Cross in black walnut, correct ratio

My wife has been asking for a simple cross to hang on the wall for quite some time now. Her birthday today was the perfect opportunity to oblige. Material is 3/4” Black Walnut from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I’ve had several boards sitting around waiting for the right projects. I made a simple half lap joint by nibbling away at it with the miter gauge on the table saw. Glue and a few 5/8” brads hold it tight. Ran a 1/4” chamfer around the edges after glue up. Before assembly I used the keyhole bit (love that bit) to route a mounting hole on the cross member. The fourth picture shows how I used a piece of tape to determine the plunge and pull points.

Finish is one coat of Minwax Dark Walnut and a few coats of spray on satin poly. I added a few felt pads to keep it from rattling on the wall or sticking to the paint.

The ratio for a cross (after doing some google searching) is that the cross piece is centered 1/3 of the way down the center piece, and the two extending portions of the cross piece are equal length to the top. The third picture shows a ruler with the appropriate layout. My stock was 2” wide and the overall length of the upright portion is 14”.

-- Matt CueBall Rosendaul. I don't think I've ever had a cup of coffee that didn't have cat hair or sawdust in it.