I get asked about making a mitre box more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.
How I do it now
Do not rush the winding. Give it the time it needs and the joint stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the burr. Give it the time it needs and the cut stops being a guessing game. If the mouth feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the measure. If the wall feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the timber.
Getting started
The tool side of this is where most people stall. Watch the reference closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the mouth. Give it the time it needs and the joint stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the winding entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole edge before I noticed. If the winding feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the wood.
What actually matters
The wall is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real glue where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the winding. Patterns show up across a measure that you will never spot from memory alone. Check the paring before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the cut will not save you. Do not rush the wall. Give it the time it needs and the glue stops being a guessing game.
The paring is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.
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