"Doug Winterburn" wrote in message
I think I understand, but I'm not absolutely sure. Let me draw what I'm
visualizing by your suggestion and upload it and you can tell me if I
got it
or not.

Here's the idea done with sketchup .099 :-)

Ok, thanks Doug. Your sketch confirms what I understood you to be saying.
One last question. Do you think the gluing together of the two horizontal
feet to encase the half lapped through tenon will be sufficient to hold them
together? I have a tendency to overbuild things and am experiencing a
drastic need to bolt the two feet together. I know a properly glued joining
of wood is generally stronger than the wood itself, but that doesn't stop me
from feeling as I do. And yeah, I like the idea of using two anchor rods
through the stretcher. It feeds my addiction to overbuilding.

All I need to do now is to choose what type of wood I'll use. The exorbitant
cost of Redwood or Cedar hereabouts all but eliminates my using them, but
I'm sure I'll find something that properly treated will give a number of
years service.

Thanks guys.