LR 32 on the Cheap

[Crox G]

I've been flirting with the LR 32 system for some time, but couldn't see buying the full set.  I wanted to make some Sysports, and watched Erock/Poplar's videos until I was cross-eyed.  Bob Marino sent me the guide plate, the end stops, and a 5 mm flat-bottom bit.  I didn't need the clamps, or the other bits, and I wanted to try to do without the $140 side stops. 

I measured the offset between the edge of the guide rail (not the splinter guard--the metal edge), and the center of the 5 mm bit.  With the 1400 router centered on the plate, the offset is 27 mm, or close enough that I'm happy with it. Here's a picture from underneath, with the guide rail at the top of the picture.

View attachment 1

For a 37 mm offset from the front edge of the cabinet front, add 27 mm, and set a combination square to 64 mm.  Butt the square to the cabinet, slide the guide rail to meet it, repeat on the other end, and clamp the guide rail when both ends are right. 

View attachment 2

It's a little fiddly, of course, but all my drawer runner holes ended up spot-on.  What a joy to be able to remove and re-mount the drawer glides to optimize the space. I'm sold on the 32 mm system in general, and the LR 32 set in particular. If I have a big cabinet job in the future, I may reward myself with the proper stops.

Later:  I still can't get the hang of inserting pictures.  I'm sorry for the duplicates above.

 

[Gizmosity]

I've been doing quite a bit of research on purchasing quite a few Festool tools to finish off my soon (soon-ish anyway) to be open cabinet shop.  While I get the idea behind and use of the stops/gauges, I can't see using them to re-set often used offsets, 37mm especially.  While I plan on owning a set and using them for various offsets, I had envisioned sets of 90 degree spacers of exactly the required distance of often used offsets to spring clamp the spacers to the workpiece and butt the rail to them rather than setting stops, installing them, placing the rail and then removing them.

I've seen many home-brew adjustable guides on here, but in my couple months of digging here and reading various threads on the tools I'm going to purchase, I haven't seen any mention of shop built fixed fixtures for often used distances.  Am I missing something?

 

[mwahaha]

I've seen many home-brew adjustable guides on here, but in my couple months of digging here and reading various threads on the tools I'm going to purchase, I haven't seen any mention of shop built fixed fixtures for often used distances.  Am I missing something?

Missing something? Don't know as i have yet to get this kit, but more likely you are on to something.

I guess when people make their shop built guides they are emulating the real thing... seems like a smart move to me to have a jig for each of the most used measurements, not faffing about with measurements and sliding stops has to be more accurate and faster