06-02-2017, 02:09 PM (This post was last modified: 06-02-2017, 02:12 PM by Bill_Houghton.)
No, Bandit, I think you maybe underpaid by about 50 cents.
When these were new, they were very expensive, and rightly so; a metal-framed miter box like that can trim a saw-kerf's thickness of wood from the end of a piece of molding, and cut to a precise off-kilter degree (44-1/2 degrees, for instance), both invaluable in trimming out houses in the real, never square, world. Now, your purchase price is about typical.
Not bad, I've paid less from time to time, but the real work has yet to be done on this one. Cleaning up the box itself, finding the missing parts (there are some accessories, stops, missing), and then the big work, cleaning the saw plate, then jointing and sharpening the saw. Hopefully you've got one that doesn't have any missing teeth, that requires several forming passes before the sharpening pass. If you send it out to a sawsmith, be prepared for paying $50 or more to restore the saw. Even considering that cost, its a much better box than what you can buy retail today, they just don't make 'em like this anymore. But once done it will do yeoman's work, I trimmed out my house with over $5k of millwork (5 1/4" crown with inverted base molding to form a cornice, frame panels, french doors, etc.) using a Stanley box, and its dammed accurate, and not as slow as you think. Nice find, clean and sharpen it up, you'll love it.
PS: I'd take it off that stand, find yourself a B&D Workmate, take a piece of 3/4 plywood, screw a 2x4 to the bottom and screw the box to the top, then clamp the 2x4 in the Workmate, makes a great platform for the box and its totally portable. A couple of roller stands on either side and Bob's your uncle.
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I just sold one of those for $150 but it was in like new condition. Chris Schwarz has a write up on these and you will see the guy on Woodwright's show uses one too
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women have trouble understanding Trump's MAGA theme because they had so little involvement in making America great the first time around.
Saw has been cleaned up, etch is 90% readable. Brass bolts shine, again. Test drive showed the saw is still very sharp. Cut a 45 degree angle, fast and true. The two pieces made a perfect 90 degree corner when I put them together. plate is straight, doesn't appear to need jointed at all.
Etch reads
Millers Falls Co.
Millers Falls, MASS, USA
Langdon Mitre Box
Millers Falls
Tools
since 1868
Inside the Millers Falls triangle
Medallion merely says DISSTON PHILADA with a star on each side.
This is one BIG saw.
Mitre Box has been started on a clean up.....mainly dirt removal done. May take the metal decks off, and repaint them.
Since the 1928 era saw is done, time to work on that pre-1931 Mitre Box...Got some of the "bright work" cleaned up
Like the quadrant scale, the guide stops and the bolts. Guides were also cleaned up. They have a thin, LIGHT coat of 3in1 oil on them.
Been taking other parts off. Deck plates were wire wheeled on top, and sanded clean underneath...once I got all them TINY bolts off. Then a Rattle can of RED
Coating all surfaces, as each dried, the next was done......sitting out in the sun didn't hurt, either.
Needed a hammerhead drill, to remove a few stuck bolts..
Intend to wirewheel them clean and shiny, then a dab of the 3in1 oil. Got the feet off..
Needed the hammerdrill to loosen the bolts. Have wire wheeled these two, they are now out on the patio, waiting on paint to dry....black, semi gloss.
Rest of the main frame need a good clean up, and then the Rattlecan black. have to wait on the feet to dry first....
As you get comfortable with that saw, you'll be amazed at its capabilities. Goooooogling "millers falls miter box manual" will give you multiple sources to download a copy of the instructions, which will be helpful.
Admiral commented on missing stops; I've never had any of those on my saw, and have survived just fine.
Here's the ad I wrote for mine on CL I copied lots of info into it
Millers Falls 74c Near new condition. For those uncomfortable with power tools, the noise, dust and the possible injury that comes with them. I think this is a more than fair price after searching Ebay and seeing units in poorer condition selling for considerably more when you toss in shipping.
This is a cast unit not something punched out of a piece of sheet metal
Here is a review of this model by Christopher Schwarz "I adore my Millers Falls mitre box, and I've been bemused by a recent backlash against mitre boxes, which ruled the American worksite and garage during the first half of the 20th century.
The argument against a mitre box is that you don't need it. You should develop your sawing skills to the point where you don't need a mechanical contrivance to hold the saw for you. The things are training wheels. And you are a candy-bottom wuss girl if you use one.
To these people I say this: You don't cut many miters, do you?
Metallic manual mitre boxes are more accurate than the electric miter saw in my experience. They allow a level of finesse and control that you aren't going to get with freehand sawing. And chances are, if you aren't a nincompoop, your miters will be dead-on off the saw with a mitre box.
Oh, and when armed with a shooting board they radically decrease your need for a table saw.
If you own a mitre box, you need to know how to maintain and use it.
So this evening I present to you a scan of a vintage Millers Falls manual for using the company's mitre boxes. I guarantee that even if you are an ace, you are going to learn something from this short little manual.
The manual was given to me by the late Carl Bilderback. During my last visit to his home, he asked me to take his library. To keep the books that I didn't have. And to give the rest away to deserving young woodworkers.
This vintage manual is one of about 100 books and manuals Carl owned that I did not.
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