Pulpit - Milling the Posts

Once the lumber has been selected, rough milling of the parts can begin. I usually bandsaw stock out with an extra 1/4" in both dimensions. The posts which will eventually support the pulpit are the four pieces in the foreground.

After rough milling, the posts are left for a week to settle. Next, they are milled to exact outer dimensions.

This is how I cut the five sides of each post:






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After the faces have been cut into each post, I use a smoothing plane set to a very light cut to clean up the saw marks.

Four posts (with two test posts), ready for joinery.