Bad Axe Tool Works 20" Miter Saw

While everyone loves the big miter boxes, like the Miller Falls Langdon Acme series or Stanley 358 (as do I), there exists a dearth of information about the utility of the mid-size Stanley No. 150, an incredibly versatile, compact, and easily portable box that maximizes more toothline per ratio than the larger boxes.

Download

I designed the new Bad Axe 20" miter saw to work hand in sleeve with this great old tool, though it's not limited to the Stanley No. 150—it will also work with the Millers Falls series and other Stanley boxes. But I like the No. 150. Its compact design optimizes the utility of any saw's toothline, to include panel saws, and offers a precision method with which to make furniture-grade cuts that are spot-on every time.

I file my miter saw's toothline at 12 ppi x-cut on a .025 plate, which, when combined with our method of hammer-setting and gently dressing the teeth, gives you a superbly finished cut. With up to 4.5" under the back and 20" in length, the Bad Axe miter saw offers up to 17" of cut throw, given that the Stanley No. 150 incorporates a metal sleeve to guide the cut rather than limiting the toothline to only 2/3rds of its capacity—as typicaly experienced with the elevator post guides germane to larger boxes. 

To illustrate, I own the Millers Falls Langdon Acme Size 2 1/2 No. 75 with a 30” saw; this is the largest box from the Millers Falls Langdon Acme Series. Though the saw is over 30” long, I have maximum utility of only 20” of the toothline (67% max efficiency), because of the limitations of the elevator guide posts that bracket and carry the saw. In comparison, I’m using a Bad Axe 20” saw in the Stanley No. 150, but this configuration allows me to use 17” of the toothline, for an 85% efficiency.

Hard to believe? Wielding a lighter miter saw by hand makes for a whole new ball game, folks.

This saw is light enough compared to vintage 20" miter saws that it doubles as a great tenon saw, particularly when filed hybrid-cut (leaving just as clean a crosscut as a toothline filed dedicated x-cut. Got a wide span to cut, like when you're making a bedframe stretcher five inches wide? Cuting by hand actually increases your throw up to 24", which dramatically cuts down your strokes while promoting accuracy.

Will I use the big boy for squaring up large 4x and above material? You bet—I love that great old tool, despite the fact that it takes up a fair amount of space in the shop. But the takeaway here is that while I love my Millers Falls for robust work, I don’t think one can beat the compact, yet far more efficient Stanley No. 150 for everyday fine to medium-sized requirements in stock up to 3” in width and height.

Sizing Handles that Fit Your Hand

Here's my hand: it measures about 3 3/4" across. That's what I'm calling regular, and it will work with a range from 3 5/8" and start getting tight at 3 7/8." Bigger hands just under 4" up to 4 1/8" spans will require the size Large handle. Going the opposite direction, if the span of your hand measures in the 3 ¼ up to 3 1/2" range, then we're looking at a size small handle.

Return to sizing menu

The furniture-maker's perfect brace of saws: a Bad Axe Stiletto DT Saw and Bayonet Precision Carcase Saw

Like Brass on your saws? Then you're really going to like our new Titanium Nitride-plated sawbacks.

Have you purchased enough brass-backed saws already to know that they just don't age that well? It's a great look, but it doesn't take long for tarnish to set in, and over time a brass-backed saw deforms with hard use, wreaking havoc on your toothline. But it's traditional, right? And conveys a traditional, warm look we all like to see.

But form only goes so far before substance sets in. You very seldom see brass-backed saws longer than 12" or 14", because brass just isn't a strong enough an alloy for larger saws. Steel on the other hand presents superior strength and durability. So—we at Bad Axe made the hard choice a couple of years ago to phase brass out of our product line, since it's difficult to work with (it has a 'springy' quality to it), doesn't form well, tarnishes, and at the end of the day, just doesn't measure up to carbon steel, which can take a variety of platings for aethetic purposes.

Enter Titanium Nitride (TiN). Long a favored finish for high-end firearms, titanium nitride presents stellar corrosion and wear-resistance, Titanium-Nitride hits the sweet spot when it comes to form following function. The tone falls between the look you get between brass and bronze, so it certainly scratches that aethetic itch you get when wishing you had a little more brass love in the Bad Axe world. And the really cool thing about it? We can apply Titanium Nitride on our largest sawbacks, where the strength and durability of a steel-backed saw is paramount.

So what are you getting for the $75 upcharge? It's obviously not cheap—because it's not a cheap plating process for us to apply. But what you get is corrosion and wear resistance, along with that deep, brass/bronze look that retains its golden lustre over time. Give it a shot—this is a drop-dead gorgeous plating that will retain its deep, rich look for the generations to come.