This bench was deceptively tricky for me. I planed tapers on the top and side before I cut any of the joinery and notches for the legs. Sometimes it's just easier to use hand tools than machinery.
Smoothing quartersawn walnut has turned out to be challenging for me. Some of the tearout is sinister and doesn't make itself known until the finish starts to build. I find it beneficial to sand up to 600 grit, which creates fine dust that lodges in offending nooks and crannies. Its like dusting for fingerprints.
The off kilter design here reflects my current state of mind; I'm drawn to simpler, modern forms lately, but can't help myself with exposed joinery and reveals...
C&C welcome.