How do I build this box?

[Dmod]

For a driving control panel I'd like to make what amounts to a rectangular box where the front and back faces are angled such that the box is narrower at the top than at the bottom.  From the side, it just looks like a simple trapezoid.

What's the best (easy) way to join the box faces that don't meet at a 90 degree angle?

Are simple miter joints and glue enough to hold the box together?

[NightGod]

Sure, might want to throw a couple brads or staples in there to hold everything tight while the glue dries, but the bond from glue is stronger than screws or nails, anyway.

[ChadTower]

A good clamping while drying could do the job, too, if you have the right clamps on hand.

[ScottS]

Sure, might want to throw a couple brads or staples in there to hold everything tight while the glue dries, but the bond from glue is stronger than screws or nails, anyway.

Except when you're gluing end-grain to end-grain, as you would when making miters. The joint may still end up being strong enough, but it will not be as strong as if you'd joined two boards side-to-side. This is one of the reasons why miter joints are often reinforced with biscuits, splines, keys, etc.

The other challenge with a miter joint is just holding everything together while the glue sets. The miters will tend to slip past each other, especially if you have clamps involved, so glue-up can be tricky. The typical solution for this is to lay the joint out flat, tape miters together with clear packing tape, put glue on, then assemble it. The packing tape does a pretty good job of holding the joints together while the glue sets. Do a dry-run with the tape first, just to make sure you have all of the joints tight. The worst thing in the world is to have everything covered with glue and then discover that the tape is allowing the miters to slip out of place!

[Dmod]

Thanks for the advice guys.

The typical solution for this is to lay the joint out flat, tape miters together with clear packing tape, put glue on, then assemble it. The packing tape does a pretty good job of holding the joints together while the glue sets.

What's the typical method for taping it? 

I'm guessing I just need to tape along the outer seam of the joint and then fold to bring the inner seam together.  After it's folded, what's the best way to keep it in place while drying?  Can I just Stand it up so the seams runs vertical, or do I need to add addtional tape or clamps?

[ScottS]

What's the typical method for taping it? 

I'm guessing I just need to tape along the outer seam of the joint and then fold to bring the inner seam together.  After it's folded, what's the best way to keep it in place while drying?  Can I just Stand it up so the seams runs vertical, or do I need to add addtional tape or clamps?

It kind of depends on the exact shape of your box and how you're going to assemble it. You're correct about taping the outer seam and then just folding to bring the inner seams together. Once you've done that, you can stand it up so the seams are vertical and tape the last joint. If there's a 90-degree joint between the mitered pieces and the sides, you can also clamp across the sides which should sandwich the miters into place, though there may be some shifting as pressure is applied with the clamps. In that situation, you could also use brads or screws or something to secure the sides to the mitered pieces.

[Paul Olson]

Lowes and HD sell strap clamps that are used for this type of gluing. I don't know how easy they are to use, but you may want to check them out to see if they will work for you.

Paul