removing non-adjustable shelf from 60 year old "built in" "cabinet"

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

This runs the length of the shelf unit, wall mounted, over the sink and counter. It makes the space inside the box WAY to short to be useful. There is currently literally NOWHERE tall enough (other than the sink base, which has other stuff stored there) to store my pots and pans. The shelf is placed such that there is only 7.5" (ish) of height for each shelf.

At some point, somebody installed a real range hood - one that vents to the outside. To do that, they cut into the box over the stove and removed the shelving there. I can see staples or brads sticking out of the backing of the cabinet box (which is really one long run of continuous "cabinet" down the whole length of that wall) where the shelf was removed on that end so they could run the ductwork up through there.

So I'm guessing the shelves were nailed/stapled through the backing on the box.

If I could cut it straight down the middle I could probably knock it out and pull or snip off the brads/staples, and then I'd have a "tall enough" area to store pans and small appliances like my mixer, blender, etc.

The issue is (in part) the limited space. I don't think I could even get a circular saw in there, let alone use it safely.

This has obviously been done before as I can see where part of the shelf was previously removed. The question is - how can *I* remove the rest of that shelf?

The cabinets will be stripped and repainted anyway so I'm not worried about scratching anything in this process of getting that shelf out of there. The frame is dimensional 1x, probably poplar or beech given the era it was built, and the doors are high quality painted plywood. They are worth stripping and refinishing, with just the replacement of some of the more worn hardware - roller clips are giving out after 60 years, LOL!

These cabinets have an actual back, they're not just mounted open to the back wall. And the backing appears to be plywood, not masonite. So I don't think stability will be an issue if I can get that shelf out. The question is - HOW?

Featured Answer

mike_kaiser_gw

7 years ago

If you want an excuse to buy a new tool, an oscillating (multi) tool would probably do the job. The blade moves back and forth very quickly but in a small arc of about 3° making them easy and pretty safe to use. In addition to cutting wood and metal, they can also sand, and with the appropriate blade remove grout. Plenty of them on the market today, both corded and cordless, starting at about $50.

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Comments (7)

klem1
7 years ago
A saber saw will do the trick and is safer than circular saw.
Pyewacket thanked klem1
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Pyewacket
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
@ mike -

I was thinking about a multi-tool. Home Despot has the Ryobi on sale for $28.

I was wondering - I had been considering getting a dremel tool anyway because I need to do things like cut solder blobs to remove the end panels on bird cages and to cut cabinet door knob bolts off flush... Could a multi tool be configured to do either job? I wonder if because of the vibration I might not be able to hold it steady enough to not cut through the wires on the bird cage. Some of those solder blobs don't have a lot of clearance.

I mean the standard dremel tool, not their version of the multi tool. I used to have one when I was still doing silver work.

Here are a couple pictures of what I mean about sawing through solder blobs. The wire panels on these bird cages are held to the frame only by these small solder blobs and having end wires that slot into openings on the frame. So if I remove the solder blobs I can slip the end panels off, zip tie the cages together, and have one ginormous bird cage.

This is a solder blob that is close to the wires:

Below is a solder blob with plenty of space to saw through it:

Don't get me wrong, its not that I don't like tools - but I'm sort of past using them most of the time, and I'm not exactly in the economic upper echelon. I got mo' problems, but I sure don't got mo' money, LOL!

So I'm wondering if the multi tool in my not so steady anymore hands can do this job as well, or if I'd be better served to stick with the less vibrate-y and (I think anyway) more flexible and maneuverable regular ol' standard Dremel tool.

Also, here are the type of cabinet knobs I'm talking about.

The way these ought to be installed is, you drill a well - a hole that doesn't go all the way through - on the back of the door or drawer where you will be installing the knob, centered over the hole for the bolt. It should be as deep as the holding nut is tall or maybe a little deeper. You should be able to grab the nut with needlenose pliers to stabilize it when screwing the knob on. So wide enough to do that.

Then you saw off the excess post sticking out so its flush with the back. So you don't have that long post sticking out into your drawer.

This type of mount isn't usually used in better furniture, and isn't possible at all if you've got the crappy particle board/composite stuff that we mostly get stuck with these days. I see a lot of these installed incorrectly, leaving that post sticking way out like that.

Anyway. I'd like to use some of these on my kitchen cabinets so I'd need to be able to cut that post off flush. I know I can do it with a Dremel, but can a multi-tool do it as well? Or does the vibration make precision a distant dream? LOL!
bobismyuncle
7 years ago
Mike has it right. the oscillating multi-tool (OMT) is the way to go. Cuts flush and with the right blade will cut right through nails and screws. If the Home Depot Ryobi is too much Harbor Freight has two models on sale for $20. It'd be hard to rent a tool for that kind of money. You might find other uses for it, it seems to come in handy for lots of things.
Pyewacket thanked bobismyuncle
mike_kaiser_gw
7 years ago
For your bird cage, I'd think a Dremel with a cut off wheel would the better choice. Those blobs aren't solder, which is relatively soft, but rather welds which is generally as hard as the steel around it. The blade of a multi-tool is going to want to bounce around a bit as it gets started.

Either tool would work for the cabinet knobs but the Dremel, again, probably a bit better.
Pyewacket thanked mike_kaiser_gw
Pyewacket
Original Author
7 years ago
That was my guess (Dremel being the better tool for that).

Thanks for the help
PRO
Dream Home Finishers
7 years ago
The dremel brand multi tool is a dud If you will use it alot. But the multitool is a good solution to shelf removal project.

option #2

If you have a jigsaw, that can get you most of the way there and finish it off with a hand saw or muscles as well.

happy modifying

removing non-adjustable shelf from 60 year old "built in" "cabinet"

mike_kaiser_gw

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klem1

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removing non-adjustable shelf from 60 year old "built in" "cabinet"

mike_kaiser_gw

Comments (7)

klem1

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