Help with cherry desk project

[Bob Bowles]

[news.verizon.net]

I am interested in cutting out of the front rail (apron) of a cherry desk two drawer faces from the center of the rail that will match the grain when reinstalled as a finished drawer. Does anyone know how to do this to minimize loss through inaccurate drilling or sawing? A coping saw seems too crude for this, while a jig saw is too unwieldy. Any help here would be appreciated.

Paul Reed

[Mike in Mystic]

I haven't done this myself, but I've seen (probably Norm) someone on TV use a small trim circular saw and an edge guide. Plunge the blade into the work and be careful to leave the corners, accounting for the blade curvature. Then just finish the cut with a jig saw.

[George]

Other method is to rip the board and slide to rematch the grain above and below the drawers.