New Project: "Mission Style Table"

We needed 1/2" X 3/4" slats for the two sides and since we are building two tables, we cut them at the same time. Sal ripped the 3/4" board using the TS-55 and the long guide rail. He simply laid the guide rail on the long boards and used an adjustable square to "push" the rail into exact position. We had to make 6 long rips and used this method on all — it was amazing how all the boards came out so close to each other.    He made his rip cuts so that the pieces were 5/8" wide. Planning them down to exactly 1/2" didn't take that long.
	We will use Domino joinery all the way through these projects. I found that the slat are too narrow to fit a Domino mortise —    even the new 4mm size tendon.    But I could make the ends of the slats to be 4mm thick. The cutter I am using is fully adjustable so I literally could cut a tenon to fit exactly the Domino mortise. You can see some of my test mortise cuts in the scrap leg behind the router fence.    I held the flat stock against a push block that allowed both hands to be away from the cutter. This is exactly the same method that I cut rails and muttons in window and raised panel making.
Once again I am using my story stick from Woodpeckers.  The slat layout is very easy and probably could be done just using a tape measure and a pencil, but I like what the story sticks offer me —  repeatability and accuracy. And it only takes a few seconds to do and we will have to  make use of it eight times. That's a lot of time to make errors.
	Sal makes use of  one of the MFT's to assemble the slats into the rails. They fit very precisely which is good since there was no room for any error or latitude. Eight tenons fit precisely into eight mortises. What a nice way to build furniture.
Sal poses with one of his assemblies. Note in the background the Delta thickness planer that was out being used just a half hour before. If it were me, it would still be out and surrounded by saw dust. Not Sal. "Done with it?" And away it goes and a vacuum to the floor for the spurious sawdust. He is a good influence on me.
	Elena joins us and looks over the printed instructions to see what we are doing. We are at the point where we will cut the rest of the Domino mortises. She has just laid the components in position.
With the other components all laid out, it is an easy task to mark where the other mortises will be.
	Sal has placed the side assembly vertically on the MFT and is using two Festool clamps in the side angle to hold the frame vertically. Note, he is using the Domino machine to show him when the frame is level with the table surface — a very important part of doing things this way.
When he is ready to actually cut the mortises, the Domino is resting on the level surfaces that he created. He can align the pencil marks and make his mortise — exactly where he wants it.
	The side is so tight on dry fit that we wondered if we even needed glue. I said yes and we slid the components apart and glued it together.
Sal  tightens   the frame clamps. He did check for square but guess what? It was perfectly square.
	All the sides are done and it is a nice feeling knowing that they will cure overnight and be ready to assemble in the morning.