What's the best way to make this?

[Alan Lightstone]

Making an extension for my teak desk, to hide the myriad of computer wires behind it. It's going to be teak veneered plywood.

This is what the back will look like, and here's the issue:

295905

What I'm wondering, is how to make the cutout for the doors.

1.) One possibility is to make the back out of four pieces of plywood and cut out separate doors. That would make all the corners perfectly sharp, but I could see it being an issue with the veneer, as I wanted a continuous match of veneer to the carcase. What's the best way to do this?

2.) I could take the already cut out full-sized piece of plywood and cut a rectangular opening. But my Bosch jigsaw doesn't cut that incredibly straight, and I'm sure that would look terrible, though strong.

3.) I could plunge cut with my Festool tracksaw and use the jigsaw for the corners, but again, I don't think that would come out looking so great in the corners.

This piece needs to match a circa 80's large teak desk, so I need an absence of visible seams, etc.

I know I'm complicating this way too much, but what's the best approach?

Thanks.

[Dave Richards]

I thought you asked this question before and got a bunch of answers.

[Keith Weber]

I'm getting that déjà vu feeling!

[David Eisenhauer]

If I understand you correctly, you need the back opening cuts to be clean, straight, with "machine cut" look and the cutouts are waste to be discarded? Or are the cutouts to be used to create doors that will be used over the cut out openings? If the back openings are to be left open (no doors made from the cut outs), then I would first cut an undersized opening with the Bosch, to be followed up by a trim cut around the perimeter of the cut with a router guided by a template. If the cut outs are to be doors, then I don't have anything for you.

[Alan Lightstone]

Having a brain fart. Actually forgot I did that.

Doh!!!!!!! That's what sleep deprivation and huge work hours do to you.

[Alan Lightstone]

If I understand you correctly, you need the back opening cuts to be clean, straight, with "machine cut" look and the cutouts are waste to be discarded? Or are the cutouts to be used to create doors that will be used over the cut out openings? If the back openings are to be left open (no doors made from the cut outs), then I would first cut an undersized opening with the Bosch, to be followed up by a trim cut around the perimeter of the cut with a router guided by a template. If the cut outs are to be doors, then I don't have anything for you.

Was hoping for the cutouts to be the doors, but it isn't necessary. It would be nice to be able to veneer the entire surface then cut out the doors cleanly, but I could always do the cuts first, then veneer later. Just a little more difficult that way to do the veneers.

Would it work to veneer the surfaces first then track saw or rout without destroying the veneer? I'd love to be able to match the veneers across the entire surface. I can think of a method of cutting out the doors, then taping them in place on the back side to then veneer the entire surface, and just cutting the doors free afterwards with a veneer saw or scalpel, but seems like a lot of work to get to the same place. The advantage is that I could solid wood edge the doors, though.

[johnny means]

I do this all the time with cases that are already built. I cut right to the line with my tracksaw, then finish up with a Ryoba. This leaves a little material that needs to be removed with a knife or chisel. I like to mount my hardware (when surface mounted) before making the cuts. This gives me perfect alignment. After edge taping, the doors fit perfectly. Be sure to support the door when cutting out the corners.

[Alan Lightstone]

OK, now that I'm awake and read BOTH threads, I did this with my Festool Tracksaw and handsaw (don't have a Dozuki - ran to Lowes and got a Stanley Fine Finish Mini Utility saw for $13 that did OK.)

The corners weren't perfect, but won't be noticeable after sanding.

I didn't use Sam Murdoch's suggestion about setting up for a full depth plunge (which would have taken me closer to the corners and made better work), but I didn't have any 1x2's around, and just used scrap plywood for supports, which wouldn't allow full depth plunging.

I really was intrigued by Bill Huber's idea with magnets and dado's from the other thread but just thought I'd stick to hidden hinges.

[Paul Murphy]

Try the plunge-cut with your tracksaw,
and finish up with a good jigsaw holding a good blade, such as this one:
http://woodworker.com/bosch-extra-clean-cut-jig-saw-blades-mssu-153-854.asp

I have had good luck with the right bosch jigsaw blade, some guys lay blue tape over brittle veneers, but if the tracksaw cuts cleanly then so should the right jigsaw blade