Dulcimer nut and bridge

Hello again!

I am working on the fretboard for my dulcimer and I had a few questions about the nut and bridge. 

1) Should the dulcimer nut and bridge be the same height? 

2) What is the best way to cut the slots in the fretboard for the nut and bridge? I started using a combination of a saw and chisel to cut the slot but it is turning out quite uneven. 

Thanks for the help!

All the best, 

Haley