LR32 Front and Back Shelf pin holes not aligning

[edanielvijay]

I got LR-32 Sys lately and today I started using them. I did calibrate Side stop and also placed the centering mandrel and aligned the router with the drilling jig. But, still I have an 2 mm offset between the front and back holes.  (please see the pictures below). I did check that the wood piece is perfect square.

I started from the top side for both the holes however I rotated the rails 180 degree for the front and back holes. But, if I am not wrong, the holy rails are perfectly spaced 32 mm and no matter what it should put the holes at 16 mm from the top. I started with a 16 mm holes.

Did anyone else experience this issue? Am I missing something - please advise.

-Danny

 

[Kev]

I've only had a lesson on these - haven't used one in anger myself ... a "hint" I was given is to work in the same direction and apply the forward pressure accordingly as there is a degree of play in the mechanism. Yeh, scary that !

I haven't picked up a LR32 for myself yet so I can't further confirm or comment on the degree of potential slop.

 

[mastercabman]

Did you use the edge stops correctly?

 

[VictorL]

LR-32  base plate has two screws for eliminating play on the rail.  When you make one side, base plate could get off set 1mm, when you do another side it could get another 1mm, so total 2mm. (because you pull/push router in opposite directions) Try to tight these two screws.

Cheers,
VictorL

 

[Brice Burrell]

Danny, there are a few of things that come to mind that could cause this problem.  The first is slop in the base plate that VictorL mentioned.  The next is the making sure the router didn't move on the base plate.  This is far more likely if you were using the 1010.  With the 1010 you really have to tighten down the knobs that hold it to the plate.  The most likely culprit is misalignment of the rail.  As Mastercabman posted about the end stop(s) needs to butted up tight to the end of your work piece.  The problem is if you don't recheck the alignment you could be unaware of error creeping in as you adjust the rail in other places.  Once you have the rail set, recheck it and adjust if necessary before you rout.

I would think it is highly unlikely your rail is off.     

 

[lambeater]

Danny did you check that blue square you are using. Appears you are measuring from 2 different sides of it, maybe your not out?

Lambeater.

 

[edanielvijay]

Danny did you check that blue square you are using. Appears you are measuring from 2 different sides of it, maybe your not out?

Lambeater.

I did check with a capenter square also from the edge. Its still off.

 

[edanielvijay]

Danny, there are a few of things that come to mind that could cause this problem.  The first is slop in the base plate that VictorL mentioned.  The next is the making sure the router didn't move on the base plate.  This is far more likely if you were using the 1010.  With the 1010 you really have to tighten down the knobs that hold it to the plate.  The most likely culprit is misalignment of the rail.  As Mastercabman posted about the end stop(s) needs to butted up tight to the end of your work piece.  The problem is if you don't recheck the alignment you could be unaware of error creeping in as you adjust the rail in other places.  Once you have the rail set, recheck it and adjust if necessary before you rout.

I would think it is highly unlikely your rail is off.     

Thanks a lot Brice/Victor for your inputs. Let me redo and check this again.

 

[sancho57]

I had the same problem when I first started using the LR 32

1st, and the end stops set at the same. 32 up and out .

2nd are you cutting your panels at exalt at a diminesion that is divided by 32 mm?

 

[Brice Burrell]

I had the same problem when I first started using the LR 32

1st, and the end stops set at the same. 32 up and out .

2nd are you cutting your panels at exalt at a diminesion that is divided by 32 mm?

This is a very important question.  I was going to ask it if there was a round two of trouble shooting necessary.  If your panels are cut to a multiple of 32mm there is isn't much chance of error indexing the rail/end stops to the ends of the work piece (unless your piece is accurately sized).  If your panel is not a multiple of 32mm then you can screw up indexing the rail/end stop for your second row of holes.  The rail needs to be indexed off the same end of the panel for odd sized panels, meaning you have to have the rail/end stop indexed off the top for example, for both sets of holes. 

In theory your holes could be off because you indexed the rail/end stop off the top of the panel for the front set of holes and when you flipped rail and panel around to rout the back set of holes the rail/end stop was indexed off the bottom of the piece.  Does that make sense? 

 

[edanielvijay]

I had the same problem when I first started using the LR 32

1st, and the end stops set at the same. 32 up and out .

2nd are you cutting your panels at exalt at a diminesion that is divided by 32 mm?

