stanley mitre box

[Corset]

I have just bought a stanley 358 mitre box on ebay. I have been restoring it to some semblance of functionality.
I am making good progress but need some advice. The two rods on the rear that support the guides up and down (think like the towers on a suspension bridge) are twisting in their mounting block. They seat smoothy but will not tighten up to align with the bracket the top so they are always a little loose. The front rods are rock solid.
Is this normal or not?
On a side note. Christ it is a big hand saw, it sure didn't look huge in the photo.
Owen

 

[jimi43]

Any chance of some pictures Owen?

Jim

 

[Corset]

I will get some some tonight.
owen

 

[Alf]

Don't know myself, Owen, but perhaps the instructions might help?

 

[Corset]

Sadly no reference to whether the rods should be tight or loose at the back.
I think you could tighten them with a washer but I will show with photos tonight.
owen

 

[Corset]

After a dead digital camera I have had to use the phone so the images are a bit naff.
In photo one you can see the rods. These currently twist in the block that holds them at the base. In theory they can be tightened up tight like the front rods however when you attach the top you have a problem

The top piece of the assembly has two grooves that mate with two cutouts on the top of the bar. If these are in alignment the bars will spin a little and are not tight. If the bar is tight the top won't go on. As it is generally well engineered I do not think this is an oversight but then again a spacer on the base could be missing.
Any advice is appreciated

 

[AndyT]

Looking at the instructions that Alf linked to, and thinking about how this would work, I'm sure all the guide parts are supposed to lock up nice and firm.
It does seem a thoughtfully engineered tool - I like the way that the pairs of vertical rods can be rotated to give an effictively wider or narrower slot, to suit the saw that you are using.

Elsewhere on the Tooltrip site is a good explanation that the linking piece across the top of each pair of vertical rods was also designed to clamp another stiffening bar, parallel to the back of the saw. This picture looks like your second one: is it the same thing? Do you have the long stiffening bar?

It's not entirely clear (because of one leaflet being for several models) but if I have understood it right, each pair of vertical rods is held in a pair by a cross-linking piece at the top, which is the newer, black part in the photo above.
At the bottom of each pair is a short cone, which fits into a matching conical hole, and is fixed by a single central screw coming up from beneath. The rods are clamped into the cone by a pair of transverse screws. Do those tighten up nicely?

Maybe your problem is that this central screw does not tighten properly. It could be a non-fitting thread (ie not a Stanley original odd size) or maybe just needs a washer?

Whatever the case, I think I want one too!

 

[Corset]

The rods screw into the base firmly if the top linking piece is not present. There is not meant to clamp the rods other than the screw them in tight and this is done on the other set of rods.
However when screwed in tight the linking piece cannot sit on top as the rod top that it sits on are about a 1/4 turn out of alignment.
So if the linking piece is on, the rods are slightly loose. Which seems wrong.
The top tension bar is missing and I expect to make one up but this will only stop front to back rockiing and not the twist of the rod.
I cannot see how the rods could be set tighter unless when they are fitted with a small washer (very very thin like a gasket) is made up to tighten the rods a 1/4 turn before the current point.
Or are the rear rods meant to wiggle a bit. Which seems wrong?

 

[Qwibble]

Hi Owen, hope you get it working sweetly.
If not your welcome to borrow my high accuracy version : )

 

[Corset]

That looks a lot less effort than restoring this thing. The way this is going it is probably more accurate!
I will try not to drop this one out of a van.
Owen