Unpowered bevels

[haggismuncher]

I woud like to ge the kids at school to make boxes using spined mitres.
As I really want to avoid power tools can anyone suggest a method for cutting mitres using only hand tools (then even the youngest kids can do it).

Chris

[thumbsucker]

The tradional methods, would be to use a miter box, to cut the basic miter, then use a shooting board with a donkey to clean up the miter.

Here is a photo of the donkey:



and here is the miter box.



You can read full article on Dereks website here and here.

You can make both items easily and cheaply, from chipboard, ply or mdf.

The only other tool you need is a hand plane with a sharp blade. A stanley No. 5 or No. 6 would be ideal.

For the more advanced students you could get them to put tongue/splines miters into the corners of the miters, it strengthens the miters and looks nice. The slits can b cut with a hand saw.



You can also make small coppered barrels, that make nice small pencil cases.

You should get a copy of Woodworking Joints by Charles H. Hayward, his books would be ideal for your students, you can get then cheap on ebay if you keep an eye out.

*EDIT* I have heard that some schools are not allowed to use hand planes, you can also use a disk sander set up to sand miters, however the disk sander can give variable results unless it is set up just right.

[haggismuncher]

Thanks.
I'll have to get building my self a shooting board and donkey.
As for the kids not using planes it doesn't surprise me, our educational masters are frightened of their own shadows. I was told that I shouldn't get the kids to sweep up at the end of the lessons, needless to say I "forget" that one.

Chris