What is a Miter Box?
A miter box is a tool that can be used in woodworking to make precision, angled cuts in pieces of wood. A miter box is used in conjunction with a handsaw, commonly a backsaw, such as a tenon saw or dovetail saw, and is used as a guide when cutting wood by hand. Though a miter box may be used to make cuts of any angle, it is normally a tool used for making precise 45-degree angles in pieces of wood that are to be joined together to form a right angle, such as a picture frame or box shelf. Though a miter box can be purchased, some woodworkers prefer to make their own miter box. Manufactured miter boxes are available in a variety of sizes and are commonly made of hardwood or plywood, though metal is also used. An experienced wood worker or carpenter can quickly construct a hand-made miter box from a few pieces of scrap lumber and can use it until the guide slots have worn out from cutting. A miter box is essentially a U-shaped structure, with an open top and openings at both ends to inser
Hey Robin, If you drop in on your local Home Depot or Lowe’s and tell them that you’d like to trim out a mirror, someone there should be able to direct you to a hand saw and a miter box (basically it’s a way to cut wood without an electric saw so anyone can do it safely and inexpensively). Hope it helps! Oh and definitely send us the before and after pics if you take on the mirror project!
