A manual miter box is a very practical tool that can be useful several times not only during repairs, but also in construction. What this device is used for, how to use it and make it yourself, you will learn further.
What is a miter box and what is it used for?
So, the presented tool is used in carpentry. This is a kind of template, thanks to which you can cut any material at a given angle. Most often it is used for processing floor and
ceiling skirting boards. Thanks to the miter box, you can cut wooden, plastic, plastic elements, cable channels.
Using such a tool is quite easy: you just need to put the element inside the miter box, fix it and cut it at the right angle with a hacksaw with small teeth. However, this work has certain nuances. For example, you have to decide which angle you need: internal or external.
You can build such a product yourself, while you do not have to spend a lot of time and material.
The advantages of a homemade device
You can buy such a design in the store, and it is inexpensive. However, a homemade miter box with a hacksaw has certain advantages:
- you can build a structure of different sizes, with different types of angles;
- the most durable material is used for work, which allows the product to be used for more than one year;
- fast manufacturing;
- minimum source material;
- the device can be made almost free, if, of course, you still have wooden planks after any repair or construction.
The only nuance in the manufacturing process is the correct marking of the corners.
What tools and materials are needed to work?
First of all, keep in mind that all materials must be carefully processed and prepared for work. Most often, wood is used for manufacturing, which must be well-dried (so as not to warp), smooth, without cracks, chips or other defects. It is not recommended to use plastic, since it is not very durable, and in case of breakdown such a product can already be thrown away.
The boards for the product must be at least 2 cm thick.
Before making a miter box, assemble all the necessary tools:
- pencil, protractor and ruler;
- a hacksaw for metal ;
- fine-grained skin;
- drill with drills;
- confirmations (euroscrews);
- vise;
- a hacksaw with small teeth (for cutting skirting boards).
In principle, these tools are quite enough. Naturally, you will need a hex key, thanks to which you can easily tighten the confirmations.
Product manufacture: step by step instructions
Before you make a miter box with your own hands, prepare the components for work. To do this, you need to cut out the elements of the necessary height and length from the boards. Here you need to consider what size skirting boards you will process.
It is not difficult to build a miter box with your own hands, you just need to make measurements and markup correctly. So, let's get to work:
- The prepared parts must be carefully sanded so that they are smooth and fit snugly together.
- Now you can mark up future cuts. To do this, use a ruler, a protractor and a pencil. The process must be treated very responsibly, since the quality of the processing of skirting boards depends on it. In order for the marks to be the same on both sides, they must be precisely attached to each other. All slices must match exactly. Fix the sidewalls with a vise.
- Next, make a mark in the middle of the elements: it is from this point that the corners will be laid.
- Now you need a protractor to work. With it, on both sides of the central mark, we lay off angles of 45 and 90 degrees.
- After the end of the marking, you can start cutting holes. Use for this you need a hacksaw for metal. The fact is that it has very small teeth and will make the cut as even as possible. Further it can be expanded a little with the help of a joiner's hacksaw. The depth of cut should be slightly more than half of the miter box. Note that the inner surface of the slots must be perfectly smooth, so it needs to be sanded.
- Last of all, you need to cut out the base of the tool and attach the side parts to it. Confirmations or glue can be used to fix the elements. In addition, for greater product strength, it is desirable to use both methods of fastening simultaneously.
This is how the miter box is made with your own hands.
How to choose the right saw for the tool?
A saw is an integral part of the presented product, therefore it is necessary to design a miter box taking into account which cutting blade will be used in the future. It should have certain properties: be stiff enough and not bend, have a small thickness and quite small teeth. The canvas can also be wide or narrow. The second option must be equipped with an additional stiffener, which will prevent bending of the hacksaw.
You should also consider the material that you will be sawing. For example, for polyurethane skirting, a fine-mesh metal sheet is better . It is good if the hacksaw has a durable and comfortable handle. Otherwise, you will quickly get tired.
Useful Tips
As you can see, everyone can build a miter box with their own hands, however, you must also consider some of the nuances of the process. For example, if you want to make a collapsible tool, then glue should not be used to fasten parts. It is enough to fix all the elements with confirmations.
If the tool is stationary, then it must be well attached to the base platform. That is, holes are made at the base of the product, and it is firmly screwed to the table. However, if you want the device to be able to move freely and not travel on the base surface, then a piece of rubber or other material can be nailed to the underside of the miter box that will prevent the tool from slipping.
During the manufacture of the tool, you need to correctly calculate the width of its base. It also depends on the size of those products that will be processed. Now you know how to build a miter box with your own hands. Good luck