Photo 8- Resaw stock for the slats at the table saw. Make the cuts in stages.

Rip the slats to width and cut them to length (2-3/4 x 18"), and square up the ends of the slots to fit the slats (photo 9) using a chisel and one of the slats as a guide for the final length of the slot itself.

Photo 9- Square up the ends of the slots with a chisel.

Now put two legs together with the slats as in photo 10 to align the legs for scribing the laps that join the legs. Place a square on the slats to guarantee that they are at 90o to each other. The second alignment to confirm is the distance from the bottom of each slat to the opposite leg- that is, the leg to which the slat is not attached. Note in the photo that a measuring rule shows 1/4" from the slat to the opposing leg. Confirm that there is this distance below both slats. Once you have all this lined up- and yes, it is a bit of a juggling act holding it all together- scribe along the juncture of both legs with a pencil. These lines show the edges of the laps.

Photo 10- Aligning the parts for marking out the lap joints.

Cut the laps 1/2 way through the thickness of each leg, staying within the scribed lines. This can be done with a handsaw and a chisel. A faster way to hog out the bulk of the waste is to set up on the radial arm saw as in photos 11+12. Don’t attempt to cut these parts on a radial arm without a jig to hold them. Make the jig that holds the legs out of one of the scraps left over from the band saw cuts- these are just the right shape to cradle the parts. One additional piece must be applied at the end of the leg to keep it from sliding along the first piece. Attach these pieces to a piece of plywood at an angle that allows the blade to cut a maximum of the waste away. Set one leg on the plywood so that the scribed lines are roughly at right angles to the edge of the ply, then set the jig pieces alongside the leg. Screw the jig pieces down, but don't put the screws in line with the blade.

Photo 11- Radial arm saw jig for cutting out the lap joints.

Photo 12- Use a stick to hold the part down during the cut, not your fingers, because your fingers would be too close to the blade for safety.

Place a leg in the jig and raise the blade up to where the depth of cut will be above the half way mark through the thickness of the leg. Slide the jig along the radial arm fence until the blade is aligned with the middle of the lap, and make a cut. Hold the leg down with another stick, not your fingers because they would be too close (photo 12). Push the saw back, remove the leg and measure the depth of cut. Adjust the saw height until the depth of cut is 1/2 the thickness of the leg.