Question that’s been puzzling me for a few days –
I’m trying to design horizontal railings and stair railings for my house. Using 1-1/4″ square posts (very basic) between upper and lower railings – picture a ladder on it’s side, suspended about 4″ off the floor. How do I attach the posts to the railings without visible fasteners, and so they don’t “spin” in place? I don’t have a mortiser and wasn’t about to go buy one for a single stair railing job, so I’m stuck with either dowels or ???? I can’t run screws or anything up from the bottom as the bottom of the railing will be visible from the floor below.
I guess I never have learned how railings get built.
Replies
Jon, I've done smaller square "holes" by drillng a round hole, lining up a fence on the work, lining a mortice chisel ( the same thing that's on a morticer, but take out the drill bit), and wacking it with a hammer.
I don't know if you could find an 1 1/4" mortice chisel, so i'd probably make a jig with an 1 1/4" square, clamp it on the newel, drill, and use a wood chisel...how many do you need?
The pictures are of a staircase I built using 1/2" x 1/2". Later I built another using 1.25" x 1.25" and used mortise and tenon joinery. I created a tenon on the end of the balusters in both staircases. The tenon was a smaller square than the baluster and fit snugly into the mortise.
Check out this site
http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/decks/handrail/traditional/assembly.htm
Shown are turned balusters, but the ends are square -
I don't like the bottom attachment - bottom rail has a grove which is perfect for collecting water. I mill a solid bottom with a slight peak on the top surface. The bottom of the balusters need to be cut so they fit over the peak. But it sheds water.
Edited 1/28/2007 11:09 pm ET by OldGuy