yeah, so here i’m trying to cut a piece of 3/8″ oak ply to go onto the dimensional lumber. I had planned on using 1/4″ plywood risers so i wanted to get the profile of the stringer to within 3/16s where it hits the riser. I started off using only paper but that was obviously way too flimsy but i used it to cut some hardboard which gave me something stiffish to refine the template with. I then used paper again on the new template and it worked out not bad. I wasn’t as concerned with the the gap where the treads are as that was going to be raised by 3/4″ with the hardwood (natch). I got the stringer cut out close enough for this application, so thanks to McDesign who had a thread showing how to do this albeit better than my attempt.
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Just so you know for next time...30# felt works really well in such places. A nail set makes a good 'pencil'.
PS: Big improvement on the stairs, too!
Edited 1/24/2008 4:46 am by splintergroupie
Hey - thank you - I'm honored!
Glad it worked for you.
Forrest - not Stan
To make templates such as this I like to use 1" rips of doorskin (1/8th" luaun). These are easily cut to lenghts as needed with a utility knife. Build the pattern piece by piece to fit the space exactly using a hot glue gun to tack the pattern together. Add corner braces as needed to stiffen the piece. Then lift the whole pattern out and use to transfer the shape to the panel being cut. Works very well.
See, Justin?
Hmmmmm?
Forrest - can't think of a funny line here