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How to Build a Miter Box

A miter box is an important tool to help cut perfect 90- and 45-degree cuts.

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Combination square Drill Hand saw Pencil Scrap wood Screws Tapered drill bit with countersinking collar

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How to Build a Miter Box

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" A miter box is used to quickly and accurately cut 45- and 90-degree angles to create perfectly fitting joints. Here's how to build your own miter box. A miter box is comprised of three pieces of wood. The bottom is elevated a quarter of an inch using scraps spacers so that the side will act as legs to stabilize the miter box when you're cutting. You can make it any length or width that you wish. To assemble the miter box, mark the center of the elevated base on both sides. Using your finger as a gauge, strike a line along the side of the board. To avoid splinters, don't press too hard. Using the same age-old carpenter's technique, strike a line on the other side of the board. With practice you'll be able to strike as accurate aligned with your hands as you can with a straight edge. To drill pilot holes for the screws, we're going to use a tapered drill bit with a countersinking collar. The collar will cut a countersink pattern in the wood so that the head of the screw will be flush with the surface of the board. Insert the drill bit and tighten the chuck. Line up the tip of the bit with the line and drill one hole for each screw. For the length of our miter box, we're going to drill four holes on either side. Do the same for the other side spacing the holes evenly. Assemble the miter box and screw the sides together. Pulling the sides tight to the bottom of the box. With the box assembled, it's time to cut 190-degree and 245-degree guide slots. Mark the center of the box and using a combination square, carefully draw a 90-degree line across the center mark on both sides of the box. Using the combination square carefully continue the line"

" stopping when the saw just touches the bottom of the miter box. Moving to the other end of the box, carefully cut on the lines for the other miter angle, stopping when the saw just touches the bottom of the miter box. Now, for the test. Insert a piece of stock into the miter box and hold it tightly against the side. Insert the saw into the slot and cut through the stock. Now, using the slots for the opposing angle, insert the saw; and holding the stock tightly against the side, make your cut. Provided you cut the slots carefully, your miter cuts will fit perfectly. "

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