kgearhardt
Member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
- Messages
- 15
Following up on my previous topic, LR 32 Alternate Guiderail Clamping (http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=6343.0), I needed to bore shelf pin holes in an 88" panel this weekend. I had planned to use the router with the bit plunged into a previously bored hole to help me line things up as I progressed down the panel, but I had an idea for an 'easier' approach that I thought I'd share.
Taking yet another scrap piece of plywood I build an alignment jig that can easily be attaced to the LR32 guiderail. This jig is indexed to the holes in the guiderail with one indexing pin, and indexed to the workpiece with another indexing pin that rests in a previously drilled shelf pin hole. I've added photos with comments to show the basic setup.
The first picture shows the bottom of the jig. The key to it working well is the dado thats cut to fit snugly on the guiderail when installed. I used a 1/2" dado stack for my cuts. The first dado on the left labeled "Dado"
rests on the t-slot track along the edge of the guiderail. The other dado is the critical cut that must fit snug on the guiderail. The final width is approximate 5/8", but I made it in multiple passes with my rip fence as a guide, nudging the fence to widen the dado and test fitting after every pass over the blade stack. Once I had the jig sitting tight on the guiderail I turned the rail over to mark the center of the guiderail index hole relative to its distance from the alignment rib on the top. I then removed the jig and drilled a .242" hole (size C?) on the drill press. The indexing pin for the guiderail is made from a piece of 1/4" bolt that's had its head and threads cut off. That piece was then chucked up in my drill while I filed the tip down until it fit nicely in the guiderail holes. Note that the guiderail has a 6mm wide "oval", but I didn't have any 6mm smooth rod on hand (I bet nobody does!). Once the pin is sized as needed it's just friction fitted into the .242" hole drilled in the jig.
Now you have a jig that will securely align itself to the LR32 guiderail. So how to I get the hole setup for the other indexing pin? I clamped the LR32 guiderail to a scrap piece of plywood. The I used the router to plunge completely through the workpiece so that the shelf pin hole was through and through. The router is then removed and the jig is installed so that the indexing pin is in the same guiderail hole as the router base was. Then the entire assembly is flipped over and taken to the drill press where the .242" bit is passed through from the bottom of the workpiece and completely through the jig. This provided a perfectly aligned hole in the jig relative to the already drilled shelf pin hole. From there another 1/4" bolt with the threads cut off is pressed into place.
Pictures 2 and 3 show a closeup of the finished product from the bottom and top. Pictures 4 and 5 show the jig set in place and the guiderail ready to go for another set of shelf pin holes perfectly aligned to the previous set of holes. Note that I leave the alignment jig in place as I bore the next set of holes. This I think is a major advantage relative to using the router bit as an alignment tool given my clamping method from the previous post. The jig ensures that the rail stays put relative to the previous set of holes. If it weren't there I thought it would be a little too easy to disturb the setup since the side clamps could pivot if I wasn't careful.
Hope this proves as useful to others as it was to me. No more thoughts of buying a longer LR32 guiderail for me! This jig gives me infinite, accurate range for drilling shelf pin holes!
Have fun!
Kevin
For the record this worked perfectly as my 88" side panels are in place in our downstairs bath with shelves installed and sitting nice and flat.
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Taking yet another scrap piece of plywood I build an alignment jig that can easily be attaced to the LR32 guiderail. This jig is indexed to the holes in the guiderail with one indexing pin, and indexed to the workpiece with another indexing pin that rests in a previously drilled shelf pin hole. I've added photos with comments to show the basic setup.
The first picture shows the bottom of the jig. The key to it working well is the dado thats cut to fit snugly on the guiderail when installed. I used a 1/2" dado stack for my cuts. The first dado on the left labeled "Dado"
rests on the t-slot track along the edge of the guiderail. The other dado is the critical cut that must fit snug on the guiderail. The final width is approximate 5/8", but I made it in multiple passes with my rip fence as a guide, nudging the fence to widen the dado and test fitting after every pass over the blade stack. Once I had the jig sitting tight on the guiderail I turned the rail over to mark the center of the guiderail index hole relative to its distance from the alignment rib on the top. I then removed the jig and drilled a .242" hole (size C?) on the drill press. The indexing pin for the guiderail is made from a piece of 1/4" bolt that's had its head and threads cut off. That piece was then chucked up in my drill while I filed the tip down until it fit nicely in the guiderail holes. Note that the guiderail has a 6mm wide "oval", but I didn't have any 6mm smooth rod on hand (I bet nobody does!). Once the pin is sized as needed it's just friction fitted into the .242" hole drilled in the jig.Now you have a jig that will securely align itself to the LR32 guiderail. So how to I get the hole setup for the other indexing pin? I clamped the LR32 guiderail to a scrap piece of plywood. The I used the router to plunge completely through the workpiece so that the shelf pin hole was through and through. The router is then removed and the jig is installed so that the indexing pin is in the same guiderail hole as the router base was. Then the entire assembly is flipped over and taken to the drill press where the .242" bit is passed through from the bottom of the workpiece and completely through the jig. This provided a perfectly aligned hole in the jig relative to the already drilled shelf pin hole. From there another 1/4" bolt with the threads cut off is pressed into place.
Pictures 2 and 3 show a closeup of the finished product from the bottom and top. Pictures 4 and 5 show the jig set in place and the guiderail ready to go for another set of shelf pin holes perfectly aligned to the previous set of holes. Note that I leave the alignment jig in place as I bore the next set of holes. This I think is a major advantage relative to using the router bit as an alignment tool given my clamping method from the previous post. The jig ensures that the rail stays put relative to the previous set of holes. If it weren't there I thought it would be a little too easy to disturb the setup since the side clamps could pivot if I wasn't careful.
Hope this proves as useful to others as it was to me. No more thoughts of buying a longer LR32 guiderail for me! This jig gives me infinite, accurate range for drilling shelf pin holes!
Have fun!
Kevin
For the record this worked perfectly as my 88" side panels are in place in our downstairs bath with shelves installed and sitting nice and flat.
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