Modified Miter Box

Modified Miter Box

I also start a new tools and general modeling topic on this blog, because sometimes there are jobs to do, to complement the actual layout theme or are also useful in other modeling areas.

Some years ago I have build a jig for cutting scale lumber, styrene or metal strips. This simple jig accepts a standard modeling miter box. Some bigger lumber or styrene shapes just cannot be cut with the NWSL chopper, neither do metal shapes. So this jig simplifies the task of cutting a number of same length strips, like telephone poles, lumber or pipe loads, etc.  

Material list:

- A piece of 1x4 lumber (left-over from your benchwork building)
- 2 small pieces of hardboard (left-overs from your backdrop or fascia/valence)
- 1 piece of thicker wood or whatever serves the purpose (for setting the length)
- 1 small C-clamp
- 1 piece of "paper" tape measure (available for free in most Home Depots like IKEA, serving the customers to make quick measurements of the furniture o.a.)
- Small Miter box and razor saw

 Construction:

- Glue or nail one piece of hardboard at the outer edge of the 1x4 (right)
- Place the miter box against this stop to determine the "0" location of your measuring tape (the center of the miter box)
- Glue the tape in place.
- Put the miter box against the right hand stop and glue or nail the left hand stop in place on the 1x4.

- Now use the bigger piece as a moveable stop and clamp it at the desired mark on the measuring tape.

Place the miter box between the fixed stops, set the desired length with the clamp, insert your scale lumber or styrene stock and cut it with the razor saw. 

On a spare piece of plywood I nailed 4 spikes, spaced for the width of my flatcars/gondolas. This simple jig helps in glueing the poles in layers so the load may be build removable.