enough on my old eyes) set one and put it in place on the rail with the stop pin against the workpiece, move the rail so the edges are parallel then with the other one unlocked, place it next to the first, slide the pin up to the edge of the workpiece and lock it, the two will be set together closer then you could ever do it by eye.
Update: the scales are adjustable, mine are set exactly for the router (1400) but check your own result before relying on this method, but I think you'll find the same accuracy I did.
