20 buck Jorgensen Miter Box--just say no

[J. Clarke]

Needed a portable miter box (really don't want to lug a miter saw around for four pieces of molding, but it's a furniture repair so it has to be a tight miter), was gonna make one for the Dozuki but saw a Jorgensen in Home Despot for 20 bucks (it's not on the Web site otherwise I'd post the link) and figured how bad could it be.

Well, the answer is pretty bad. I took it home, set it up, and tried some trial cuts. The saw's not particularly sharp, the guides aren't quite parallel so the saw doesn't want to go all the way down to the bottom of the cut, the 45 degree angle seems to be more like 44, but it's hard to tell because there are a couple of degrees of slop in the detent, the clamp that holds the workpiece is a joke (especially coming from a company that specializes in clamps), the thing is so light that you have to hold it in place with your other hand, and there's no support anywhere near the cutline. Not the tool for getting a well- fitted joint. I mean I've gotten better miters following a pencil line with a jigsaw.

Manana I do it right and this POS goes back to Home Despot.

[Upscale]

You already know your hardware so basically, it's up to you how much you want to spend. Two years ago, I bought Lee Valley's mid range miter box and it's operated outstandingly ever since. LV sells three models in this line and their least expensive model, (just a little smaller, not less accurate) sells for $45 in case that interests you.

[Pat Barber]

[Larry Blanchard]

I've got one of these:

and no, I didn't pay $150 for it :-). But it works like a champ - so well that I gave away the old Craftsman miter box that I'd had for decades.

[tiredofspam]

[J. Clarke]

That was the plan however if I could avoid work for 20 bucks it was worthwhile.

And I'm not see> >> for four pieces of molding, but it's a furniture repair so it has to be

[Steve]

There's a nice-looking Dozuki miter box plan in the latest ShopNotes (#115). It's set up and indexed only for 45 degree cuts, but a guy handy with a protracter or dividers ought to be able to do something about that.

[J. Clarke]

Have to take a look at that and see if it improves on what I had in mind. All is on hold for a bit though--slipped on an ice patch yesterday and right now it hurts to move just about anything. Don't think I did any serious damage--was able to carry around a bag of tube sand immediately after--but it's distracting enough that right now trying to do any kind of precision work is probably a bad idea.

[Bob La Londe]

Best miter box I ever got was made out aluminum and came with one of this little hobby kits. I still have it, but I can't find the saw that came with it, and its way too small for a regular backsaw. For most quick and dirty work one of those cheap plastic ones seems to work fine. I actually prefer them over my Hitachi miter saw. Maybe its just my choice of blades.