[EllenWoodHead]

I bought his Stanley 358 miter box, with saw, on Ebay. Very much looking forward to trying it. It looks complete, with sliding dogs and the stop extension, all that is missing is the top brace on the saw guide. That is easy to replace, I could even cut a stick of wood to replace it.

I was going to buy a new Nobex Champion 180, but I changed my mind after seeing too many red flags. Very few sellers carry it, and some of them mark it up absurdly high. Lee Valley sells them (as the Nobex Professional), but when I tried to order one the $229 option, with the Ikeda blade, was marked not available. Only the standard blade option was available for $299. I called them, and the nice Lee Valley person said that was an old listing, and they weren't sure they had any in stock. I decided against the Nobex, don't want to get stuck with something that might be going obsolete.

Instead I haunted Ebay for a few weeks. Ebay, as usual, is full of ridiculous sellers charging gigantic shipping charges, and who don't know anything about old tools. This little gem appeared last week, $91 and $17.95 shipping. That seems too low for the shipping, because these old steel miter boxes are heavy. Whatevs, not my problem. I was the only bidder and I want it here NOW so I can play with it.

I had an old Craftsman miter box once upon a time, with a frame saw instead of a backsaw. Bought it at Goodwill for a couple bucks. I liked it a lot, but then got swept up by the Norm Abrams craze, and went to power tools. Now I am reversing course and going back to hand tools. For me they're as fast or faster than power tools, and they don't try to amputate my body parts or give me lung cancer. Much more enjoyable to use. These old Stanleys have a reputation for being super-accurate. This will be fun. Stay tuned for more pics and happiness.

 

[bandit571]

Use mine a LOT...

Those rods are to set up a "stop" to where you can make a lot of cuts the same length...I have 2 rods for this one, but am missing (not really) the "tree"...

Those sliding pins? are great to hold small parts to the fence, IF they are long enough. The Pins were to cut Crown Molding with....set the piece upside down on the deck, "stops" set one angle, then set the saw for the over part of the compound miter...

 

[bandit571]

Most places that sell metal shapes and such..will carry a length of flat bar stock the right size...all you'll need to do is cut it to length..
On either side of the opening for the saw to pass through the fence, there should be a pair of tiny bolts, with very pointy ends....these screw through from the back of the fence...they are to keep a part from sliding...they will leave a tiny hole where the points dug in...not a biggie...can adjust the depth as need be...

 

[EricFai]

Looks like a nice find.

 

[BigMig]

I'm eager to know how it works for you...I love having an opportunity to hand-saw parts rather than machine saw them

 

[Johnny7]

You may want to visit the repository of vintage miter box knowledge:

Mitre Box of your Dreams

With a nod to the Epic Thread, there are hopefully enough hand-tool enthusiasts out there to address a LJ topic area that's lacking: the venerable mitre box. Stanley, Langdon, Goodell Mfg, Miller's Falls, etc. What you got? What you want? Questions? Dreams? Boxes and saws for them, post it all...

www.lumberjocks.com

 

[anneb3]

Most places that sell metal shapes and such..will carry a length of flat bar stock the right size...all you'll need to do is cut it to length..
On either side of the opening for the saw to pass through the fence, there should be a pair of tiny bolts, with very pointy ends....these screw through from the back of the fence...they are to keep a part from sliding...they will leave a tiny hole where the points dug in...not a biggie...can adjust the depth as need be...

 

[bandit571]

Says the guy with a Stanley No. 346, a Stanley No. 2246, and a BIG Langdon No. 75....amongst others in The Dungeon Woodshop....

 

[bandit571]

Ok..a bit of show and tell...although I am sure someone else will come along...here we go...

These 2 holes, if you move the front post forward, it merely allows you to use more of the saw..

Those levers at the top..catch and hold the saw guides. They will release the saw when "tripped"...used to be a tab on the top of the saw, that tripped the front catch,,,as the front starts to lower, the back of the saw hits the tab in back..

And releases the saw...there IS a "shock absober" down at the bottom..

A lot going on here. The spring is where the saw guide will land on..set it high enough that the saw barely grazes the deck...the other brass collar? You set this as a depth stop...like doing dados.
The 2 small bolts...have a point on their end...you loosen the middle bolt. and can adjust whether the guide rods tilt left or right..used to make the saw cut perpendicular to the deck..then tighten the middle bolt up when done.

Pencil points to one of the keeper points...of two...just a bolt, threads in from the back, with a sharp point on the end.

