Miter Boxes. The Good, Bad, and How to Use Them.

[Jose Kilpatrick]

So, I've got a modest amount of powertools in my shop. Some of my bigger saws are old and used and I find that I reach for the backsaw and miterbox when I want a more accurate cut. However, even getting perfect miters by hand requires a keen eye and a bit of skill, and in my case, sometimes pure luck. With that said, If I need that perfect 45 on some trim pieces or even an odd angle to compliment a piece, I reach for my bevel guage and mechanical pencil and cut my mark in half with a dovetail saw.
But this post poses more of a question than a brag about some of my neanderthal methods.
Are miter boxes intended to be disposable items? I find that with the cheap plastic ones, they begin to lose their accuracy after about 20 cuts and the flex they have if you bind the wood is horrible.
Some of the wood miter boxes look pretty decent, but I have not owned one in years.
Another thing I find to be cumbersome is that sometimes the backsaw just seems too short and slips out of the miter slots.
Does anyone have any good pointers to buying and using a miter box for cuts?

[Robert Rozaieski]

Yes, they are disposable, but it's better to make your own. I like the bench hook style like this (I hope you don't mind me stealing your picture Stephen):

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii105/shepherd1857/miterbox.jpg

Make them as long as you need to and make any angles you need to. They are more accurate than the store made types because you cut the kerfs with the saw you will use with the miter block. Also, because there's only one fence, you don't have to worry about the saw slipping out as much. The plastic ones are junk before you even make your first cut. The commercial wooden ones, almost as bad. If you must buy one, the vintage miter box and saw combination are much better but it's much cheaper to just make your own. I find the home made variety easier to use as well.

[edward alexander]

jose- some miter boxes are 100%-this german box can't be beat-
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x162/alexonetwoone/DSCF0004-13.jpg
for me this works fine for small things,for large miters -
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x162/alexonetwoone/DSCF0009-7.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x162/alexonetwoone/DSCF0003-15.jpg
like these- i use this old table saw-
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x162/alexonetwoone/DSCF0001-1.jpg
i use a digital angle gauge to set up cuts for these large mirrors (6'x4')- it has to be between 44.9 and 45.1 much more off from 45 than that and the miter is going to open-sometime i'll spend a couple of hours are more setting up that miter gauge -

rounding off the sharp corners
alex

[Dave Lehnert]

So, I've got a modest amount of powertools in my shop. Some of my bigger saws are old and used and I find that I reach for the backsaw and miterbox when I want a more accurate cut. However, even getting perfect miters by hand requires a keen eye and a bit of skill, and in my case, sometimes pure luck. With that said, If I need that perfect 45 on some trim pieces or even an odd angle to compliment a piece, I reach for my bevel guage and mechanical pencil and cut my mark in half with a dovetail saw.
But this post poses more of a question than a brag about some of my neanderthal methods.
Are miter boxes intended to be disposable items? I find that with the cheap plastic ones, they begin to lose their accuracy after about 20 cuts and the flex they have if you bind the wood is horrible.
Some of the wood miter boxes look pretty decent, but I have not owned one in years.
Another thing I find to be cumbersome is that sometimes the backsaw just seems too short and slips out of the miter slots.
Does anyone have any good pointers to buying and using a miter box for cuts?


See my post a few months ago. Sears had two on the clearance for under $20. I purchased one and the other just sat on the clearance for weeks.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=65784

[Bob Smalser]

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2594266/26712331.jpg

For the bench hook box, fabricating blade guides from steel or brass and a replaceable false table will allow them to last forever.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/18020302/282380571.jpg

I'm still looking for one of Stanley's largest, but the 358 is a well-made box that's quite accurate.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/18020302/308433400.jpg

But for framing mitered panels, there's no substitute for a miter vise made for exactly that.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/18020302/308433397.jpg

[harry strasil]

to get dead on, a shooting board is just the ticket, but there is another option that I have considered making as the idea is a simple one, a sander, but with the powered kind its easy to take too much off.

Woodcraft has this http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5904

[Jose Kilpatrick]

Is the Stanley Model 20-800 ok? Or should I rewind 50 years?

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/076174/076174208009md.jpg

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=27517-355-20-800&lpage=none

[Bill Houghton]

but if you are, watch for a Millers Falls Langdon Acme Miter Box with saw (usually Disston). These will take a saw kerf's thickness off the end of a board - like you can do with a power miter saw. Look closely at the saw and make sure the back is straight - these are 26-28" long, and they can get bent.

In the wild, they often go for $10-20 with the saw; it'll be one of your better investments.

[Jose Kilpatrick]

Thanks for the tip. I'll be on the look out.

[Peter Quadarella]

What about the Nobex Champion? That's the one I've heard mentioned around here a few times, and I've had my eye on it for a while.

[harry strasil]

Jose, just don't buy a Sears miter saw that looks like the stanley model, a friend several years ago sprung for one from sears to do some serious mitering on shadow boxes. After several attempts he contacted me and came over and used my old Stanley 358 and everything was right on.

[Kevin Brenton]

Have to agree on the Stanley mitre boxes here's mine which I have restored .
Its a 346 model , and doesn't have the length stop feature that is found on some of the models.
It's very accurate and is a pleasure to use .

[Tony Zaffuto]

With regards to the Sears miter boxes, about 20 or 25 years ago, as a present, my wife purchased me a Sears miter box. It wasn't their top of the line, but rather the next one down. The saw guide rods were maybe 1/4" diameter and would flex and twist readily while sawing. I took it back and got their top of the line model. This one had about a 3/4" diameter rod sawed in half lengthwise and looked much more sturdy--until it came out of the box and the rod turned out to be some sort of composite material. It was returned for a first edition Sears power miter box, which I still have and use on occassion for, as an example, cutting a crap load of studs to length. I have at least 18 miter boxes, including Langdons and Stanleys (what can I say, when you come across them at yard sales and flea markets at less than $20 a pop) and my user is a top of the line Millers Falls model.

Tony Z.