# Help!!! with loosening old kitchen drawer fronts.



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

Ok. My sister wanted her old oak kitchen cabinets redone. They were once hand made long ago; about 30 years. We removed the doors and sanded all the face. I'm almost making new doors. The old ones were of a questionable style and coated with a thick varnish that was very dark. I made new ones, and there were a bunch of them about 25, and they are all Red oak raised panel/rail and stile. That has all gone very nicely.

The question. She has good drawers. They are solid hardwood dovetailed boxes with an oak front. I need to remake all the fronts. After removing the handles I find that it seems the fronts are glued on. No screws. I've tapped with hammers and prodded with pry bars as much as I'd feel safe to not disturb these nicely made dovetailed boxes behind the drawer front. They just won't come loose.

Does anyone have any experience with this dilemma and found or at least recommend a trade secret that allows these fronts to come loose?

Thanks


----------



## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

band saw them off…..........clean them up with a hand plane

you could use a TS and cut as deep as possible on all sides, then cut them off with a band saw or hand saw?


----------



## davidpettinger (Aug 21, 2009)

Yep, Like Moron said, Build a jig for the box to ride on, then bandsaw the fronts off. Probably would be the fastest.


----------



## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

If you do bandsaw them, don't be surprised if you find some hidden nails in there.


----------



## Karson (May 9, 2006)

I was going with bandsaw also.


----------



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

Thanks. It looks like sawing them of is it. I had realized that this would be a solution. I just wondered if anyone know of some nice little method of releasing them. 
Much appreciated to those who responded.


----------



## nailbanger2 (Oct 17, 2009)

This is just a guess, but a little heat and steam might loosen the glue enough for a pry bar to work. You would know quickly it it doesn't, then bandsaw them.


----------



## FirehouseWoodworking (Jun 9, 2009)

I agree with Nailbanger. Seems like they may have been made in the era of hide glue.

If that doesn't work, here's another method that may work a little easier in avoiding the nail issue with a band saw.

First, using a flush trimming bit (bearing on the end of the bit) route off the overhang on all four edges.

Next, on your table saw, set up the fence to just remove the false front. Then remove them. You may have to flip the drawer over and make another pass. If you have draws that are more than twice the max height of your table saw blade, make a pass on all four sides with the table saw, then use the band saw to remove what the table saw blade cannot reach.

Good luck! Work safe!


----------