Those are not degrees...those are the number of sides of a box each point will make...there are 4 patent dates of this saw, newest one is from 1912..

 

[EllenWoodHead]

Thanks! I knew these old miter boxes were sophisticated. This is great engineering.

 

[EricFai]

I'll be keeping my eyes open for one of those.

 

[crmitchell]

Love it ! Love the old tools ! The old timers had no time to waste on things that didn't work well.

I was given (yes!) a Goodell Mfg. miter box, 1904 patent, and a 26" Simmonds saw by a neighbor. Both were in excellent condition; her father had sharpened the saw years before and it is razor sharp. (see projects for photos)

It took some doing, but today they are both in pristine condition. I believe the miter box is more precise than the Kreg miter gauge on the table saw.

(she also gave me a #5, a #7 and a beautiful #606 Bedrock, all in perfect condition!!!)

Last week, another neighbor gave me a Sargent #35 in perfect conditoin - neighbors like these are hard to find !

 

[MFled]

I've got a miter box on a high shelf that I inherited years ago. I've got the saw that goes with it as well. My father in-law was a GC back in the 50's and 60's but I don't know if he purchased it new. Not sure of the brand or model as until recently life was busy with other things. Now that I've read this post and see that there is another post all about these saws, I'm motivated to pull the saw and the miter box out to learn how to use it. I've been building picture frames and small puzzle boxes recently and I'm guessing I can dial the miter box in to make very accurate 45° miters, probably better than my power tools! Ahh another thing to keep me occupied in my shop (as if I didn't have enough to do).

 

[EllenWoodHead]

I've got a miter box on a high shelf that I inherited years ago. I've got the saw that goes with it as well. My father in-law was a GC back in the 50's and 60's but I don't know if he purchased it new. Not sure of the brand or model as until recently life was busy with other things. Now that I've read this post and see that there is another post all about these saws, I'm motivated to pull the saw and the miter box out to learn how to use it. I've been building picture frames and small puzzle boxes recently and I'm guessing I can dial the miter box in to make very accurate 45° miters, probably better than my power tools! Ahh another thing to keep me occupied in my shop (as if I didn't have enough to do).

I predict you will love it. So much control and finesse, a real precision instrument.

 

[EllenWoodHead]

I think I came out ahead on this, over buying a new Nobex Champion. The Nobex is nice, but it is made of aluminum and so very lightweight. Of course any of these must be well-secured to a bench or a stand, but the weight and durability of the old steel mitre boxes is nice. And the lack of plastic.

Check this out, I bet even @bandit571 missed the metal threaded disk that provides work holding/stop block on the miter box table. I haven't found an original threaded disk, but the screw threads on the hold-down are off-the-shelf, so I bet I can find something like it. This is a great restoration blog, and it includes a numbered parts diagram.

Some Answers and Final Touches (Stanley 358 Miter Box)

Almost two years ago I finished up an extensive rehab on a old Stanley 358 Miter Box. By far this was the biggest tool rehab job I've ever d...

blog.oldwolfworkshop.com

 

[bandit571]

Do you mean this one?

Well to use it..you have to move a couple things..

Thumbscrew and clamp from around in back. Then you can set this wherever you need to stop a board..

This Mitre Box is the Stanley No. 346..

Again, I can use either locations, as this saw...

Although it will only cut to 4" depth, it is 26" LONG...The keepers are the original FAT post ones..

This is still a big Mitre Box...

I figured it could use a bigger stand....this stand was part of a $25 Yard Sale deal...the other part?

Was this Millers Falls Langdon ACME No. 75....with a 5" x 30" saw....made expressly for Millers Falls by Disston.

About worn off, but, there was a Millers Falls paper label where that "smudge" is now...there is a brass name plate..

Frame is a No. 2-1/2......This mitre box and saw will wear out your arm....

Thanks...made go to the shop and dust off both of these boxes...

 

[AMZ]

Great thread! First time I’ve seen the use for the threaded disc! Thanks Bandit!

 

[EllenWoodHead]

Do you mean this one?
View attachment 3870914

I see that playing "stump the chump" with you is a bad idea

 

[EricFai]

Correct Ellen. If I have something I'm not sure about I post over on the Woodshed.

 

[pv.cabinetinstaller]

I got one off eBay and paid roughly $100 for it but the saw blade needed sharpening. Then a couple weeks later, I found one on Marketplace for $45, so now I have 2 of these of which I have never used. I prefer my Dewalt 12" slider.