Found an Old Miter saw someone threw out

[oldtools]

Found an Old Miter saw someone threw out, Cleaned it up, works great, but can't find a name on it.
but looks like  the 2nd photo "Old Miller Falls 1909 Langdon Miter box saw" photo on EBay.
now I need a saw for it, looks like Saw needs to be ~5"-6" wide and long, maybe 24"+?.

[Branson]

I've got an identical miter.  Had it for,  um,  about 30 years.  The saw that came with it has a 30 inch blade.

[EVILDR235]

I have a simular one. I don't remember the maker right off hand. Mine is missing the two brass pieces that support/align the saw blade. I could make the parts if i had a lathe. I have other miter boxs, so i may just hang this one on the shop wall.

EvilDr235

[dimwittedmoose51]

I have two long miter saws, a older Craftsman and another which brand(if any) escapes me.  Both are old and fairly sharp still..PM if it gets down to that.

DM&FS

[oldtools]

Found some small stamped lettering on the posts;

   ?OODELL MFG CO.
GREENFIELD MASS. USA.
   PATD. FEB. 9 1904

[Bill Houghton]

Ah!  Goodell Pratt made miter boxes similar to the Millers-Falls (Langdon Acme) boxes, except G-P's were riveted steel construction, while the M-F boxes were cast iron.  I've owned two G-P boxes, one of which had gone warpy.  If yours is straight, I imagine there's no reason that it couldn't be just as good as the M-F boxes.

What makes it more complex is that Millers Falls acquired G-P in 1931.  Still, the company name information you've listed there implies that it was produced before the M-F takeover.  See here for some history: http://oldtoolheaven.com/related/goodell-pratt-history.htm.

[scottg]

 G-P, Millers and Stanley all made good large miter boxes.
 There were 2 common sizes.  Made for a 5X24 saw or a 6X30.
 If you put a 6" wide saw in a 5" miter box, it will bang into the bottom and screw up your teeth, unless there is a adjustable stop for it.

 Set the guide bushings all the way to the bottom and measure from the bottom (of where the spine on the saw would rub) to the trough underneath. If its 6" plus you need a big saw. If its only 5" and change, look for the smaller size.

 Miter boxes complete with good saws sell for so little you might want to just get another complete outfit.
  They are big and impressive precision tools. They cost a ton of money when new.
 But since hardly anyone sharpens their own saws anymore, and power miter saws are for sale everywhere, and blades for same are 5 bucks apiece??
 The value has plummeted to rock bottom and every serious collector already has scooped up one or more.
 Miter boxes have basically no value at all at this time.  In a generation or less that will change, but for now you can't hardly give one away. 
 Bizarre but true.

 I ended up taking my neighbors, a Stanley 386, because it was headed to the dump too.
   yours Scott
 

[oldtools]

Thank you Bill, for the information, very interesting. and great photo of my miter box http://oldtoolheaven.com/related/goodellimg/GoodellMfgCoTools.jpg

Started as Goodell Brothers Company 1888., then Goodell Tool Company, 1892-1904, then After Henry E. Goodell sold Goodell Brothers,
 looks like Henry started The "Goodell Mfg. Co." name from 1902 to 1923 when he died. then to Goodell-Pratt Company 1930-

and Thank You Scottg, I will measure the size, But I maybe missing the Brass guide Bushings?
assume it fits in the elongated holes on the 2 post. slots fit for top of saw & a ~5/16" dowel on top to retain it?

2nd look at their photo looks like the saw spline just fit into the elongated slots, (without guide bushings?), is this a special saw?

[Bill Houghton]

I'm going to assume here that the first photo in your original post is the miter box you found.  If that's not the case, a photo of it as it sits will help.

These miter boxes take a backsaw, like the ones at this link but longer and with a wider saw plate (the thin sheet metal part with the teeth): http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=57152&cat=1,42884.  The saw plate goes in the narrow slot in the saw guides, with the back going in the wider slot at the top of the guides.  The guides then slide up and down in the box.  Once you lube the saw guides lightly, you'll find that you can set the saw on the work, start sawing, and the weight of the saw and the guides together will carry the saw down through the work.

You can see an example of the saw in its guides in the photos here: http://www.wkfinetools.com/hUS-borTools/MillersFalls/pubs/mf-MiterBoxes/MF-MiterBox-HowTo.asp.  This site also offers a download of an instruction manual for Millers-Falls boxes.  The basic principle of these boxes is like that of the Goodell boxes, although the angle locking mechanisms, saw stops (to keep the saw from going down far enough to damage the teeth on the metal), and the like will differ.  Still, understanding how one box works will help you understand how yours works.

I'm not aware of any new source for these saws.  You'll need to haunt yard sales or eBay, or contact one of the vintage tool sellers to get one.  Shipping will add up; sometimes, shipping is more than the price of the saw itself.  I've had good experiences with Brass City Records and Tools and Fine Tool Journal, but there are lots of sellers.  You might also wander over to WoodNet, the hand tool forum of which has kind of a saw focus; you might find a seller on their buy-and-sell forum.

You might look at the saw guides closely.  On the Millers-Falls boxes, one is for the front and one for the back; and, when I got my M-F box, their positions were reversed.  Not sure what difference it makes, but I did switch them around.

My Millers-Falls box is beyond fantastic; it has the same relationship to a hardware store box that a Rolls Royce has to an arthritic mule.  I still remember the day I trimmed a saw kerf's width of wood off a piece of molding that I'd cut too long.  You can't do that with a hardware store box.  When these were selling at retail, they went for nearly the modern retail of a pro table saw* - and were probably just as valuable to the carpenters using them.

*That's assuming I did my inflation calculation correctly.

[oldtools]

Thank You Bill, again very useful information, looks like mine is a 5" wide saw blade, (1st photo) end mounts for stops (no stops attached) adjustable height,
has graduated protractor, spring locking detentes & pull lever to tighten to any angle. everything moved smoothly & no obvious damage.
Now I know what saw to look for, hope I can find it in Hawaii, as shipping maybe too much. checked EBay, some similar with Saw going for $160+?...

[johnsironsanctuary]

Oldtools, PM a sketch of the bushings you need, I have a drawerfull of them and a lathe. I just got one of the new large Priority boxes this week. 11.75 X 24 X 3. A 30 inch saw won't fit, but other big stuff will.

[Bill Houghton]

These saws came in varying lengths; and you don't necessarily need to use all the height you've got available.

I learned when we moved from Michigan 39 years ago that a handsaw's a lot shorter if you pull off the handle.  If you get a 24" saw, you might be able to get it shipped flat rate priority if the seller's willing to remove the handle.