The problem people have with miters is that the wood will usually shrink and want to open up the miter at the bottom. The wood will shrink widthwise, perpendicular to the direction of the grain, which changes the actual angle on the cut end of the crown. The top “longer edge” of the crown then becomes too long, and the bottom “shorter” edge will be too short. If there is alot of shringage and movement this force almost always opens up the bottom of the miter sooner or later.
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There are a number of ways to achieve a level foundation and mudsill.
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In addition to that moisture movement, you have seasonal movement that occurs with changes in humidity. You can't keep wood from moving!!!
They used to quarry rock by drilling holes and driving dry wood pegs into the holes and then pouring water into the hole over the peg. The pegs expanded and cracked the rock.
The reasons many construction practices have been around so long is that they are the best practices. This is one of them.