Stanley STA120600 Clamping Mitre Box and Saw 1 20 600

Product Information

Keep in mind you only have to worry about the central 60% or so of the saw plate if you only use the saw in the box ( a good idea) you still have to joint and file the whole plate. As to the tension on the slide, there were two things I remember. Some saws had a hole that you could puta brad in a hole to prevent the tapered pawl from slipping into its notch if you were close to a predetermined angle but wanted to be just off it. And underneath that area was a screw to adjust the tension or drag on the swing arm. You could make it stiff or loose. I used a Miller Falls box for 25 years and only went electric in the 1990’s because the company I worked for paid half, and the fellows I had to share my box with weren’t very careful. A circular saw blade is disposable and the boss paid for them. That was to "grip" the MB to the surface and more importantly, to correct an out of square, level playing field... so to speak :-) I already scare people. My “dovetail” saw is a 14″ Disston. Someone had a new fancy dovetail saw, light and precise, so I ran a cut with it, then pulled out my big honkin’ saw, and mine had just as fine a cut….but it cut about three times faster.

And when you get it you can haul the saw out when people start bragging about their big dovetail or tenon saw. Today Electrons spinning mitre saws are seemingly designed to be made Cheaper, Faster, Noiser, Scream Louder and Spew saw dust everywhere... I used my saw once without the box as a dovetail saw to cut the pins and tails on the tail vise assembly of my workbench 45 years ago.those are 3”+ tails. It’s the only time I ever used the saw without the box. That was before I had a bandsaw- it’s actually what helped make me decide to buy a used bandsaw – LOL. Here is a picture of my 26” saw for my Miller Falls, and the 28” Stanley model note the angle on the rear of the plate. Since it was behind the front post, teeth there make no sense on a miter box saw. Choose a size that’s suitable for your project and will fit well in your work area. If you’re working with large pieces of wood and have plenty of space in your workshop, then a larger miter box would be suitable. On the other hand, if you’re working with smaller pieces and have limited space, then a smaller miter box is a better option. AdjustabilityA sturdy base with non-skid feet helps to keep the miter box securely in place during operation, minimizing wobbling and providing smooth cuts. Look for heavy bases that provide adequate support while cutting larger pieces of wood. Precision If he took care of his tools, I’d get every tool of his I could afford. Be fair to the heirs. Carpenters of that era weren’t very rich. I got a lot of my tools from guys just retiring. If you low balled them, everybody in town would give you the stink eye. I made sure I wasn’t put in that position. If it is is decent usable shape, go for it. If its a rusty clunker with missing parts, let it go. Hand boxes last more than a couple lifetimes. Something else to know is that they used the suffix A to denoted their first Aluminum model and the Suffix M indicated a Metal cutting MB. With two exceptions, the No 109 and No 2360 were metal cutting MBs but they never sported the suffix M. Confused yet? Lets try another riddle...

I think he misspoke on the saw. It usually was the tooth line length that mattered. My Miller Falls saw is marked 26” and is 33” OA. The Stanley 28” saw is actually 35” long. Look around the shop before you leave. I’m not an expert on Stanley boxes. I used em, but never owned one. The Miller Falls was a little lighter, would break down smaller for travel, and had very few settings that could go out of adjustment. It seems the Stanley guys were always adjusting their angle settings. ( hint, it’s an eccentric cam under the pivot point), either that, or they needed something to blame their open joints on. 😉 If you look around, you will find other fine craftsmen, who either used them in the past or are still using them, so yeah, they would do. And lots of framing shops (as in picture frame) used those Nobex for years. Mine, incidentally, came at auction in a lot from a picture frame shop.Don’t worry too much about the numbers. With Stanley boxes they mostly described the saw that came with it in depth and length. And I think some Stanley boxes were extendable for width of cut, but don’t hold me to that. Some had wood tables and some didn’t. The wood tables need replacing once in a while. My box had a metal groove the saw dropped into below the table height. If you didn’t adjust it properly, you either didn’t saw all the way through the work, or you dulled your saw instantly. I usually set a folded business card in the groove and set to that. It gave just the right clearance. You have to change that setting each time you sharpen the saw. But this question is about the various Stanley's Mitre Box (MB) that came and went thru the years. I can so understand the confusion trying to navigate your way thru it, some models came and went, while others soldiered on until 1984. Depends how many cuts you are making, of course. For a hobbiest, it’s a luxury. For somebody trying to feed his kids, some sort of miter box multiplies labor tremendously.