This guide is written for the novice user.  If you need to miter corners for picture frames or molding.  I hope this guide helps you understand and use  the tool.  I have been very successful in making pictures frames from molding using a miter box and saw tool.

The box

Most boxes have grooves in the base to hold different widths of strip wood 1/16", 3/32", 1/4", 5/32", and 3/16". 

1.   Determine if your strip of wood is one of those widths.  If it is, place it in the appropriate groove to hold it in place.

   a.  If the strip of wood is not one of those widths, place the wood against the front side of the mitter box.

2.  Mark your wood where you need to make the cut and line up the mark with the correct slot in the mitter box (i.e. straight 90 degree angle or either 45 degree angle.)

3.  Insert the saw blade into both slots until the blade rests on top of your piece of wood.

4.  Slowly and smoothly draw the saw blade back towards you to cut the wood.  Once you have reached the end of the saw blade, pick up the blade and repeat steps 4 and 5.  DO NOT saw back and forth,  the blade is not designed for that.

5.  Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have completely sawn through the wood.

Tips:

     1.  It is better to make a lot of slow even cuts than to try to cut through the wood quickly and messily.

     2.  The metal on the box can leave marks on your wood.  Some people cut a piece of wood to go in the bottom of their miter boxes.  There are also wood miter boxes available.

    3.  If you have a very thin wood like baseboard molding, put a block of scrapwood behind the molding and cut through both pieces of wood.

What you need:

       Miter Box and saw

       Strip wood or molding

I hope this guide is helpful.  I  invite you to visit Lady BJ's Shoppe for a variety of items and How to books.