Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

X-acto Mitre Box

2840 views
9 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    September 2002
  • 7,486 posts
Posted by ndbprr on Monday, August 11, 2008 12:50 PM
I have not used the Exacto but I do have the Atlas. It has a flange that allows you to place it against a countertop and hold it in place when you push the saw.  Very nice feature for most of what I cut.  The Exacto may have the same thing but thought I would mention the feature.
  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 79 posts
Posted by JON168 on Sunday, August 10, 2008 9:16 PM
DO NOT use a hacksaw with the X-ACTO mitre box!!! They are aluminum and a hacksaw will cut it quickly,and render it useless for making square cuts,  use only the saw the mitre box comes with.
  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Saturday, August 9, 2008 5:23 PM
 DeadheadGreg wrote:

i don't have the label anymore, but it IS a hack saw.  Its just small.  Its made by Stanley. 

 

 

THAT.

I have one like that.  In addition to the blade beyond the end support being somewhat "whippy" the other and perhaps bigger problem is that you likely won't be able to get the blade all the way down to the bottom of the mitre box due to the handle pieces interfering.  What I have done with a saw that has an upper lip that interferes, is to place the work, the piece to be cut, on top of a piece of homasote to build it up in height to where the saw blade can reach it.  I think you'll need to do something similar if you try to use this saw with an Xacto mitre box.   It will not be ideal in any event. 

Dave Nelson

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Los Angeles
  • 199 posts
Posted by Randall_Roberts on Friday, August 8, 2008 5:30 PM

Here is the saw that works with the Xacto mitre box:

http://www.buyhardwaresupplies.com/?t=5&m=g1&itemNumber=28664 

Some hobby stores carry an equivalent product by another manufacturer that costs slightly less.  In the case of the other brand (whose name I can't remember and don't find stamped on my saw or mitre box) you can buy the saw and mitre box together or separately.  I'm not sure if Xacto offers them bundled.

Best!

Randall Roberts Visit http://modeltrains.about.com Subscribe to the FREE weekly Model Trains newsletter.
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Culpeper, Va
  • 8,204 posts
Posted by IRONROOSTER on Friday, August 8, 2008 11:41 AM
 DeadheadGreg wrote:

i don't have the label anymore, but it IS a hack saw.  Its just small.  Its made by Stanley. 

 

 

THAT.

Because the forward supporting arm is at the center of the blade you will find this saw doesn't work with a miter box.  The cut will probably be too rough for strip wood also.  I recommend you get Xactos's saw and use it.

Good luck

Paul 

If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Delmar, NY
  • 671 posts
Posted by DeadheadGreg on Friday, August 8, 2008 11:29 AM

i don't have the label anymore, but it IS a hack saw.  Its just small.  Its made by Stanley. 

 

 

THAT.

PHISH REUNION MARCH 6, 7, 8 2009 HAMPTON COLISEUM IN HAMPTON, VA AND I HAVE TICKETS!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!! [quote user="jkroft"]As long as my ballast is DCC compatible I'm happy![/quote] Tryin' to make a woman that you move.... and I'm sharing in the Weekapaug Groove Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world....
  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Friday, August 8, 2008 10:24 AM

The Xacto mitre box works with any saw that has a fairly narrow kerf.  If that "hack saw" you refer to has a wide kerf (the teeth push out to either side creating the total kerf or width of cut) you might have the teeth hitting the metal of the mitre box which does neither the box nor the blade any good.  It is probably a matter of choosing a different blade for the saw.  I use my X acto mitre box with Zona and Xacto saws and it works fine. 

Dave Nelson

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,908 posts
Posted by maxman on Thursday, August 7, 2008 8:59 AM

I'm not sure what you mean by mini-hacksaw.  Did you mean razor saw?

If you meant an X-acto razor saw, these have a thick metal piece or strong back along the top to keep them straight.  The saw blades come in two different heights.  The strong back on the shorter blade keeps the blade from dropping down to the bottom of the groove on the mitre box, so you would not be able to cut through whatever it is you are trying to cut.  Take a look at the saw blades shown in the following link and you can see what I'm talking about.

http://www.hobbysetcohio.com/xacblade.html

And just so you know, you will not get perfectly square cuts with the mitre box every time unless you use a little care.  This is because the difference between the width of the saw blade and the width of the mitre box groove can allow the blade to wander a bit.  As long as you keep the blade against one side or the other of the groove front to back while you are cutting you should be pretty much okay.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 8:49 PM
The slots in the X-Acto miter box are made for an X-Acto saw blade to fit into.  If this mini-hacksaw you have is wider than the X-Acto saw, it probably can't be used.  An X-Acto saw is not that expensive, anyway.
  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Delmar, NY
  • 671 posts
X-acto Mitre Box
Posted by DeadheadGreg on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 8:23 PM

hey.  i was wondering if anyone here has the X-acto mitre box?  I need to get one so that I can make square even cuts with the wood for the wooden kits that I've got.  It does what I need it to do right now, because I have a mini-hacksaw that I use to cut the wood in my kits. 

WHat i'm wondering is if the mini-hacksaw will be able to fit in the grooves with this mitre box?  The hacksaw was a gift from my mom, so i'm GOING to use it, lol. 

 

thanks

PHISH REUNION MARCH 6, 7, 8 2009 HAMPTON COLISEUM IN HAMPTON, VA AND I HAVE TICKETS!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!! [quote user="jkroft"]As long as my ballast is DCC compatible I'm happy![/quote] Tryin' to make a woman that you move.... and I'm sharing in the Weekapaug Groove Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world....

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!