Clear wood is a dream around here. So when making my stringers I have to scarf them together to get the lengths I need. I cut the strips, cut out the knots and then just mate up pieces to get the lengths I need. As some of you may know, I had an accident about a year ago and mangled my thumb. A small cut off piece was launched by the saw blade (apparently, I never saw it) and ripped off the nail on my thumb as I was reaching for the power switch. Just one of those freak accidents.

Since then I have been working on improving the scarf jig and after several improvements I have what I consider to be a good jig now. You stand on the left side of the blade which keeps you out of the path of the blade and the line of fire if it tosses a cutoff at you. Your hands are well away from the blade. The part is securely clamped. The only thing I want to change is to replace the two wooden blocks with a solid piece anchored a little better to the base. I have just been using scrap as I went along. Now that I am happy with it I probably use a 2x4 and screw it in from the bottom.

Oh yea, there is a strip on the the bottom that rides in the miter slot. That keeps is straight.