Jim's Gloat: My Sweet Mitre Box

[Jim Paulson]

Heh folks,

I just finished sharpening the saw for my Stanley 360 mitre box and I thought I'd post some pics. I bought this well before the current craze for mitre boxes after the article in Pop Wood. It was rusty and yet pretty complete. I painted up the cast iron and made a new top out of poplar so it is like new for me to use. I used one of these back in HIgh School and I forgot how smooth they work. I am very glad now that I sold my Craftsman power mitre box when I moved last Spring.

Sorry, I didn't take some pictures before. My mistake, but this mitre box is a definite upgrade from the previous one I had too. Please excuse the orientation of some of the pics.

Take care,
Jim

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[Johnny Kleso]

Very Nice, looks almsot like new..

[Tony Zaffuto]

Just came up from my shop: last summer I gave my Dewalt miter saw to my SIL and mounted a Millers Falls Langdon in the Dewalt's place. I just finished cutting a stack of T & G paneling to length for an ongoing project. Easily as quick as power and my ears don't ring.

Nice job on the Stanley, by the way.

[Kevin Groenke]

I've got one of those.... yours looks MUCH nicer.

Great tool, rather under appreciated though, they seem to be less $ than the ought to be on auction sites.

Gonna go cut some wood now and contemplate a color scheme for mine.

-kg

[Casey Gooding]

I haven't had a single regret about ridding my shop of the Delta 12" Miter beast. My $15 Millers Falls Miter Box is more accurate and certainly less noisy. I just wish I could come up with a dedicated place for it.

[Bob Jones]

That is super nice. I am considering buying one, by I hate to pay the going price right now. I will keep looking.

[Jim Paulson]

Thanks for the kind words. I am in awe when I look at the quality of these tools. I also think my appreciation has grown for this kind of mitre box since my experience in High School (class of '72), because I can sharpen the mitre saw as well. Back then the mitre saw we used in class was dull and the top was pretty heavily scored.

Casey, I know what you mean too about the storage aspect. By mounting on a piece of plywood, I am hoping it will be easier to move around. It will definitely be easier to clamp to the bench top.

Jim

[pat fowler]

Jim, that is a nice miter box, I have one just like it. I was using it tonight to trim out my kitchen. One thing I noticed on yours was the rear column seems to be turned backwards. The lever at the top is a release and if it is pointing towards the back you can release the saw with one hand. When you grip the saw handle you can use one finger to release the front and as the saw pivots down the saw back hits the rear facing lever and releases the back of the saw, at least that is how mine is set up. Best wishes, Pat.

[Jim Paulson]

One thing I noticed on yours was the rear column seems to be turned backwards. The lever at the top is a release and if it is pointing towards the back you can release the saw with one hand. When you grip the saw handle you can use one finger to release the front and as the saw pivots down the saw back hits the rear facing lever and releases the back of the saw, at least that is how mine is set up.

Wow Pat,
Great comment. I confess that this was one part of the mitre/miter box where I had some uncertainty. The mount at the rear was left the way I purchased it, but what you said was very helpful and I'll work at repositioning the rear column.

I also have a question about a small lever like part that is held under the pivoting arm? (the part moved for setting the angle for the cut). I can't seem to figure out why it is there. It is about an inch long, has two small bends in it and it is attached with one small treaded bolt. I thought maybe it was to keep the adjusting springs compressed or something for the pivoting arm.

Also, do you know if anybody has an exploded diagram for one of these Stanley mitre/miter boxes?

Thanks,
Jim

[pat fowler]

Jim, You probable do not need to remove the column as much as to remove the piece that bridges the two slide rods on the top. You can then slide the saw guide up and off and turn 180 and replace. As for as the lever you are talking about I can't help as my box is a 358 and doesn't seem to have the part as you describe. I did a Google search when I got my box and found a site to download an exploded view and instructions. I tried a quick search on your 360 and did not succeed but did find some info on the Stanley web site. Look in their "knowledge base". Good luck with your search. Pat.

[harry strasil]

Jim, I looked everywhere and I cannot find a listing for a Stanley 360 miter box, or it is a very late model not listed in any of my literature/catalogs memorbelia. But it looks exactly like my 358, and as Pat says the back column is turned around. I have never been able to come up with the little attachment for the saw back that slides over the saw spine and secures with a small screw, so I made one out of brass stock. I have never seen a miter box and saw with this piece still with it. But what it does is, when you push the saw completely to the back it makes contact with the little lever that secures the saw in the up position and then as you tip the saw down the spine makes contact with the other lever and releases the saw.

The little lever in Question is a lock for the squeezable release to move the saw thru its arc, to use Completely compress the bottom part and flip the little lever over to either side as far as it will go and then you can move the saw holder anywhere you want it, then when you are fine tuning the setting squeeze the lock and move the lil lever to center and it will let the lower lever move down into the locked position.

The nice thing about this design of Stanley Miter Box is you can rotate the columns to remove any side slack in the saw, also there are two tapered end screws at the bottom of the attaching casting and you can square the saw supports to the miter box by loosening one screw a bit and tightening the other as the tapered end on the screws mate with a similar taper on the piece the uprights are fastened too. Just don't get carried away with lots of pressure on the little screws, remember you have to loosen one before you can tighten the other one.

for exploded views of some of stanley products see if you can find this paperback, ISBN # 0-89538-010-2 EARLY 20th CENTURY STANLEY TOOLS A PRICE GUIDE by Jack P. Wood. + It also has reprints of the stanley 1909 and 1926 catalogues.

Oh, BTW the exploded view shows that little lever, but it doesn't have a part #, altho 113 is directly under it.

[Jim Paulson]

Pat and Jr,

Thanks for being helpful here. I appreciate your comments. This tool is going to be heavily utilized in my basement shop.

You guys are great!

Jim

[harry strasil]

My wife calls my basement shop, Jr's Man Cave. LOL Off Topic Rev. J, but did you ever get the tensioner mounted on your scroll saw?

[Jim Paulson]

Off Topic Rev. J, but did you ever get the tensioner mounted on your scroll saw?

Not yet I'm afraid. My foot powered scroll saw and spring pole lathe had to be stored at another location. Last night at a woodworkers guild meeting, I started thinking about the scroll saw again. Hopefully, I can find a place for it in the basement or garage in the near future.