That makes perfect sense Jim.
I would like to make a couple of comments on set up, and you guys please tell me if I am off or on.
Say I'm preparing to layout a post. I decide to put the crown to the inside of the building. I stretch the chalk line along the primary reference face let's say two inches from the edge that meets the secondary reference face. If there are any high spots in the middle pushing on the chalk line, plane those down. I could also optionally plane down the ends to try to take some of the concave bow out of the primary reference face, if I want to, if it's excessive. When setting up this first chalk line, I measure 2 inches from the edge at each end of the timber. There is nothing, however, to say that the secondary reference face or edge doesn't have crown or wankyness of it's own. Therefore, before snapping my primary face chalk line, I must make sure that my chalk line is 2 inches from the highest point of the secondary face edge. I may want to stretch a chalk line along the secondary face and look for high spots and plane that face closer to being straight and level(square with primary face). It is only then that I may snap my first chalk line. Is this normal or typical? I understand that you may elect not to plane or modify the timber at all, such as in the case of a hewn timber. In that case, you may decide to measure as best you can and determine the location of the first chalk line. I then assume that you will determine the secondary face chalk line endpoints by both using your square on the end of the timber and measuring 2 inches as best you can from the reference face. Comments?
Brad
