The Mighty Stanley mitre box

[formariz 11,988]

Another one of my favorites here is this Stanley miter box which I inherited. It is a heavy quality built tool that although it looks relatively simple upon close look one realizes that it is a rather sophisticated and complex precision tool. This one is from the early 1940s. It stops positively at ANY and ALL angles within its scale without creeping out. Saw rides on bearings and guides are precise without side to side slack. It has work clamps and spurs to hold work steady while cutting. It is the go tool here for ridiculously small and delicate pieces such as some molding returns which on an electric miter saw would be impossible and dangerous. All of its functions are also fully adjustable if necessary. It is an absolute joy to use. Coupled with Excalibur, no noise, no flying dust,no danger and total precision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by formariz

[Handy Don 12,477]

This is indeed a great tool, @formariz. My grandfather's, of similar vintage to yours, is now in the hands of my most appreciative son.  We have and use electric compound miter saws for much work, but the Stanley is sometimes, as you noted, the only way to go and such a pleasure to use.

Nice to see someone else appreciating it!

[tom2p 2,394]

buried in the back of our garage is my father's trusty Stanley mitre box

 

got a chance to get a pic of it today to determine the model number - Model 358

 

Edited November 15, 2020 by tom2p

[formariz 11,988]

11 minutes ago, tom2p said:

buried in the back of our garage is my father's trusty Stanley mitre box

 

got a chance to get a pic of it today to determine the model number - Model 358

 

Nice. It’s an even older model. Can you get a whole photo of it?

[tom2p 2,394]

1 hour ago, formariz said:

Nice. It’s an even older model. Can you get a whole photo of it?

will do 

 

might be a few days though - I just re-buried it after I took the pic 

my father was not near the craftsman you are - but I do recall he was fairly good with the mitre box - and also with a coping saw 

lot of good memories working with my father - but for the most part I was just a helper / labor ... cleanup ... 

[little red riding horse 223]

My late stepdad gave me his when he could no longer use it , great bit of kit.... i remember watching him use it while  making sash windows for the 1st house i owned must be 35+ years ago now and they are still fitted to the cottage last time i seen it, lovely little cottage built in 1734 complete with huge elm beams in the ceilings ,here they are fitted   .... rip pops 

 

[formariz 11,988]

7 hours ago, little red riding horse said:

My late stepdad gave me his when he could no longer use it , great bit of kit.... i remember watching him use it while  making sash windows for the 1st house i owned must be 35+ years ago now and they are still fitted to the cottage last time i seen it, lovely little cottage built in 1734 complete with huge elm beams in the ceilings ,here they are fitted   .... rip pops 

Real charming place. It is a real great feeling to have a connection to someone in our past through something that has been left to us. I have been so fortunate to be in that position and be surrounded everyday by so many such objects that invoke memories of so many dear and influential to me. Many time I just sit here and hold such objects for long periods of time thinking about their lives and their possible thoughts as they themselves used them. It is the same to me as reading a good instructional or biographical  book. I have learned and deciphered a lot by doing so and am always left with a feeling of calmness and purpose after doing so.

[formariz 11,988]

13 hours ago, tom2p said:

will do 

 

might be a few days though - I just re-buried it after I took the pic 

my father was not near the craftsman you are - but I do recall he was fairly good with the mitre box - and also with a coping saw 

lot of good memories working with my father - but for the most part I was just a helper / labor ... cleanup ... 

Don't bury it again! Leave it out where you can see it and enjoy the memories it will bring you. I am sure your children will also appreciate it.

[lynnmor 7,356]

Here is my old Stanley 246, I used it for the trim when I built my house in 1975 and my shop in 1981.

 

[formariz 11,988]

40 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

Here is my old Stanley 246, I used it for the trim when I built my house in 1975 and my shop in 1981.

 

Beautifull. Good to see that you still have the tripping device on the saw. Most people lose them right away. That is a great one.

[tom2p 2,394]

On 11/15/2020 at 12:01 PM, formariz said:

Don't bury it again! Leave it out where you can see it and enjoy the memories it will bring you. I am sure your children will also appreciate it.

temporarily unburied (lol) to get a few pics 

 

[formariz 11,988]

11 hours ago, tom2p said:

temporarily unburied (lol) to get a few pics 

 

Nice. Use it . I don't see the tripping device on saw. Do you still have it?

[tom2p 2,394]

3 hours ago, formariz said:

Nice. Use it . I don't see the tripping device on saw. Do you still have it?

are you referring to a small clamp that attaches to the rear part of the top of the saw blade ?

 

if so - I recall the part but I have not seen it in a long time ... possible it is in one of the tool boxes 

 

there is a small flat piece of metal / bar / strap (?) attached to the back part of the mitre box ... appears two of these parts can be attached (one on each side) but just one is in place ...  can't recall the purpose of this part

 

back to tool boxes - we have great looking vintage wood tool box with copper and / or brass parts ... unfortunately it is also buried (even more so) -  but hope to get it out in the next few months 

 

we also had an old Stanley sweetheart slant lid tool box at one time 

 

Edited November 21, 2020 by tom2p

[DennisThornton 4,769]

I watched Roy Underhill demo a top end Stanley on one of his shows.  (Met Roy in person in Chicago long ago!)  

After a precise crosscut this could then make a perfect picture frame:

 

Don't think this is a Stanley but Stanley did make one.  Never used one, only once touch one at a tool collectors show. 

http://galootapalooza.nonesuchtools.com/rogers.htm

Edited November 21, 2020 by DennisThornton
added link

[formariz 11,988]

1 hour ago, tom2p said:

are you referring to a small clamp that attaches to the rear part of the top of the saw blade ?

 

if so - I recall the part but I have not seen it in a long time ... possible it is in one of the tool boxes 

 

there is a small flat piece of metal / bar / strap (?) attached to the back part of the mitre box ... appears two of these parts can be attached (one on each side) but just one is in place ...  can't recall the purpose of this part

 

back to tool boxes - we have great looking vintage wood tool box with copper and / or brass parts ... unfortunately it is also buried (even more so) -  but hope to get it out in the next few months 

 

we also had an old Stanley sweetheart slant lid tool box at one time 

 

Yes that is the part. Should find it , it’s hard to find and pricey when found. That strap is a clamp to clamp material to fence keeping it tight to it as it’s being cut. There should be two of them.

Let’s see the tool box!

[formariz 11,988]

1 hour ago, DennisThornton said:

I watched Roy Underhill demo a top end Stanley on one of his shows.  (Met Roy in person in Chicago long ago!)  

After a precise crosscut this could then make a perfect picture frame:

 

Don't think this is a Stanley but Stanley did make one.  Never used one, only once touch one at a tool collectors show. 

http://galootapalooza.nonesuchtools.com/rogers.htm

Shooting plane. Pretty exclusive item.

[DennisThornton 4,769]

25 minutes ago, formariz said:

Shooting plane. Pretty exclusive item.

Yep!  I guess few were sold, of those few survived.  Downsides to cast...