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Mitre Jack
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In a previous
newsletter, I took the position that a tool from the Lee
Valley collection was a floor or chairmaker's saw, which I supported
by giving credible explanations as to its use. It seems that
benign saw descriptions can raise the ire of dedicated tool
fiends, and that article brought numerous comments from subscribers
regarding my description, ranging from complete agreement to
adamant rebuttals. After further research, I present another
application for the saw at the end of this article. First, however,
I profile a tool that is a companion to the aforementioned saw.
Dedicated jigs used for repetitive tasks, such as the one shown
here, are found in most commercial workshops that employ numerous
tradespersons, especially in shops where handwork takes precedence
over machine fabrication. Certain tools are made to be shared
among workers, and, in most cases, are constructed in a manner
that guarantees their longevity. They are not discarded but
become part of the shop environment.
This is one of those items. At 31" long (closed), 11"
wide and 13" high, it must be one of the largest, if not
the largest, tools of this kind. Made of beech with an elm screw,
it's built to sit on a bench or a table in a standalone position.
The multi-angled legs (see photo on page 2) allow for longer work to be inserted into
the angle face for manipulation. With this setup, the back face
can also be used, dependent on whether the angle that needs to
be worked corresponds with the two jaws. Otherwise, you must
locate the workpiece to the required position. Other tools of
this type often have a raised section on the bottom for clamping
in a bench vise. |
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