Frederick said:
I am interested in building my own cabinets. My woodworking experience is low but I am getting better with every project. Here is what I currently have for tools.
MFT/3, CT 36, TS 55, OF 1400, C 12, Centrotec Installer Set, RO 125 FEQ, PS 300
I am guessing LR 32, Domino 500, Parallel Guide Set are next?
I plan on making frameless cabinets. Thanks for the input.
There are millions of approaches to making cabinets. Since the end of WWII masses of books have been written about European-style frameless cabinets, many inspired by System 32. The Festool LR32 products are especially efficient and accurate locating the holes on 32mm centers basic to System 32.
I own all the Festool routers, it is hardly a secret that my preference is the OF1010 to drill holes with LR32 equipment, but please remember, I build custom cabinets on a large scale. When holes only need to be drilled for a few minutes at a stretch and you have time to move an OF1400 to other uses, then that is a fine approach. What it comes down to is volume of cabinet making and your available time.
You did not mention your collection of guide rails for your TS55. When breaking down sheet material for cabinets, it is most efficient to have a rail at least 2700mm (106") long. For years I used a coupled pair of 1400mm (55") rails, in addition to a third 1400mm rail for cross cuts. When using a parallel guide set to make the long cuts breaking down sheet goods, the 3000mm (118") rail is even more efficient.
Once the sheet material is ripped into strips, the MFT/3 is very effective making accurate cross cuts. Therefore often the MFT set consists of the full-blown version as well as two of just the table. Those can well support a full sheet to be ripped, and then they can serve as the in and out-feed for the cross cutting. Later those will be used for assembly and sanding.
Absolutely you will need a surprising number of cabinet maker clamps. The Domino is a very good way of adding strength to cabinet joints while also helping to keep the parts aligned. One advantage to frameless cabinets is you will not need to build and attach face frames. This saves you a lot of time and also some equipment. Since you already own an OF1400 router, instead of using Domino case joints, you could use more traditional rabbet and dado joints. At least you will need to use rabbet joints on the cabinet backs.
With frameless cabinets you save the effort building the face frames, but you will need to perform a lot of edge banding. You can use an ordinary inexpensive iron and a piece of wood to attach thermal bond wood edging. On a small scale basis, that can well be more effective than using moderate-priced edge banding systems. Large-scale cabinet shops often have fairly expensive auto edge banding machines. There is a significant learning curve to setting up such machines, as well as daily maintenance.
The LR32 systems uses Festool guide rails drilled every 32mm. These so-called "Holy Rails" are currently available in 1400mm (55") and 2424mm (95") lengths.
