If I understand correctly (I did not at first), because you "saw off the joint" at the end, what's happening is that the 2-feet of length continually shrinks as I:

1. Dovetail the ends together and then, ...
2. Lop-off the results

Leaving little-more than just the joint itself but giving me two fresh boards to dovetail together again.

As they might say in a Guinness commercial, ... BRILLIANT!

I don't know why, but I initially read it and thought I was going to go out and buy more wood. But if I have interpreted you correctly, each joint should only be a couple inches in length off each board, at most.

OK, so that only leaves me with one thing left to ask ... how are you doing the 1:4? Do I need to buy a 1:4 marker, or how do you do it? I'm probably getting ahead of myself, as I still have to digest all the links you have provided me.