The first tenons are cut!

I cleaned up the five posts by planing and sanding them on all 4 surfaces.



After this, I laid out and cut the five 2x2x2 stub tenons at the base of each post. This short tenon will connect the post to the sill plates during the frame raising. I think the tenons turned out pretty well.

Our five posts are comprised of four local softwood specie: Englemann Spruce, Douglas Fir, Pine (Ponderosa or Lodgepole), and two Western Larch (Tamarack) posts.




Peter cleaned up the three humongous top plates, visible on the framing ponies in the back of the photo below:



The next step is to carefully layout and cut the tenons on the tops of the posts, taking into account variations in thickness of the top plates such that the top plates will be perfectly level and at the correct height.