LR-32 Shelf Pin Boring on unbalanced panel

[George Yetka]

OK Ill admit it I didn't research this before buying the LR32 plate and holey track. I didnt buy the full kit so I dont have the spacers or edge guides. I have TSO parallel guides I can implement. I started setting up for this last night, I aligned my plate to the router and started trying to figure out how to run. My panels were sized to fit my space and not layed out on the lr32 system. At this point is my only method to measure out each row and align the track perfectly with the panels?

Im assuming I can use a dowel to reference the bottom through the track and make a jig to align track to a mark on the panel(or measure it out). This is not going to be a time saver. I only have 5 wall cabinets though.

Next question: I bought the Rockler shelf pins with gromets. the gromets call for 9/32 holes. These holes seem very sloppy/ 1/4" holes need to be banged in. Does anyone have experience with these?

[Jim Becker]

Two things...there are videos on the 'Tube that show how to use the LR-32 system efficiently and it shouldn't take a "yuge" amount of time once your are set up to move from row to row. Secondly, you need to bore holes that are the correct size for the pins you want to use. LR-32 and Euro cabinets typically use 5mm shelf pins. Obviously, you can bore at whatever size is required. If the gromets are loose with a 9/32" bore, then they are either poorly produced or the actual size needs to be different. 1/32" doesn't seem like a lot but when it comes to inserting things into other things, the amount of "allowance" (or slip) matters. It also makes sense that the Rockler grommets are not happy with 1/4" holes for the same reason...that's a whole 1/32" less of the hole :) Which is a lot in context. Measure the grommets with a digital caliper to see what they really are sized at. If they vary or it's a wonky number you can't match with a router bit, choose a different pin system.

[George Yetka]

Two things...there are videos on the 'Tube that show how to use the LR-32 system efficiently and it shouldn't take a "yuge" amount of time once your are set up to move from row to row. Secondly, you need to bore holes that are the correct size for the pins you want to use. LR-32 and Euro cabinets typically use 5mm shelf pins. Obviously, you can bore at whatever size is required. If the gromets are loose with a 9/32" bore, then they are either poorly produced or the actual size needs to be different. 1/32" doesn't seem like a lot but when it comes to inserting things into other things, the amount of "allowance" (or slip) matters. It also makes sense that the Rockler grommets are not happy with 1/4" holes for the same reason...that's a whole 1/32" less of the hole :) Which is a lot in context. Measure the grommets with a digital caliper to see what they really are sized at. If they vary or it's a wonky number you can't match with a router bit, choose a different pin system.

The youtube videos all seam to use the "Balanced Panel" Unfortunately I did not design my cabinets around this system so I cant reference top and bottom I have to pick a side or layout again for doing the opposite edge of each panel

[Richard Coers]

The youtube videos all seam to use the "Balanced Panel" Unfortunately I did not design my cabinets around this system so I cant reference top and bottom I have to pick a side or layout again for doing the opposite edge of each panel
Balanced panel must be different than anything I've heard of. Could you provide a link so I can see if I can help? Drilling shelf pins holes is not rocket surgery.

[George Yetka]

Balanced panel must be different than anything I've heard of. Could you provide a link so I can see if I can help? Drilling shelf pins holes is not rocket surgery.

Alot of the ease of the LR32 system with shelf pin boring is that you can setup the rail with stops andrun one side of the panel and flip it and run the other side. Because the balanced panels are in increments of 32mm they will be level holes. But if you make your panel, like me, in a dimension that fits a space and not an increment. you cant reference both the top and bottom of the panels.

[Jay Houghton]

What I've learned is that whatever end of the track you're using as the reference to start the boring process, use it to do all the holes. You can't flip the track around and use the other end because it'll be off. But that creates the problem of how to support the track when it will be off the edge of the cabinet panel. I just put them all together and clamp one end to keep them together. I also have a 1/4" end mill I use for the shelf pins and use the 1/4" pins rather than the 5mm. But either way they need to be a tight fit.
Jay

[Jay Houghton]

In re-reading Georges post: Just to clarify, I always use the same part of the cabinet as a reference edge. Usually the bottom of the cabinet and then just bore the pin holes starting at X inches up and going up so many holes. So it doesn't matter if your cabinet is not in a multiple of 32mm. Any error in the track, or track joint will be the same for all the holes. When you bore the holes for the front edge (or back edge) of the cabinet most of the track will be unsupported by the cabinet side. It's tempting to just flip the track around so it's on the inside of the cabinet panel but I've found the track isn't accurate enough to do that.

[Dave Sabo]

George
You’ve just discovered the “festool System”. Their stuff is designed to work how they envisioned it (and with their accessories) not as a generic tool/jig for you to adapt to your processes.

Your LR32 plate should have come with the two spacing bars which will help with offset panels. Still not great, but will help you’ll prob. want to shim/pack out one of them to align correctly.



Richard - a “balanced” panel is simply one that is divisible by 32 (mm) so that the( first ) top and bottom holes are the same distance away from their respective edges.

[George Yetka]

George
You’ve just discovered the “festool System”. Their stuff is designed to work how they envisioned it (and with their accessories) not as a generic tool/jig for you to adapt to your processes.

Your LR32 plate should have come with the two spacing bars which will help with offset panels. Still not great, but will help you’ll prob. want to shim/pack out one of them to align correctly.





I didnt get the full lr32 kit I bought the track and the router plate. Jay had a good idea of using another panel to support the track.

Ill be running these holes tomorrow ill report back

[Dave Sabo]

the stops / rail connectors are available separately too. You could make your own too, I suppose.

[Richard Coers]

Alot of the ease of the LR32 system with shelf pin boring is that you can setup the rail with stops andrun one side of the panel and flip it and run the other side. Because the balanced panels are in increments of 32mm they will be level holes. But if you make your panel, like me, in a dimension that fits a space and not an increment. you cant reference both the top and bottom of the panels.
Sounds like it is time that you go back to a piece of pegboard and a couple stops. No system or DIY has ever been used by flipping end for end. I just Googled the system. What a complicated mess. Before I bought that thing I would be a used Blum machine with a line boring attachment. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/221378477035659/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Aa4af57e2-d00f-4f9f-8762-ba187cd0921d

[Jay Houghton]

This is a tough audience. I have the system which I only bought the parts I needed and have had great success with it. When I bought my track saw I was able to swap out the standard track for the one with the holes in it for the shelf boring jig. It's worked out great and I have no complaints. It does require a little set up and it's not "plug 'n play", which is to say you have to think about what you're doing. But I would certainly not all it a "complicated mess".

[George Yetka]

Sounds like it is time that you go back to a piece of pegboard and a couple stops. No system or DIY has ever been used by flipping end for end. I just Googled the system. What a complicated mess. Before I bought that thing I would be a used Blum machine with a line boring attachment. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/221378477035659/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Aa4af57e2-d00f-4f9f-8762-ba187cd0921d


Thats not much more than a festool lr32 setup.

Its not bad if you have all the parts necessary and you design cabinets based on the system. But if your not making 20+ cabinets a year its not worth it. For 1 set of cabinets for me I probably should have gone a different route, but im in it now.
I bought the plate(155), rail(165), rapid clamp(65)

I will place both left an right panels side by side. If I measure out my rail placement I can set it up with a track square on 1 side and the rapid clamp on the other. I will use the second panel to support the 2nd column of holes then switch panels. In doing this I will always reference the bottom. Now I must wait for my 9/32nd spiral upcut bit to arrive.

[Jared Sankovich]

Not having used the Festool system, can you just flip the rail and refrence off one of the holes?

[George Yetka]

That was one of my original thoughts but it is a bit clunky to do this. As I have to be square as well. I dont really need to flip it if I can support the rail hanging of the panel