Drawers for Existing Cabinets

[Doug Keener]

I have a question for anyone who works with kitchen cabinets. I have a customer that would like me to make a drawer for their existing cabinets. The cabinet section has two doors with a fixed vertical center board. The customer would like me to remove the center board and attach it to one of the doors so that the drawer can be the full width of the cabinet.

My question is:

How would you go about cutting the center board out and minimize the curf width such that the existing piece can be used for attaching to one of the doors? The center board is approximately 3 inches wide. Can't have any chips or splintering that would require shortening the piece.

Thanks for any suggestions, Doug Keener

[Mike Evertsen]

when I did that I cut out that center center piece then take off one door cut a new board that no more than a 1/4" thick and by what you need to fill in the gap. tack it to the back of the door
looks better than a thick board when the doors are open

[Jamie Buxton]

A Japanese pull saw cuts a very narrow kerf. I have a pretty ordinary one which makes a kerf that is about .020". Fancy ones cut even narrower kerfs. However, before you attack this thing with a saw, check on the back side to see if the face frame is assembled with pocket screws. They'll ruin a saw blade in short order.