u/Suitable-Run-6808

paring a scarf joint using a standard 1 1/2" framing chisel works fine.

but once you switch to a slick for larger surface cleanup work, the difference becomes pretty obvious.

the 3" slick:

• registers across a larger surface
• pares smoother
• cleans up faster
• feels much more stable on long cuts

honestly one of those tools you don’t fully appreciate until you use one on a big surface.

curious what others here prefer for large timber cleanup work:
standard chisels
slicks
japanese slicks
something else

using our little “tonka” mini excavator to dig footings for a 10 x 10 pergola.

surprisingly capable little machines for small property work.

that said, expect to:

check bolts

check hoses

fix wiring

do modifications

not commercial-grade machines, but useful if you’re mechanically inclined.

curious what others are seeing with these smaller chinese minis?

working on footing layout for a 10 x 10 pergola build

started by establishing the first corner and running a control line parallel to the building

from there we squared everything up using a 3-4-5 method and checked diagonals before digging

one footing is being dug by hand because it’s close to the well line and well pump electrical
didn’t want to risk hitting anything with a machine

the remaining footings will likely be machine dug

these will be sonotube footings about 4' deep to get below the frost line here in wisconsin

curious what others are using these days for layout

3-4-5
lasers
batter boards
matching diagonals
something else

been lining up a few different chisels lately and figured i’d share what we’re seeing

brands in the mix:
barr
refiners forge
star hill
arno
sorby
and a couple homemade

you can see a mix of grinds:
flat grind
hollow grind
convex (rounded) shoulder grind

these days we’re leaning toward the convex (rounded) shoulder grind

cuts really well
and more importantly
it’s simple to sharpen and keep consistent

for what we’re using regularly right now:
star hill
arno
barr
refiners forge
sorby

all solid tools
just different feel and grind preference

curious where others have landed

what grind are you running
and why

6 x 8 red pine timbers
cut using a chainsaw jig and saw

we completed the build in about 2.5 days

kept the structure simple

king posts
ridge
rafters

the goal was a clean, repeatable system that goes together without a lot of guesswork

everything laid out and cut to fit tight
no scribing

curious what others are doing for small cabin builds

anyone else working with dovetail joinery on this scale
or using chainsaw jigs vs scribing