Beech, a strong and durable close-drained wood, should be used in making a miter box. Make the box of 1-inch stuff, planed down to 7/8. The length will vary according to whether the 60-degree miter cuts are used. in addition to the 45-degree and the right-angle cuts, in which case the box should be about 30 inches in length.

One of the sides and the bottom are made of 0-inch wide material, the other side being 7 inches wide, so that it will project below the bottom of the box 1 inch, forming a ridge to bear against the workbench when sawing.

The positions of saw cuts should be laid out very accurately in pencil first, and when sawing them care must be taken to keep the saw over the pencil lines in the horizontal and vertical lines. The sides should be secured to the bottom with screws or nails at points each side the saw cuts. It is a very good plan to lightly tack a narrow board to the bottom of the box, as indicated by the broken line, to protect it from the wear of the saw.

Fig. 56 - Construction of the miter box.