LR32 Enhancements

[tom.smith]

The LR32 kit is great for wall cabinets, but not so much for base cabinets. Festool didn't provide a way to get the kind of spacing you need so that drawer slides attach right in the pin holes. Here's an epic fail with the existing kit. The rods need to be three times their length for this to be a viable option.

There's no way to get the center holes to accommodate these Blum slides:

My solution was to build a set of alignment tools like these:

Here one is in use:

They're simpler to use than Festool's alignment jig, so I eventually made a pair for the front holes and just retired the Festool jig altogether. I made a pair of each size so alignments are a snap.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Tom, I've resorted to drilling only the front and back holes, attaching the slide then drilling any other needed holes with a self centering bit.

It would have been great in Festool made the pins used on the edge stops 5 mm, the way you could insert them in a hole to keep indexing the rail across the panel.

 

[tom.smith]

I always thought you needed that set of middle holes (and six pins per shelf) on base cabinets just to reduce bowing under 300 pounds of canned goods. Or am I once again doing everything the hard way? I prefer things to be challenging, don't you know... [cool]

Even with a 5 mm pin, the rods would still be too short to reach the middle by indexing off the front holes. I still don't understand why Festool made their aligners that short, other than they fit in the systainer so nicely.  [huh]

 

[Qwas]

Some 5/8 inch threaded bar replaces those hexagon bars nicely.   2 nuts with a washer in between would make a nice adjustable stop on the bar. [smile] Most hardware stores should have it.

Another option would be the head (or a nut) of a 3/8 inch bolt, although I think it would be hard to find a long enough bolt.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I always thought you needed that set of middle holes (and six pins per shelf) on base cabinets just to reduce bowing under 300 pounds of canned goods. Or am I once again doing everything the hard way? I prefer things to be challenging, don't you know... [cool]

I use the front and back set of holes to align the slide. Once it's attached then I go back with the Festool 5 mm self centering bit to drill the center holes. I've found it to easier and faster.

 

[Christian93117]

Maybe this video helps:

LR 32 System in Center of Panel (2)

 

[peter halle]

Christian,

Every time I see one of these, I just remember coming to class - and I smile and smile and smile.
[thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up]

 

[bionicus]

Seeing that this clip was just uploaded today by festoolusa, I have to ask: Is there an entire series of these instructional Festool vids floating around somewhere, yet to have made their way to the interwebs? If so, keep them coming.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

You'll be seeing more videos from us.

 

[tom.smith]

Nice video. If I ever build a cabinet that isn't 12 or 24 inches deep, this might come in handy. I'm sure you won't mind if I stick to my story sticks all the rest of the time, though. As long as I only have one bottom to index off of (I've heard tell that you can screw that up once in a while  [embarassed]), they won't allow me to make a mistake.

 

[L2theP]

how about letting your lr32 take a rest on the shelf and get one of these puppies for a whopping 35 bucks and your problems are solved.

 

[rnt80]

I started off with the Rockler jig.  The tear out with the holes was horrible.  Outside of that issue it's a good jig - easy set up and easy to use.  I still have it but it's been sitting in a drawer for a long time now.

 

[John Stevens]

Maybe this video helps

Vielen dank!

Regards,

John

 

[tom.smith]

Sorry, L2theP. I'll be sticking with my LR32 for as long as I'm still breathing, anyway.

 

[bruegf]

how about letting your lr32 take a rest on the shelf and get one of these puppies for a whopping 35 bucks and your problems are solved.

If you don't care much about quality the jig is an easy, inexpensive route to take.  If you do care, stick w/ the LR32.

Fred

 

[L2theP]

i don't know, i will probably drill 50 shelf pin holes with this jig before you set your LR32 up, again and again on every single panel while i just slap this jig against the edge and zoom right thru.  To each is own gentelmen, i certainly prefer this jig and the 34$ vs 400$ had a big influence especially in my field of custom installations where the shop forgets to put shelf pin holes in cabinets at times, i would like to see any single one of you slap a LR32 system into a faceframed pre-built box. 
Bruegf, what kind of quality are you talking about?  (are we still talking about shelfpin holes here?) are you saying that you can drill shelf-pin holes of higher quality with a guiderail, router, adjustment arms and a vacuum then i can with a self centering bit + jig that cost me 34bucks total? 
if anyone would like to challange the speed and the quality of my shelf pin holes vs that of a LR32 system i welcome you, and if you can do 12 times more shelfpin holes in the same time i do mine then maybe i will be able to justify paying 12 times more for it, oh i forgot plus the additional cost of a new guiderail. Make that 15 times the cost of my jig.

 

[Leland]

Having both the LR32 system and the Rockler jig, I would say that the quality of the shelf pin holes produced by the LR32 system is significantly better in quality than the jig. 

For me, the jig bit would constantly get clogged with debris and would need to be cleaned out with nearly every hole drilled.  And this would occur even after getting a new bit.  And the holes were not always clean, with some occasional blow out in the area around the pin hole. 

The shelf pin hole made using my OF 1400 are clean and precise.

I think I lost the Rockler jig in my garage about a week after I used the Festool LR32 system.

 

[bruegf]

L2theP,

You've got me on speed, and again on adding holes in an assembled box, but I stick to my quality claim.

Fred

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I've tried drilling with a jig similar to those sold by Rockler, with a drill press and shop made jig, and with the LR 32 system.  The holes are much cleaner with perfect edges when using a router with the LR 32 system, particularly when using Festool's brad point drilling bits designed for router use.  My only regret is that Festool does not today offer a 1/4 inch brad point drilling bit designed for use in a router.  I have used straight and upcut spiral bits for 1/4 inch shelf pin support holes and have not been as pleased with the results, even with a new Whiteside brand upcut spiral bit.

Dave R.

 

[danrush]

I use both the LR32 and a hand held jig.  Both have their merits described earlier.  In the shop, the LR 32 shines.  In the field, my hand jig works best. 

My question is:  Can someone describe "Hole quality"  ??  It seems to me that if I'm attempting to drill 5mm holes, and I get 5 mm holes, I have pretty good "hole quality"    If tearout is an issue, check your bit or material.

Dan