How do I remove these hinges without wrecking cabinets?

[rjm2k]

I need to get an end panel off one of my kitchen units, helpfully the panels are held in place by screws hidden under the hinges inside the unit (I've dismantled one that's no longer needed and found this). Now I want to remove a panel from a unit we need to keep, any tips on how to remove these hinges from the unit without causing any damage so that I can then put them back?

Thanks

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[Deleted member 174758]

The hinge should be either a clip-on style or held on by two screws. The cruciform plates are normally held by two screws, one top, one bottom (top allow for vertical adjustment these have elongated screw slots), although some guys pop a third one in the middle to "finalise" the plate position after adjustment.

Take the doors off the cruciform plates, then unscrew the plates.

 

[rjm2k]

I can get the doors off pretty easily, it's what's left thats the problem (the cruciform plates?).

They have 2 threaded metal rawl plug like fixings which are pushed into holes drilled into the wood and don't seem to want to come out. Once I unscrew the adjustting screws which go into these plugs the whole thing becomes loose, but the plugs are still firm.

I've tried prising the loosened plate but the plugs hold firm. I was thinking there must be a particular angle that the screws need to be at for the plugs to come out but haven't worked it out. The screws have an arrow on and the plate has a + and a - which is fairly obvious, there is also an O which is fainter so I thought maybe that was for Open or something but even in that position they don't budge.

I guess maybe a pair of pliers either side may help to pull it out?

 

[Burnerman]

Those screw inserts appear to have a coarse right hand thread for fixing....can you use one of those tapered screw extractors to undo it?
Anything else is going to give the chipboard carcass a hard time.
John

 

[rjm2k]

Yep, I found that out with the ones I took off already (thankfully from a carcass that's getting binned anyway) which is why I want to be careful with this one. I'll have another look and see what I can figure out thanks.

 

[crank39]

If you chew up the carcass you buy some repair plates that cover the damaged area and then you screw your hinge to the plate