Value of the LR 32 vs more affordable Jigs

[Sparktrician]

I plan to get the OF 1400 as my freehand router.  The LR 32 is about double the price of the Lee Valley Veritas rig with it’s full set-up.  And 30% more if you factor in the cost of buying a hinge boring jig.

Are you aware that the LR 32 comes with a 35mm hinge-boring bit? 

 

[Steven Owen]

[quote author=Steven Owen link=topic=53753.msg527111#msg527111 date=150922514

Yes, I watched a couple of videos on setting-up and configuring the LR 32.

 

[harry_]

Before I got my first Festool I used a Rockler template guide.  One of the clear plastic ones that used a drill bit.  I still have it hanging somewhere.  I don't know why I still have it.

Then I progressed to a Woodpeckers one that used a guide bushing and a router.  I already had the 1400 and had used the LR-32 in training classes.  I ended up buying the 5 mm Festool router bit and used it to do some projects.  The results were better than the old Rockler one.



Then I had the need to do some cabinets for a garage project.  I decided to go the LR-32 route.  It offered far more variability than the others I owned, it was based on stuff that I already owned, and it worked.

Yes there is a learning curve.  And because I don't use it that often I have to refresh my memory prior to using it again.  But once I do it does what I need it to do.  And could do more.  And it is portable and stores in a Systainer until the next time.

No regrets from me.

Peter

What he said.....except the woodpecker part..

 

[Steven Owen]

Before I got my first Festool I used a Rockler template guide.  One of the clear plastic ones that used a drill bit.  I still have it hanging somewhere.  I don't know why I still have it.

Then I progressed to a Woodpeckers one that used a guide bushing and a router.  I already had the 1400 and had used the LR-32 in training classes.  I ended up buying the 5 mm Festool router bit and used it to do some projects.  The results were better than the old Rockler one.



Then I had the need to do some cabinets for a garage project.  I decided to go the LR-32 route.  It offered far more variability than the others I owned, it was based on stuff that I already owned, and it worked.

Yes there is a learning curve.  And because I don't use it that often I have to refresh my memory prior to using it again.  But once I do it does what I need it to do.  And could do more.  And it is portable and stores in a Systainer until the next time.

No regrets from me.

Peter

What he said.....except the woodpecker part..

I made the mistake of buying the Veritas hinge boring jig.  It’s accurate but it’s a huge pain to calibrate, it doesn’t have anywhere to clamp it.  The bar stop doesn’t screw into the body of the Veritas hinge jig make it useless.  I place marks where I want to center the hinge and use the center line on the Veritas Jig to line the jig up to the center of the bit.

The Veritas Jig is $230 dollar mistake.  I’m not opposed to spending the extra money for the LR 32 if it’s accurate when placing cup holes for hinges.

There’s a big market for high quality wall floating mounted home theatre shelving units.  They work better with mounted flat screens TV’s.  Wall mounted floating TV stands share a lot in common with kitchen cabinets.  Adjustable shelves are critical given the wide variances in the sizes of electronics, speakers and gaming systems. 

 

[lwoirhaye]

I have the Veritas hinge boring jig too.  It's a cool idea but it doesn't clamp to the work and you have to hold it in place.  It might work better if you had one person hold the jig and another operate the drill.  Why it wasn't designed with a clamp boggles my mind because Veritas stuff is usually so well designed. It works okay for veneered mdf doors but for hardwood it requires an intense amount of pressure to drill the cup hole.  It's okay for job-site work but it is tiresome to use for a lot of doors.  The last few times I used it in the shop I used it just to drill the screw holes and start the hinge hole.  Then I used my drill press to drill the hole to depth.  I have thought about trying to modify it to clamp to the work.

 

[J0hn]

You guys should really take a good look at the Hettich for $220https://www.woodstocksupply.com/hinge-drilling-jig-47303-hettich.html

It has a simple knob type clamp.  Drills the cup hole and the holes for the screws.  It has 8 settings so you can adjust how close to the edge you want the cup hole to be and all you do is line the center mark on the jig with the center of where you want the cup hole
I made this guide to show me what the settings on the jig do.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

 

[fshanno]

I get better holes in every king of ply and melamine using a router rather than a drill.  Even a 000 rpm drill.  So my final solution must be a route based one.

And I have another particular need.  I want all hole columns referenced off the front edge of the panel and I want all rows referenced off the bottom edge of the panel.  That means no flipping anything around.  That way any inconsistency of centering the bit, even slop in the system is pretty much canceled out.  If anything is wrong it won't matter because holes will be the same amount wrong, shelves will be level.  Even if the panel size is a little off, it won't matter.

I have an LR32 and I figured out a way to achieve my goal (even in the field) on my MFT using only Festool stock items plus spacer pieces.  The holey rail is attached to the MFT bridge thing and I don't use the LR32 edge stops or the end stops.  I use dogs and spacers.  I think it's faster than the normal LR32 method.  And it works on balanced or non-balanced panels.

All that said, if I was shopping right now.  I'd give that Schmitt system a real hard look.

 

[Steven Owen]

I get better holes in every king of ply and melamine using a router rather than a drill.  Even a 000 rpm drill.  So my final solution must be a route based one.