This is a very important question.  I was going to ask it if there was a round two of trouble shooting necessary.  If your panels are cut to a multiple of 32mm there is isn't much chance of error indexing the rail/end stops to the ends of the work piece (unless your piece is accurately sized).   If your panel is not a multiple of 32mm then you can screw up indexing the rail/end stop for your second row of holes.  The rail needs to be indexed off the same end of the panel for odd sized panels, meaning you have to have the rail/end stop indexed off the top for example, for both sets of holes.  

In theory your holes could be off because you indexed the rail/end stop off the top of the panel for the front set of holes and when you flipped rail and panel around to rout the back set of holes the rail/end stop was indexed off the bottom of the piece.  Does that make sense?  

Brice,
My board is in multiples of 32 mm and also I was positioning the rail from the same reference edge for both set of holes.

By the way I did start from scratch doing all the alignments and I got the holes aligned this time - I think I didnot tighten the knobs good enough earlier after centering with the mandrel or did not push the end stops. Thanks a lot for all of your inputs.

I just put 2 set of holes just to make sure everything is OK by putting the end stops at different locations on the rail

By the way, how good is OF1400 to use with LR32? Atleast there is no need for the router to shift as it is being screwed to the jig.

Thanks,
Danny

 

[Brice Burrell]

I'll use either router but the 1010 would be my first choice.  Don't be afraid to really tighten those knobs down and you'll be fine.

 

[harry_]

I use the 1400 and have yet to encounter any problems with alignment that are caused by the router.

As for operator malfunctions, the list is long & strong. My issue in general is consistency. Although I seem to get better with each use, I just don't use the thing enough to be able to 'sleep-walk' it.

Although not a preference, these can be helpful.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Interesting Harry, I've never seen those shelf pins before.

 

[woodie]

At a recent Festool class we were told to tighten the knobs down with small tongue and groove pliers.

 

[harry_]

Interesting Harry, I've never seen those shelf pins before.

Yeah, don't ask me about how I came to know about these [scared]

 

[TomGadwa1]

I would suggest using a metric scale and make certain that you are reading it from the same perspective. It looks like in your initial photos that you might be reading from a scale of 12ths in one picture and 16ths in the other. This could prove to be confusing when measuring a distance from the end of the workpiece. The beauty of the metric system is that it is in one base system. I.E. BASE 10 like our money in the US. Think about other currency that is not like ours and the need for exchange rates etc. So I think if you obtain a metric measuring device it will simplify the process of verifying your accuracy on your shelf pin holes. And also as stated above make certain the end stops are same orientation and tightened firmly. Also it helps to clamp the rail to the workpiece and the MFT3 as well. This will ensure that the rail will not creep and throw off your reference from the ends. One other thing to do is to perform a visual check before routing and make sure that there is no gap between the workpiece and the end stop and the side stop before final clamping of the rail to the workpiece and MFT. Doing this process has yielded excellent results for me. And of course practice makes perfect!

 

[harry_]

One thing that I have found invaluable is to simply throw down a reference line across my panel. I usually do this on top of a piece of tape so I don't have to deal with the line later.

 

[edanielvijay]

I would suggest using a metric scale and make certain that you are reading it from the same perspective. It looks like in your initial photos that you might be reading from a scale of 12ths in one picture and 16ths in the other. This could prove to be confusing when measuring a distance from the end of the workpiece. The beauty of the metric system is that it is in one base system. I.E. BASE 10 like our money in the US. Think about other currency that is not like ours and the need for exchange rates etc. So I think if you obtain a metric measuring device it will simplify the process of verifying your accuracy on your shelf pin holes. And also as stated above make certain the end stops are same orientation and tightened firmly. Also it helps to clamp the rail to the workpiece and the MFT3 as well. This will ensure that the rail will not creep and throw off your reference from the ends. One other thing to do is to perform a visual check before routing and make sure that there is no gap between the workpiece and the end stop and the side stop before final clamping of the rail to the workpiece and MFT. Doing this process has yielded excellent results for me. And of course practice makes perfect!

Tom, thanks for the pointers. Sorry that picture with that inch carpenter's square is little confusing. I just put them on along one edge to show that the holes are not aligned perfectly (first pic). I did the same method (second pic) to show now the holes are aligning on the same straight line.

 

[edanielvijay]

One thing that I have found invaluable is to simply throw down a reference line across my panel. I usually do this on top of a piece of tape so I don't have to deal with the line later.

Yeah, I m planning to do that from next time on.