Grandpa's Miter Box help.

[steven c newman]

A Rehab Finale, adjusted to the gib.JPG
To set the stops, lay a piece of paper on top of the gib. Let the saw rest LIGHTLY on the paper, and then set the stops..
A Rehab Finale, view around back.JPG
There should be (mine is missing them) other stops, to where you can leave the saw raised all the way up, and also set the depth of cut for things like lap joints.
A Rehab, Day2, missing something.JPG
Mine is also missing the length stops...which also held crown molding so one could miter the corners...
A Rehab, Day 2, saw guides.JPG
Note on the guide arms: The wider slot at the top is for the saw's spine to slide through on roller bearings....but, note at the other end? The slightly wider slot is for the teeth of the saw to go through..as the "set" will be wider than the saw's plate...the distance between those 2 slots will tell you what size saw is needed..whether a 4" under the spine, a 5" under the spine, or as in Stanley 630 boxes, 6" under the spine.
A Rehab Finale, fitting a saw.JPG
This one took a 5" x 28" saw...

[Tom M King]

I bought this one new off the shelf of the local building supply store in 1974 or 5. The saw has been kept in the box, but this has been sitting out when not on a job on a shelf in a step van, or in the tool storage shop. The weird looking thing to the left in the left picture is what keeps the saw up. It's a spring loaded pop pin I think. I've never had any of it taken apart. You can see the depth stop in the second picture all the way down in storage position.

[Patrick C Daugherty]

Do you think you could link the post here for your rehab or send it to my inbox?

Bob Page at Loon Lake Tools has resharpened three back saws and put new plates on two more for me. Professional work and reasonable price. Nice guy, he will tell you if the existing plate is beyond help.

[steven c newman]

More photo details...
Mitre Box details, guide release button.JPG
This is the saw guide release button, you'd raise the saw and guides up, until this clicks into place...to release, pull out on the knurled nut..
Mitre Box details, Depth stop.JPG
This is the depth of cut stop...the point where it turns 90 degrees, fits under the top of the guide, and stops the guide from going any lower..
Mitre Box details, swing arm release.JPG
On older mitre boxes like my Langdon No. 75...this is a release to allow the swing arm to "Schwing"...

The Mitre Box Thread, Langdon No. 75 .JPG
Frame is a 2-1/2. and takes a 5 x 30 saw...

[Joshua Hatcher]

That's very helpful. I got my hands on it today and the back of the saw and the plate are both slightly bent. I'm not sure how to fix that. The rust doesn't look as bad in person. It's still crunchy. However it doesn't feel deep.

[Jim Koepke]

I got my hands on it today and the back of the saw and the plate are both slightly bent. I'm not sure how to fix that.

It depends on the bend. It may only be in the back. If the blade and the back can be separated you might only have to fix the back.

That would make it easier to clean the plate with a wire brush. That would let you see how much work you have ahead of you.

jtk

[Joshua Hatcher]

How do you separate the back of the saw from the plate? Are there good youtube videos?

[Rob Luter]

How do you separate the back of the saw from the plate? Are there good youtube videos?

They're usually just friction fit. All my old Steel Backed Disstons were that way. Clamp the plate to the benchtop with the spine/back overhanging the edge. Using a piece of hardwood and a mallet, gently tap the edge of the spine to remove it from the plate. Work your way down the length with light taps to avoid bending anything.

[Tom M King]

On pulling out the knurled knob to let the saw drop:

I don't believe I have ever done that. All of the older carpenters that I hired back in the '70's and '80's had the same miter box. I never saw any of them pull the knob out either. A light bump with the hand on top of the saw is all I've ever done or seen done with them to release the saw from the raised position. One might think this would be more wear on the pin, but after several decades of use, mine still works just fine like that. You hold the saw tote with one hand, and bump it loose with the other controlling what it does on the way down.

All the moving parts do get oiled every once in a while though, including those plungers. All those old guys always blew the miter box off and oiled it before putting it back in their trucks. I've been one of those old guys for a couple of decades myself now.

[steven c newman]

Lets see...the pull out releases were a Millers Falls "Thing"

However..the Stanley versions (like the 346 and 358 boxes I have) have keepers at the top of the guides. Designed use a Trip that clamps on the spine of a saw ( good luck finding one) that when you would push the saw forward just a bit,,,it would "trip" the front keeper...allowing the handle of the saw to drop a bit...which forced the toe of the saw to raise up...which made the spine contact the keeper in the back guide post....releasing the saw. You can also just grab the saw in the middle, pull the saw up a tab...and the saw will release.

Some of the more worn Stanley boxes...just sneeze, and the saw will drop...."Hair Trigger"?

Some of the older Stanley boxes do NOT have bearings inside the guides...so..they would fill the guides with a bit of grease....guides are such that they will keep the grease inside the guides, as there is a lip inside.


Had to re-trim out a bedroom in my house,..between a trash can fire, and the Fire Department......so, a saw bench, and a GEM Mitre Box was used to cut the casing trims. The GEM can be folded up and stowed in a tool box until needed. Plus, it will use about any saw you have on site...

Stanley No. 150s are good...I also have a Millers Falls No. 116....have never owned a motorized Mitersaw, BTW...

Currently in my shop...I am using the Millers Falls No. 72c.....comes in very handy, lately...it IS missing a few of the "Bells & Whistles" and I almost bought this one...
West Liberty Fest 23, mitresaw.JPG
For $10...just to get the end parts...also made by Millers Falls, BTW. Had other things to buy that day...

[Tom M King]

Mine, and the three different old carpenters that worked for me back then all had the same Millers Falls Langdon-Acme miter boxes. I expect there may be some adjustment to those pins, but I have never done anything to my box but oil it and use it. I never used theirs, but my saw comes down pretty easily. I expect a lot of what I learned was from those guys. They're all long gone now.

[steven c newman]

Those knobs are adjustable....to where they barely hold to almost too much holding power....as the knobs thread on to the spring loaded posts...easy enough to set.

[Tom M King]

I figured they probably were adjustable, but I've never needed to do any adjusting of anything on mine expect for the saw depth stops after several sharpenings. My saw has stayed up and yet bumps down easily since I bought it new.

I think keeping things lubed helps. Those carpenters I knew back then had wooden boxes that they kept their miter boxes in, and there was a can of 3-in-1 oil kept in those boxes. I never built a box for mine, but kept it in a closed area on the built in shelves in my step van that I used back then.

[steven c newman]

Carpenters.jpg

Contrary to popular rumour, I am NOT that short guy on the right....

Count how many Mitre Boxes are in the picture...

[Tom M King]

The guys that worked for me 48 years ago were not quite that old. Those might have been some of their Fathers or Grandfathers.