Help with cutting out the back of a cabinet...

[Kyle Mills]

Hi all:

My combo microwave/hood died and my wife wants it replaced with a hood only--meaning I have to cut a big hole out of the back of our 3/4" alderply kitchen cabinets. I never really do this kind of thing and am at a loss as to how to proceed.

My first thought was to figure out how to attach my track saw, but it would be hard to line up precisely from the back. Then I thought about doing it by hand with a razor saw, but those cut on the pull and it seems like this would cause chipping. A friend suggested doing it from the hole side with a Fein saw, but I don't have one (or know anything about them.)

Is there a right way to do this? Thanks...

[Kurt Cady]

Cut it close by hand. Then use a flush trim router bit. That will work for the sides. Make sure you are using the router for only a small bit of trimming. Get most outta there first.


If you can go all the way to the underside of the cabinet the router will work for the top too. Otherwise I would double stick tape the track to it and use the track saw to cut to meet the handsaw lines. Then trim the sides last

[Kyle Mills]

Thanks, Kurt!

I have no idea why I never considered a flush trim bit. I can just screw a guide onto the hole side for the horizontal cut and do everything from the back.

Genius!

Kyle

[Bill Adamsen]

You can rough the cut readily with an oscillating cutter (Fein, Dremel, etc.) or jgsaw, then clean the cut with the trim router (which will likely make quite the mess in the kitchen).

[Matt Lau]

For fast-- try oscillating saw or jigsaw.

For neander (slower, less mess/noise), try using an azebiki. http://www.hidatool.com/woodworking/...-saw-80mm-3-12

[Sam Murdoch]

It looks like you have complete access to the back of the cabinet. In that case I would make up a 3 piece guide (or a 1 piece cut out of some 1/2" ply) of which the inside edges of your pieces (maybe 1x3s) or plywood template create the exact size of the needed cutout. Clamp your jig to the cabinet where you can and use double stick tape at the top where clamps are impractical. Then just run a router with a 1/2" top bearing bit around your guide. If the back is 1/2" or thicker do two passes for better control. Not a bad idea to tape some dust control plastic sheeting around the cabinet face or as you determine it to be helpful. If you need to locate the inside corners to align your jig simply bore some small holes. If I understand your problem correctly this would be how I would do it.

The Fein or other multi tool would be a good technique also - just as noisy and dusty but the end result would not be as clean.

[Myk Rian]

No need to waste hundreds on a Fein. Go to HF and get their adjustable speed saw.