I set a maple curved stairway today. I will install the railing next week. It took 6 guys to set it in place. The outside stringer fit real nice except for one two foot section where the framing bulged out. It was only about a 1/4 incha away for the two feet…and the rest all lagged up airtight.
Stan
You don't have to sacrifice historical elements of a house in the name of energy efficiency.
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Replies
Stan,
You have to write "Stair builders Bible"
Chuck S.
Very nice! Someday I want to build one of those.
Are you in Illinois? Was looking for a fabricator around here (Centralia, IL) just yesterday, but I think I have my problem figured out!
You are inspiring, but I really don't think I have hte patience for what you do.
How many "nice comments" for a ride in the gyro?
JeremyThe bad news is you've done exactly the right things to be exactly where you are today. "IdahoDon 1/31/07"
>>"You have to write 'Stair builders Bible'"Seconded. I'd sure buy a copy. Maybe such a tome wouldn't have a justifiably large audience. A geometrical stair probably wouldn't have the same sort of potential DIY appeal that something like the Cheng books on concrete counters has. But it would be a book for the ages.
Hey Stan, when you say you "lag" the stairs, what exactly do you mean?Glad to hear you're still happy makin' 'em, cause I'm still happy lookin' at 'em<G> "But to be honest some folks here have been pushing the envelope quite a bit with their unnecessary use if swear words. They just put a character in to replace a letter. But everyone knows what they're saying." Sancho
Snort: I put lag bolts through the outside stair stringer into each stud underneath the treads.
I first drill a 3/8 hole for the lag bolt.....then stick the spout of a a construction glue tube into the hole....and while tightly sealing the hole....I ineject the subfloor adhesive. Then the lag bolt gets inserted and the glue gets all squished out making a very stout adhesion. I could actually take the lag bolts out later and it would be just fine...but of course I dont.
Stan
I could actually take the lag bolts out later and it would be just fine...but of course I dont.You know, it would be interesting to see if that really would work, and for just how long...I might just take out every other lag<G> "But to be honest some folks here have been pushing the envelope quite a bit with their unnecessary use if swear words. They just put a character in to replace a letter. But everyone knows what they're saying." Sancho
Stan,
On a seperate but equally important topic...
I was watching "When Stunts Go Bad" on Spike TV and they had the guy who owned the gyro copter that was used in the james bond movie. And they showed him crashing at an airshow when his push motor went out.
Of coarse he was doing loops and and other stunts while flying 20 feet off the ground.
I don't think it would have been as bad but he was flying fast and low.
But he did walk away.
Still looks like fun though.
Kyle
Nice work Stan.
What material do you make your laminated stringers from?
Mike
Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful!
The fit to the wall is excellent, do you have specifications for the builder to adhere to?
Also the box newel panel looks like it was made with a router, the inside corners are rounded. Is that possible? or was it piece built to look that way?
Very impressive Stan
Thanks,
Red
Red: To be totally honest....the fit to the wall was nice except for a two foot section where the framing in the house went out of curvature. Nothing that a little mud wont fix....
I had laid out the curved walls on the floor...but the framer didnt follow my arc very well.
Those newels were off the shelf...cant claim to have made them.
Stan
Edited 2/3/2007 8:51 am ET by StanFoster
Thanks Stan. It must be frustrating to lay out the framing beforehand and then find things out of place at installation.
Do you ever install these types of stairs before the curved walls are framed?
Red
Red: I have installed them before the walls are built....
Those are easy...just set....and forget.....
Stan
Stan, I gather you work by yourself fabricating the stairs, but who helps you install them. Do you use the same person(s), or do they differ from job to job.
TGNY: I just get a half a dozen locals to come out for $20 each to take the stairway out of the shop and onto my trailer. It takes them all of 5 minutes...they are happy with $20 and so am I.
I have the contractor supply about 4-5 guys the day I set it in place. I take along a part time guy that helps me for whatever part of the day I use him. I pay him hourly from the minute he leaves the shop..till he gets back to the shop. I pay much better than they can make locally. They also get a breakfast and a dinner.
I have had several people comment about how I can afford to pay $20 per person for 5-10 minutes...sometimes 10 people on the big ones. I just kind of chuckle how they can think that $200 is going to make any difference at all on compared to the price of the stairway. If I figure a stairway that tight that an extra $200 is going to make or break me....then I would have been out of business two months after I started. <G>
Stan
Edited 2/4/2007 11:15 am ET by StanFoster
>>I have had several people comment about how I can afford to pay $20 per person for 5-10 minutes...sometimes 10 people on the big ones. I just kind of chuckle how they can think that $200 is going to make any difference at all on compared to the price of the stairway. If I figure a stairway that tight that an extra $200 is going to make or break me....then I would have been out of business two months after I started. <G>
. . . And cheap money I'm sure, compared to what could happen if you didn't have enough manpower when you get it tipped into that position of no return . . .