Just finished my first attempt at an onsite open skirt stain grade stair case. I learned a lot on this and cleint was very happy with results. Fit was VERY tight, just making code on clearance. I milled everything except treads and handrail. I was very happy to have read the staircase book recently published by Taunton. Hope to do more after this one… client wanted to put finish on himself. I wasn’t thrilled, but what can I say?
“The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program” -Ronald Reagan
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Nice work - I've never made a whole stain-grade staircase - maybe someday . . .
Forrest
thanks."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
what is the riser hieght?, The stair looks kind of steep.
It was right at maximum allowed height in this area. It was definitely on the high side. I don't have my notes in front of me, so I don't want to guess what I used. Client was an electrician, but had done some building. Did want to tackle the stairs, but signed off on the rise and run...making sure they were within local codes. It was real pain getting them to fit in a VERY tight space. Head room was exactly 6"8'. No room to spare."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Okay, I went back to my notes. Here are the numbers I had to work with:
actual run: 105"
rise: 105 1/4unit rise: 8.1"
unit run: 8.75"We just made the head clearance with that...did I mention it was a very small house!!"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Welcome to the fraternity.
You know, there is an old principle that the best carpenters got to work on the stairs and mantles, while the rest of the guys got the hard jobs.
;)
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
That's a great motto. I've never done a mantle, so I'm only "half-fast"....if you will! thanks."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Did you prefab the staircase, or stick-build it in place?
had to build it in place...residence was too small to bring in finished product, and they didn't ask me in time to lower in place before framing, as that was the only way there was room to install completed staircase."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Did you take photos? I would love to see the entire process you used.
George Patterson
yes I did....not a very thorough documentation, but I have most of the stages. I'll have to dig them up. And because I usually am on dial up, it takes forever to upload. I'll get back to you!!"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Appreciate it. I have DSL, but I sure remember how Dial-up was for me!George Patterson
Okay, so I've finally gotten to a location with a fast wifi network. I'm going to upload what I have....not much as I review, though"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Cool! So far, it's much like the article in FH by the guy in Block Island. When you post stuff detailing the trim, I would love to see a little higher resolution, please.George Patterson
will do.... actually, the file I took on the digital camera was too small!! I have to go back and see if I can use the larger file. I'm still learning about these digital cameras. client just asked me back to finish upstairs trim so I wil do better with the stair photos this time around.
thanks."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Someone who knows the camera lingo come tell unTreatedwood that there is an adjustment feature on the camera somewhere that can increase or decrease the number of KBs in a pic being taken.
found it!! very happy now! Thanks."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
You downsized them way too much. Looks like a postage stamp..
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
overkill...sorry about that....."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
okay...let's try this. Not sure how much it will reveal, but it should be easier to see.actually one got in there that is not supposed to be.. 11, but I don't know how to remove it. the rest seem to work."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
I have to downsize other photos....their files are too big for this forum. I'll be back!"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Nice Work .
Congratulations, ready to tackle some winders and then a circular in a few years right?
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
thank you. I can only dream of trying a winder!!! I would love to follow Stan Foster around for a week...if I could keep up with him!!"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
client wanted to put finish on himself. I wasn't thrilled, but what can I say?
I don't typically let the painter, client, or floor guy finish my stairs, but if it's out of my hands, say if the flooring guy included it in his bid so I'd be duplicating his expense to the client, then I'll at least insist on final sanding and a seal coat as part of the carpentry. This way I know it's sanded, filled and everything looks good with a coat of finish on and any problems can be taken care of. Applying the other coats of finish are a piece of cake so it's also better for the client if they aren't very good at such things.
Nothing is more frustrating than letting someone else finish work and they just slap the finish on without sanding whatsoever. I sand all staingrade carpentry to 220 before assembly, but the assumption is the painter will lightly sand to clean fingerprints, pencil marks, light scratches and other such things prior to finish. I just saw a light pencil mark on a staingrade door jamb and it's frustrating, but now it's also too late to do anything about it. Luckily I'm the only one that knows or will ever notice.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
In fact, I did that! I sanded through 220, and applied 2 coats of Tung oil to seal. I just don't have a lot of confidence in this guy's ability to finish...he's trying to save costs....I did not include the estimate at his direction."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Good minds think alike. :-)
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
works for me! Now if he DOESN'T get the finish on it, I'm not sure I want my name associated with it when it starts getting run down!! It would be a lot easier to finish it now. Oh well.... not my stairs. I will be uploading some of the staged shots when I can get to a faster wifi signal with my laptop."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Sorry, just saw this. Nicely done. Last stain grade job I did was of white oak, milled off the HO's lot and air dried...oy! Someone's got it in for me, they're planting stories in the press
Whoever it is I wish they'd cut it out but when they will I can only guess.
They say I shot a man named Gray and took his wife to Italy,
She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me.
I can't help it if I'm lucky.
thank you! I doubt if I could even think about that sort of project!!"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
nice work!
thanks...I'm going to try to upload stages of construction when I get the time. and high speed wifi!!"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Nice tight work, congradulations.
How did you cut the open skirts?
Gord
carried marks over from stringer, checking for plumb and level; set the old Bosch worm drive on 45 degrees and cut them in a room WAY too dark by hand. Finished cuts by hand with hand saw. More control than with a jigsaw."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
You're pretty handy with that circular saw. Its been a while since I did one that way. I remember using table saws for the cut. Right tilting saw for left hand skirts, Left tilting saw for right hand skirts.
Double bevel slider changed all that.
View Image
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Gord
now THAT's impressive. I generally do not take my Bosch slider on the job, but it might have made sense looking at what you're doing! That will be on the agenda on the next one, to be sure. Thanks."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
thank you for the kind words. I spent a fair amount of time watching some of Gary Katz's advanced techinques dvd. I'm always open to trying to learn something new every day. BTW: He's going to be in my area at the end of Sept. and I can't wait to go watch his demonstration."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
NICE WORK, LOOKS GOOD, NEVER DONE A STAIR CASE.... JUST SOLD A BUNCH OF THEM!!! MAYBE SOME DAY
thank you. client was happy and I've been asked back for more work. What else can you ask for?"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan