Originally Posted by
John TenEyck
As mentioned earlier, can you joint a straight edge? If you can't then there is reason to look into why. If you can, nothing else matters.
John
For the most part I agree with this. I don't play it quite as loose as some others. If your jointer, or planer yield an error that will multiply as you build your piece and end up with a 1/64" gap at a joinery intersection, its a problem. Sliding dovetails won't, air tight miters aren't and so forth. If your finishing protocol involves 12 mil of plastic spray as a top coat, you have no problem; it will hide almost anything.
My point being, as some have mentioned, we can get caught up on the numbers and try to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Make some small and intricate boxes. these are quick, use little material and involve the same joinery as a lot of larger pieces. If any problems present on a piece that is 5 x 7 x 12 inches it will be hell trying to assembly a hallway table. Make sense?
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler