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So I was reading through the thread on the Stanley 60 miter box and several people said that the Stanley boxes were not as good as the MF/Langdon boxes. I've heard this through the years, from lots of people, but I've never heard any reasons given.
I have a Stanley 360A, looks to be 1970s version with a huge saw, the biggest I've ever seen. I bought it from somebody here on the forum (I forgot who...). I cleaned it up and touched up the saw and adjusted it for square, and it works great. I just built a workbench and crosscut all of the Sycamore trestle members with it and also the tenon shoulder cuts and it sailed through it all clean and square.
What makes the Langdon boxes so much better? It seems like fashion to me.
David Carroll
Edit for spelling and grammar... Yeesh!
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I've got a similar Stanley miter box; some time, I'll need to haul it out and do a comparo with my Langdon Acme box.
With the M-F, I can shave off a saw-kerf's worth of wood from the end of a cut, in some wood at least. Is that possible on a Stanley? If so, you might be right that it's the name - like the premium Starrett layout tools command over other names that are just as good, in some cases better (Brown&Sharpe, Goodell Pratt, Union, Lufkin, etc.).
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Well, they are not.....so much better that is.
They are just a prominent one of many which are quite good. I have a pre-Langdon takeover M-F box that is quite good. For me, as long as the adjustments are repeatable and accurate then the box is good. The saw does the rest. That is another story altogether.
The Schwarz effect at work.
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When something has to be done, no one knows how to do it. When they "pay" you to do it, they become "experts".
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That discussion was a model 60, which was a smallish, lighter duty box, and people were suggesting the Langdon "Acme" as they are often less than the more popular Stanley's. Either can be a very serviceable box, and the Stanley's likely outsold the MF boxes 5 to 1, if not more. I blame it all on Schwarz, he wrote about them, and the lemmings flocked out to buy boxes they never use. MF Langdon box info Stanley box info I like me a 460  It depends on how much you can buy one for today, but if they are really high, you can buy a modern day Ulmia, Nobex Champion 180, Nobex Pro, with a Japanese blade and do very nice work.
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GW
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Steve N said:
That discussion was a model 60, which was a smallish, lighter duty box...
It was also listed for well over $1000. Don't buy a Langdon for that either.
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Axehandel, is yours a Northampton Langdon?
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This touches on the issue of 'collector' values versus intrinsic worth as a tool.
The features of the Millers Falls variant of Langdon miter boxes that are best come down to how long workers were permitted to fit the moving parts together and the weight of castings used.
If the lighter Stanley versions are properly fettled, cleaned after use and kept well oiled, they're excellent.
Remember what makes a good miter box: a genuinely well sharpened saw gliding over solidly clamped stock on a fence that doesn't move around.
Even the flimsiest miter box will allow fine work if you just clamp down the stock and sharpen your saw.
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Thanks Steve For the link to the Stanley Manual, that will come in handy, and thanks everyone for your perspectives. The Stanley does take a bit of fiddling to keep a square cut (vertically- it's dead on Square to the fence), and the castings are lighter than some boxes I've seen. The legs are bent steel rather than cast, etc., etc. But I leave it set up (on my table saw) and it gets regular use. I Guess I'll hang on to mine until it is a true antique!
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Stanley boxes of equal vintage to Langdon boxes are equally as good. Langdon got a lot of press so it's la de da and prices reflect that. Later Stanley boxes (50's) are also very good.
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I have upwards of 17 miter boxes that are complete and several for parts (got them all 10 to 12 years ago for next to nothing at flea markets, garage sales, with about $25 the most I paid, except for 1 or 2 that came from that auction site, then shipping added to the cost).
Anyhow both brands will cut equally accurate, and each has their positives: Stanley hands down has better clamping for holding stock and MF has hands down better securing odd angle cuts. Having a well tuned saw and correctly adjusted miter box, your ability to install trim will easily exceed any powered system. You will also need an agle divider along with a bevel gauge to set your odd angles. If your corners, etc., are not level, you will also need a block plane to give you a bit of windage.
But, to make a long story short, both brands are good.
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