Box, Miter

Description

Some sort of jig, perhaps a miter box, mounted on a sliding table (a) and a base upon which the table slides (b). The base consists of a white pine board to which two verticals are nailed. L-shaped rabbeted strips are nailed to the outside tops of these verticals, all of white pine. The sliding table also consists of a white pine board board with two rabbeted L-shaped cleats nailed to the underside. These cleats engage the similar pieces on the base thus on the top of an end of the table, a white pine v-block is attached with flat-head wood screws. This v-block is secured at approximately a 120 degree angle to the end of the table board. Two sawk kerfs are cut 3 1/2" into the table end, both at about the same angle (45 degrees). One kerf is covered by the v-block so as to be non-functional. In addition, there are two square through-mortises (7/8") indicating missing components.

Notes

Given that the v-block and the saw kerf are both angled, it appears that this jig may have been made to cut a specific compound angle miter. Jerry Grant speculates that it may have been used to cut the proper angle at which a dipper handle meets the side, as the device combines a "V" block usually used to cut something round, and a miter box to cut some constant angle (not 45 degrees). Also, part of the "V" block is cut away to make room for the thicker part of dipper handle. Given the height of the sliding table above the base (6"), the saw that this was used on must have been a band saw rather than a bench saw.