Framed up

Laminating the aprons. I do this because I like to have straight grain on my aprons, and so it's an efficient use of 8 qtr flat sawn material. The bookmatch is a bonus.

Lots of double mortise magic.

Layout for cutting the front legs to length. Set the tops co-planer and mark the bottom off the bench edge.

 Some angled round mortises for the stretchers.

 Cutting tapers on the front legs.

Paterns, templates, cauls and all kinds of cheat sheets.

Yes, there's days when the hand planing is challenging, and you think about busting out the palm sander. And indeed, there's a time and place for the palm sander. But yesterday was not one of those days. My dad's #3 Stanley Bailey was singing. I imagine it comes close to what a musician must feel when his finely tuned instrument is making music in his hands. I slipped into an elevated spirit animal trance, so here's pictures of all the frame members receiving treatment.