And I have another particular need.  I want all hole columns referenced off the front edge of the panel and I want all rows referenced off the bottom edge of the panel.  That means no flipping anything around.  That way any inconsistency of centering the bit, even slop in the system is pretty much canceled out.  If anything is wrong it won't matter because holes will be the same amount wrong, shelves will be level.  Even if the panel size is a little off, it won't matter.

I have an LR32 and I figured out a way to achieve my goal (even in the field) on my MFT using only Festool stock items plus spacer pieces.  The holey rail is attached to the MFT bridge thing and I don't use the LR32 edge stops or the end stops.  I use dogs and spacers.  I think it's faster than the normal LR32 method.  And it works on balanced or non-balanced panels.

All that said, if I was shopping right now.  I'd give that Schmitt system a real hard look.

The Schmidt 32 look nice with fully indexed system.  It looks faster then the LR32.  The downside would space requirements.  You need a large shop to set-up a Schmidt 32.  The LR32 is more cumbersome but also very portable. 

 

[peter halle]

[member=66154]Steven Owen[/member] , I hope you get a chance to spend on hands time with the LR-32.  YouTube is great, but hands on is better and can change or re-enforce opinions.

Peter

 

[Steven Owen]

[member=66154]Steven Owen[/member] , I hope you get a chance to spend on hands time with the LR-32.  YouTube is great, but hands on is better and can change or re-enforce opinions.

Peter

I don’t know too many people who have an LR32 in Western Canada.  I’ll buying the OF 1400 next year.  Hopefully some experience with Festool router will encourage the use of more Festool Accessories.   

Somedays I wish I was paid in US dollars to make some of these toys a little more affordable.

 

[Cheese]

Somedays I wish I was paid in US dollars to make some of these toys a little more affordable.

Some days I wish we had Canadian health care to make some of these meds a little more affordable.  [big grin]

 

[southrider]

Been playing with the LR32 for the first time this week in my shop. Built a sys-az cabinet to start, and it sure was easy. A lot less thinking necessary. I mounted an inexpensive Dewalt mini plunge router to the LR32 guide rail adapter since I don't have a 1010 or 1400, and it works fine with a 1/4" drive 5 mm bit.

The whole concept seems so much simpler than custom designing and calculating every single piece of a cabinet. It really lends itself to being able to create freely "on the fly" so to speak.

The Schmitt system seems to expand the simplicity and regularity of the concept, making it even easier and more automatic with less calculating involved. Would be great for repeatedly knocking out cabinets in a one person shop.

 

[Ptk16]

While this is likely obvious, making sure your cabinets are designed following the 32mm principles makes things very easy. This is one of the reasons I am disappointed that we no longer have metric versions of tools in North America now. You can get stickers, but still...

 

[Steven Owen]

While this is likely obvious, making sure your cabinets are designed following the 32mm principles makes things very easy. This is one of the reasons I am disappointed that we no longer have metric versions of tools in North America now. You can get stickers, but still...

You just have to measure everything out manually like the good old days.  You have to using metric for the best accuracy with the 32 mm system.  Using imperial you could always be a little off. 

Both Canada and the US still use imperial in construction.  We’re the last hold outs on planet earth. 

 

[Ptk16]

I've switched to metric for all cabinet and furniture work at this point. Still use imperial for framing.

 

[JimD]

I've never used the LR 32 but am interested in the comments from people who use it.  I have a rockler jig in a drawer somewhere but found I like the little Kreg jig a lot better.  I have also used a router to make shelf pin holes with a home made jig but I didn't like that method.  The router is too loud and the bit dulls and the holes get burned.  The drilled holes I make now may not be quite as clean but they are pretty good and the jig is very easy to use.

I drill holes for hinges on my drill press.  Only cost is for the bit.  I just set a fence the necessary distance from the bit. 

 

[Bohdan]

I have also used a router to make shelf pin holes with a home made jig but I didn't like that method.  The router is too loud and the bit dulls and the holes get burned.

Could be that you were using a regular router bit for drilling. The normal bit is designed to cut on the face and on the end only for the occasional plunge or they get hot and burn the timber. Drilling router bits are a different shape.

 

[lwoirhaye]

You may be able to find router bits that are like a spiral upcut bit but they have a point like a brad point drill.  That's probably the best kind of bit to use.  I have them in my Mafell, but of course the ones I have are designed for boring machines, not to fit router collets.  Still, the repeated plunge cuts generates a lot of heat and it's possible to burn the carbide if you don't let the cutters cool down occasionally.

 

[BJM9818]

I normally don't build cabinets but during a remodel this spring I needed to built a set of 3 floor to ceiling bookcases. 

I already owned the 1400 so pulled the trigger on the LR32. It took a few hours watching YouTube videos in the customers garage to get everything set up, but once i got the basics down drilling the holes was a snap.  My cabinets were not in multiples of 32mm lengths but it worked fine.  Hardest part is getting everything calibrated. 

I have not used the kit again but most likely will at some point in the future. It all fits in a Sys2 so it's out of the way and can most likely recoup 75% of what I paid for it if I ever want to sell it so made sense to purchase it.

 

[jeh]

The Schmidt 32 is very well done. They have taken it to the next level in ease of use. I have a Mafell setup that I use for shelf pin holes, but this looks to be a lot easier to use. I know this puts the LR32 to shame and the price is more than fair.