Mike -- the posts are 8x8 and the girt is 6x6. Tim I like the idea of this joint that can use the original mortise and slide in on the other end -- any drawings of that joint? I can try to find one. Here are links to two pictures, each showing one end of the girt in question (what were they thinking to cut out the middle half)? Sorry, couldn't figure out how to paste the actual image in from picasa.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aFDPHUlSsPFTG-LFT5m_3b5VxNOssEJcUNdLN3tZe80https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Vo5pk3s9gqRmV7BTTJiGFb5VxNOssEJcUNdLN3tZe80
