Hello,

One possible way to approach this first time attempt at making a scarf joint is to, without doubt get some of the basic technical things straight in your mind like the configuration within the overall construction element like Jim has so well laid out here, But it might be a mistake to choose for an over-simplified version because one of more complexity seems intimidating. It is to me quite often surprising just how stiff and solid adjoining two lengths in-line can be with a little extra effort. The confidence of successfully jointing like this can eliminate reticence to using such joints in the future. I just mean when you see how effective a joint which is stub-tenoned, cogged with an inclined lapped table and wedged can be maybe that will encourage further pursuit in place of the discouragement of a simple inclined, maybe shouldered effort that wobbles around there until you hammer a few spikes through it.

I will add though, and Jim is definitely more read and experienced than me on the matter, but I would have made the joint he has pictured differently with the supporting length of the scarf- that is the underneath table - next to the post where it would be supporting the top half of the scarf out from there. Conceptually then the post is the supporting reference rather than the brace which is then largely irrelevant in relation to the scarf.

The method I would be thinking of in terms of laying out the joint is based on a center line and using the dimensions of my square as references.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff