My French Oak bench is coming along, slowly but surely. Last night I finished the last of four mortises, and today I cut the first dovetail, which meant I could test fit the first leg. When I cut large joints like this I do 99% of my test fitting with squares, straightedges and dial calipers. Sounds finicky, I know, but if I can prove the geometry of each part with a small tool, then I'm not struggling with a heavy oak leg and almost a square foot of friction between parts.
Many used a Festool track saw at the FORP to cut the dovetail shoulders. The jig that Jeff Miller built was slick, but I don't exactly remember how it was made, so I mounted my (too small) carcase saw on my right arm and away I went. I was a tad off of my knife line, so I pared the shoulder after wetting the end grain with alcohol.
This first leg went in this far on the first shot, tapping lightly with only my hat.
If I get an early start tomorrow, I may have this bench together before the weekend is over.
