: Thanks everyone, especially Paul J for his epistle :-).
: I know all the arguments, but I like the look of finger joints and
: hadn't done it, nor could I remember anyone ever having done it
: or having discussed it.

It comes up every few years on this forum. You might check the archives if you are inclined. Generally the idea is raised, and dropped. I think the biggest issue is cost. Those cutters are not cheap, and they need a lot of horsepower on a 1/2" shaper. Those deep cuts pull out a lot of wood, so the setup needs to be a lot more sturdy than a router table. If you have a shaper and you are going to invest in the cutters for fingerjoints, give it a try and let us know (with a few pictures, too, please) how it goes.

: . . .I'm also going to bevel instead of b & c, so not scarfing will
: probably work better for me, but I'm still intrigued.
: I'm tempted to give it a go.

Try this: just try cutting finger joints in a dozen or so strips, and don't knock down the setup on your shaper. Leave it alone. After you use those strips, see if you even want to use long strips. You may find it more convenient to stay with the 8 foot strips for the rest of your project. If you want more strips with fingerjoints, well, it is just a few minutes to turn on the shaper; you are already set up.

If you are going to be planing the edges on full length strips you'll want a full-length clamp to hold them on edge. Get a couple of 2x4s, or the equivalant building material, and cut a groove about 3/8" wide and the same deep. (8mm to 9mm).
Join these so you have a grooved board about 16 feet long. Set this on some sawhorses, or bolt it to a workbench. Drop your strip into the groove, and secure it at intervals of about a foot, with thin wedges. You can make the wedges from strip scraps. No metal involved, so less risk of damage to your plane. Obviously, if you are working with shorter strips your clamp can be shorter, too.

Keep us informed on how it goes.

PGJ