Needed a portable miter box (really don't want to lug a miter saw around
for four pieces of molding, but it's a furniture repair so it has to be
a tight miter), was gonna make one for the Dozuki but saw a Jorgensen in
Home Despot for 20 bucks (it's not on the Web site otherwise I'd post
the link) and figured how bad could it be.

Well, the answer is pretty bad. I took it home, set it up, and tried
some trial cuts. The saw's not particularly sharp, the guides aren't
quite parallel so the saw doesn't want to go all the way down to the
bottom of the cut, the 45 degree angle seems to be more like 44, but
it's hard to tell because there are a couple of degrees of slop in the
detent, the clamp that holds the workpiece is a joke (especially coming
from a company that specializes in clamps), the thing is so light that
you have to hold it in place with your other hand, and there's no
support anywhere near the cutline. Not the tool for getting a well-
fitted joint. I mean I've gotten better miters following a pencil line
with a jigsaw.

Manana I do it right and this POS goes back to Home Despot.

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
Needed a portable miter box (really don't want to lug a miter saw around
for four pieces of molding, but it's a furniture repair so it has to be
a tight miter), was gonna make one for the Dozuki but saw a Jorgensen in

You already know your hardware so basically, it's up to you how much you
want to spend. Two years ago, I bought Lee Valley's mid range miter box and
it's operated outstandingly ever since. LV sells three models in this line
and their least expensive model, (just a little smaller, not less accurate)
sells for $45 in case that interests you.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...=1,42884,43836

Sometimes, simple is better:

http://tinyurl.com/47wqaqv

On 2/8/2011 8:57 PM, J. Clarke wrote:
Needed a portable miter box (really don't want to lug a miter saw around
for four pieces of molding, but it's a furniture repair so it has to be
a tight miter)

Hmmm. why not make your own. Just use a decent combo square or triangle
and make your own for your Dozuki.
It would fit the blade better and be usable over and over.

On 2/9/2011 5:33 AM, Upscale wrote:
"J. wrote in message
Needed a portable miter box (really don't want to lug a miter saw around
for four pieces of molding, but it's a furniture repair so it has to be
a tight miter), was gonna make one for the Dozuki but saw a Jorgensen in

You already know your hardware so basically, it's up to you how much you
want to spend. Two years ago, I bought Lee Valley's mid range miter box and
it's operated outstandingly ever since. LV sells three models in this line
and their least expensive model, (just a little smaller, not less accurate)
sells for $45 in case that interests you.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...=1,42884,43836

In article , tiredofspam
says...

Hmmm. why not make your own. Just use a decent combo square or triangle
and make your own for your Dozuki.
It would fit the blade better and be usable over and over.

That was the plan however if I could avoid work for 20 bucks it was
worthwhile.

And I'm not seeing Upscale's post, however much thanks to him--I did not
know that there was a baby Nobex available for that kind of price--that
puts it in the same ballpark as the Nobex clones from Stanley and
Empire--the Jorgensen is clearly a poorly executed knockoff of that
model.

On 2/9/2011 5:33 AM, Upscale wrote:
"J. wrote in message
Needed a portable miter box (really don't want to lug a miter saw around
for four pieces of molding, but it's a furniture repair so it has to be
a tight miter), was gonna make one for the Dozuki but saw a Jorgensen in

You already know your hardware so basically, it's up to you how much you
want to spend. Two years ago, I bought Lee Valley's mid range miter box and
it's operated outstandingly ever since. LV sells three models in this line
and their least expensive model, (just a little smaller, not less accurate)
sells for $45 in case that interests you.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...=1,42884,43836

On 2011-02-10 03:36:58 -0500, "J. Clarke" said:

That was the plan however if I could avoid work for 20 bucks it was worthwhile.

And I'm not seeing Upscale's post, however much thanks to him--I did
not know that there was a baby Nobex available for that kind of
price--that puts it in the same ballpark as the Nobex clones from
Stanley and Empire--the Jorgensen is clearly a poorly executed knockoff
of that model.

There's a nice-looking Dozuki miter box plan in the latest ShopNotes
(#115). It's set up and indexed only for 45 degree cuts, but a guy
handy with a protracter or dividers ought to be able to do something
about that.

In article m,
says...

On 2011-02-10 03:36:58 -0500, "J. Clarke" said:

That was the plan however if I could avoid work for 20 bucks it was worthwhile.

And I'm not seeing Upscale's post, however much thanks to him--I did
not know that there was a baby Nobex available for that kind of
price--that puts it in the same ballpark as the Nobex clones from
Stanley and Empire--the Jorgensen is clearly a poorly executed knockoff
of that model.

There's a nice-looking Dozuki miter box plan in the latest ShopNotes
(#115). It's set up and indexed only for 45 degree cuts, but a guy
handy with a protracter or dividers ought to be able to do something
about that.

Have to take a look at that and see if it improves on what I had in
mind. All is on hold for a bit though--slipped on an ice patch
yesterday and right now it hurts to move just about anything. Don't
think I did any serious damage--was able to carry around a bag of tube
sand immediately after--but it's distracting enough that right now
trying to do any kind of precision work is probably a bad idea.

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
n.local...
Needed a portable miter box (really don't want to lug a miter saw around
for four pieces of molding, but it's a furniture repair so it has to be
a tight miter), was gonna make one for the Dozuki but saw a Jorgensen in
Home Despot for 20 bucks (it's not on the Web site otherwise I'd post
the link) and figured how bad could it be.

Well, the answer is pretty bad. I took it home, set it up, and tried
some trial cuts. The saw's not particularly sharp, the guides aren't
quite parallel so the saw doesn't want to go all the way down to the
bottom of the cut, the 45 degree angle seems to be more like 44, but
it's hard to tell because there are a couple of degrees of slop in the
detent, the clamp that holds the workpiece is a joke (especially coming
from a company that specializes in clamps), the thing is so light that
you have to hold it in place with your other hand, and there's no
support anywhere near the cutline. Not the tool for getting a well-
fitted joint. I mean I've gotten better miters following a pencil line
with a jigsaw.

Manana I do it right and this POS goes back to Home Despot.


Best miter box I ever got was made out aluminum and came with one of this
little hobby kits. I still have it, but I can't find the saw that came with
it, and its way too small for a regular backsaw. For most quick and dirty
work one of those cheap plastic ones seems to work fine. I actually prefer
them over my Hitachi miter saw. Maybe its just my choice of blades.