Help with Chiseling Finger Joints on Pine Wood

Pine is pretty soft and can compress, especially if your chisel blade isn't sharp enough. Higher quality chisels will help. I usually use a fret saw for most of the waste because it helps reduce the amount you need to chisel away. If you can, try practicing on poplar as it’s generally easier to work with than pine, but if pine is what you have access to, just take it slow and don't be afraid to take small amounts off at a time.

To start, make your first cut a couple millimeters away from the baseline. The chisel's bevel pushes back into the waste piece, so you need that space. Start by giving the chisel a few whacks, it may bind up a bit but that’s okay. Pull it out and push it a bit further into the waste area to clear out more wood. Once you clear most of the waste, you can start chiseling down directly. Pine can be tricky because of the hard and soft wood in its growth rings, so keep your chisels sharp. As a side note, you might want to try dovetails instead of finger joints; they can be easier and have more resources available for learning. Oh, and don't fret if your cuts aren’t perfect—those imperfections won't show once the joint is assembled!