I have a set of modular office pieces manufactured by Hekman. It has a mahogany veneer finish. One of the pieces is called a “light bridge”. It is a bookcase with a light under it, it has 1 shelf and a drawer. It hangs over the center desk (attached to two adjacent pieces). It is too high, and I need to cut it down without disassembling it. There is a removable crown molding on the front and the sides will not be visible.
I want to remove the crown molding and structural support pieces beneath it, cut off about 4″ around the top of the piece, and reattach the crown molding.
My question is what saw, blade, and technique would be best for doing this without trashing the veneer.
I’d be grateful for help/ideas on this.
Thanks.
Replies
I guess it depends on what saws you have access to, and how concerned you are with the final quality of the piece. It also depends on design elements of the 'bridge' that I'm not aware of.
If the piece, at the point of the cut line, is simply three pieces of wood (or laminate, or ply), and if each of those three faces will sit perfectly flat on a table -- then I'd use a table saw with a plywood blade.
If they sit flat, but you don't have a table saw, then use a circular saw with a plywood blade. Use guides to get the cut straight.
If those faces won't sit flat, then I might use a saber saw with a fine-tooth blade. I'd use guides to get the cut as straght as possible, and I'd cut from the back (non-seen) side.
And, as with virtually any woodworking operation, hand tools (the original cordless tools) could be useful here too.
Thanks for those good ideas. I've had to store my General Table Saw for a while, so if I try the table saw approach I'll have to do it on a DeWalt 10" Contractor's saw with a small table. With roller outfeed tables and a helper, I could probably do it. Thanks again.
I've done this sort of thing with laminate countertops by rough cutting with sabersaw or portable circular saw 1/8-1/4 inch outside finished length, then clamping on a straightedge & do a final trin with a 1/2" straight router bit.
Paul
Thanks, Paul. You and others have provided good suggestions. Would you score the cut with a knife before using the router bit? Also, how about tape to protect the wood?
Dick-- I would go with YesMaam's suggestions, but would start by scoring along your cut line with a sharp knife and a straight edge. This will minimize any damage to the veneer as you cut. Without any other info., I would probably use a circular saw with a cutting guide.
A lot depends on what the core of the veneer is. MDF or ply?
Ply will tend to let the veneer splinter more than MDF.
I'd use a good carbide cross cut blade (60-80T) on a TS.
Use blue tape on the cut line, and where the piece contacts the saw table. The tape will minimize splintering along the cut, and prevent scratches to the finish as you push the piece through.
Pull the tape off perpendicular to the cut so you won't raise any splinters.
Dick, If the surfaces you intend to cut will not lie flat on your TS, use 'parallels' (that is two or three lenghs of the correct thickness to maintain parallism to the table.)
Also, to prevent tearout, pre-score the cut line on both sides of the kerf with a sharp knife then cover with masking tape.
I once sliced a plywood television console in half that way because my little kids used to climb up the speaker's Grille Cloth. Speakers then resided behind the couch. TV stand substituted for missing 'Audio'component.
(Wify wanted to cut me in half.) Stein.
Edited 10/1/2003 9:51:25 PM ET by steinmetz
Any way you go about it, I call those situations "workmanship of risk". White knuckles. High pucker factor.
Dick, you can cut the veneeed piece several ways, most have been already mentioned. Use a sharp combination blade with at least 30 teeth in 7 1/4" blade. Clamp straightedge to panel. If you can cut from the back side and it will not show then proceed with your cut. If both sides have to be clean cut or you have to cut from the face side then use this method. You will first make a scoring cut about 1/4" or so deep. I start at the far end and PULL the saw backwards. then set blade depth for full cut and push saw as normally used. If you are not comfortable with this method then put blade in backwards. Make scoring cut pushing the saw , change blade to normal postion and set for full cut pushing forward.There is absoutely no need for tape or scoring.
I have used this method for more years than I can remember to cut doors. laminates ,veneer panels etc. This method works every time.
mike
Dick,
One trick I haven't seen mentioned is the use of a backer board to minimize tearout. If the backer board is tight against the veneered piece you're cutting, tearout should be essentialy nil provided you are using a sharp high-quality blade and your tablesaw is properly aligned. Pre-scoring the line with a sharp knife may not work as well in conjunction with a backer board unless you can adjust your saw blade to hit your score line exactly.
Good luck,
Paul
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