If you sinew back them, they could be skinnier...
I always get hung up on billets too. Takedowns are cool, but what if I mess them up and have to salvage the sleeves? Cutting splices scares me because precision is not my strongest point. It's too easy just to put them back in the rafters and grab a stave. Maybe just flip a coin! (Or, if you cut them in two, one of each would work!)