thanks so much for your kind responses. Tim- to answer your question: the beam will sit on two short posts, that will in turn be scribe fit to 2 big boulders. together they will bear the front of a deck. a timber pergola will sit on top of it, though joined into the deck's framing.
that's an interesting, straightforward strategy Ken- as i understand, to peg from the other side, which is solid. then that solid cheek of the mortise would pull the post into place. hmmm...
i'm really wondering whether a peg is necessary. there will be a lot of weight bearing down on this. a peg might just hold up the settling and hold the joint open. i don't forsee any problems with raising it sans pegs. thoughts on this possibility?
Mo- the chips on the floor are from hewing the posts- you can see one to the right of the beam in the picture. i used a finish and then a swedish broad axe then a drawknife for this. the mess is also from putting a curve on the braces with the adze- a little tough with the dry cedar, but a pleasant smelling mess in any case!
