I will be building an interior balustrade for the foreman of one of my builders. He is an out-doors type of guy and has decided to use cedar logs. The newels are about 8″ (dia.) and the others to be used for the rail and balusters will be about 3-5″ (dia.).
I am asking if anyone has built this style and knows of any problems that I need to be aware of or short cuts. Thanks for any input.
The code requires installing an approved material to slow the spread of fire between floors and adjacent vertical and horizontal cavities — here are the allowed materials and required locations.
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Replies
Yeah, check this out. I made the tenons witha doo dad called a tennonizer IIRC..
Make sure the stock is a dry as you can get it.
I'll explain the tennons if yer interested.
edit to add: Code says max width of handgrip is 2.375" so act accordingly.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Sell your cleverness, Purchase Bewilderment"...Rumi
Edited 3/29/2005 7:07 pm ET by SPHERE
Sphere,
That stair rail is similar to what I will be doing. I would appreciate any advice you could give, your rail turned out nice. The rail that I will be doing will use straighter material and he has finally agreed to go with an upper and lower rail with vertical balusters (because of the kids). I do railings about once a week, but I had never done one with this material so the tenons, correct spacing (while making it look right), type of glue, anchoring of posts, etc... might be different of present different problems than i am used to. Thanks
Also if you have more pictures, close-ups that would help too.
Edited 3/30/2005 11:07 pm ET by Paul Paradis
http://quittintime.infopop.cc/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Gallery&Number=7077&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
Armin produced these stairs, might give you some more ideas.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Thanks, I knew he did work like that and hope he will find this post.
Sorry for the delay guys, I have been so busy these last few months, no time to check the breaktime threads.
On the project Cal mentioned I ended up using a rectangular mortice to fasten the rail to the log newel. Partly because I didn't care for the round tennon, made in a pencil sharpner look but mainly to counteract the shrinkage problem. This job was pretty much dumped in my lap at the last minute so using dry material was pretty much out of the question. The hand rails were of a smaller cross section than the newels so I assumed the newels would shrink more over time, plus I misted the newels with water every few hours (for the first week) to slow down the drying even further. I new I was on the right track when I disassembeled the parts in my shop and had to force the tightened parts apart using strong trade talk. It's been a year now and as of a month ago the joints are as tight as they can get.
Hope this helps,
Also I just received word from Log Home Living magazine the stairs will be included in the Sept issue, be interesting to see the write up, maybe this time they will use my name instead of "The eccentric woodworker from Munising".
Up here in the Adirondacks we do quite a lot of log rails , both interior and exterior.
I don't use a tenoner since most of the fits and joints are coped together and then fastened with screws and plugged. Most of the layout is by eye , as is the positioning of newels. If you have not done too much of this type of work , you should plan on a bit of time to learn as you go , but I think that you will find it very enjoyable, every piece is a scupture! I usually allow 45 min. per piece.
I livein Essex by the Ferry. Where in the Adks are you?
Howdy nieghbor!! I do alot of work in the Lake PLacid area, mostly on vacation homes. Those downstaters really love the log look!
Jay,Do you have any pictures? How do you cope accuratlly? Any pitfalls?I live in Rochester, used to camp up there, before I started working for myself.
Yes , I do have pictures and I would post them if I could figure out how to do it .I;ll keep trying to figure that out.
Coping acurately involves positioning the piece [i.e. rail, baluster, brace, ect.] as it will set in it's place, against the ajoining piece, holding it there with a clamp, or screw or whatever, and the scribing a line around it very carefully.
I then remove material with a Lancelot, a 4 in. wheel that has chainsaw type teeth and fits on a 4 in. mini grinder.They are available at loggers supply places or at some woodworking stores.
Usually a tight fit requires a few trips back to the scribe, the secret is make sure that you position the piece in the same way each time that you re-scribe it, usually by working with witness marks .
Once you have you pieces scribed and cut, you clamp them tight together ,usually with band clamps, and screw them to each other with Timberframe screws.
Try it !! You'll like it!! each piece is it's own challenge.It's like doing sculpture 12 time a day!!