The finished top (mini bench)

I added a couple of end pieces. It was quite difficult to make a long straight mortice but a sharp chisel did it in the end. Then I planed the wood to thickness with a record no 5.

I finished off with the cabinet scraper. It took me a while to get a good edge on it but I did it in the end following these instructions

On to the legs and stretchers more mortice and tenon cutting. Don't worry for the hand tool obsessed I won't be using a router. I am also going to try draw bore pins to hold it together so the glue will be back on the shelf from now on.