Best tool to trim top of pine cabinet?

It sounds like you're looking for the safest, surest and cleanest way to trim it. A circular saw might come out fine, but it makes for a high speed "oops" if anything goes wrong. Since you have an orginal finish you want to preserve, I think the safest surest way would be to use a hand plane. It will definitely give the cleanest edge. It won't take long at all to plane off a 1/4" on pine.

Bob

Quarter inch? Router with a flush trimming bit. Preferably down cutting. Fast, easy, clean.

Max D.

Check that. Use a pattern bit. Follow a straight edge clamped to the cabinet. (I'm still a little sleepy this morning after staying up late working on some cabinet doors)

Max D.

... but since this planing would be on end grain it takes longer *and* he risks breaking of large splinters at the end of the plate...

I had to do the same thing when we bought a new refrigerator. I used the flush trim method and that worked except I couldn't get to the ends because the router didn't have enough room. So I finished up on each end with one of those Japanese pull saws very carefully. It looked very nice and the only thing I had to finish was the bottom of the cut. Then it wasn't noticeable.

After I pushed in the new refrigetor no one could see my pains taking work because the refrigerator sticks out 10" farther than the cabinet. I am 6-3 and I am the only one in our house that can see it when I stand up on my toes.

I'd take the doors off and run it through the table saw using the fence as the guide. It would be similar to cutting the top off a large box.

(snip)I'd take the doors off and run it through the table saw using the fence

How many guys do you think it would take to run a refrigerator over a table saw? ;) --dave

"Dave Jackson" wrote in news:8AU8e.8981$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net:

And would that justify an upgrade to a cabinet saw? ;-) - Patriarch

I'd use the table saw too. I might put a piece of 1/4" or something under the finished front to protect it.

Mike O.

My tablessaw is not that good anymore. I think I may try the router bit on some scrap wood first, see how that goes.

Good suggestions from everyone. Thanks.

It's Tuesday in Italy. Time to upgrade to a cabinet saw.

I'm looking at the Powermatic with the 30" fence option. (right now I can rip about 12", so 30 seems like a pipe dream.)

not a problem breaking things off if done properly. I find it hard to believe the whole top of the cabinet would be all end grain ... strange construction.

Bob

I would use a hand plane, but not just any plane. I would use a long plane, a jointer or jack plane if you can find it. These planes are usually about 12 inches long, and can be as long as 20 inches. This would prevent a problem with the straightness of the line.