Do Miter Boxes Work?

Miter boxes (or their powerful brethren, miter saws) are invaluable for molding work, frame-making, and other tasks requiring tight angle-cut joints. If you can use a handsaw, you can use a miter box; it's really that easy.

Are miter boxes accurate?

Precise: A power miter saw can lose its alignment with the material, especially when the tool is first activated. Manual miter boxes and backsaws can cut with greater precision, making them especially good for fine craftwork, such as creating picture frames.

How well does a miter box work?

A miter box is a wonderfully simple, affordable tool that allows any DIYer to make accurate crosscuts in wood. Since these tools are hand-powered, they are quiet, and they are light enough to be easily moved to any project location.