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Discussion Forum

stair tread gauges

ThumbBanger | Posted in Tools for Home Building on April 24, 2007 09:58am

Got two staircases to build at my cabin this summer–26 treads.  Hoping to do as tight a job as possible for a DIY amateur.  Looked to find the Stairtool advertised often in FHB, but find them out of business due to death of owner.  Found a  more expensive item ($170) by Wheaton Tools on Amazon.  Several questions:

Is it worth it for 26 treads?  (Yeah, I know–all depends.  Experienced opinions?)

Are there other similar tools out there? (Google search, ebay search: nothing)

Plans for home-made jigs?  (Did I see one here or in FHB?)

Anyone got one for sale?

Thanks to all. . .

Reply

Replies

  1. john7g | Apr 24, 2007 10:14pm | #1

    Make your own out of scraps.  The one that I made & remake every time I misplace it has 2 triangles for the side pieces with the hypotenuse of the triangle towards the walls/ends of the treads.  Use whatever you can find for a spreader (it only has to be a few inches wide, stiff enough to not flex too much) and attach with carriage bolts & wing nuts into slots in either piece.  I can make up a drawing if you'd like.  I don't keep them hanging around for too long if I don't have plans for it in the near future.  Too many tools already...

  2. alwaysoverbudget | Apr 25, 2007 02:07am | #2

    i just did some steps with a homemade jig.  go buy 2 plastic 12" speed squares. cut a board about 2" less in length than the treads.  lay it down and fit your speed square up agaist the skirt and screw it in place with 2 screws to your long pc.,then do the other side. i got really nice fits doing this with my oak treads and risers. did i describe that clear as mud? larry

    hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.

  3. skippy | Apr 25, 2007 02:46am | #3

    Thumb

    I asked the very same question a couple of months ago.  If you do a search- one repsonse sent some pics of a homemade jig that was simple to make and very effective and cost nothing.

    Skippy

  4. woodguy99 | Apr 25, 2007 01:46pm | #4

    http://www.collinstool.com/base.php?page=collins_tread_gauge_ends.htm

    I've got this one and it works great.  Much like the "other" one except you make your own spreader from a 1x4, so it packs down smaller and the length is unlimited.  Not cheap (around $100) but worth it!

     

     

    1. Mark | May 04, 2007 03:34am | #10

      Woodguy, ya beat me to the punch!

      I've got the collins stair gauges and they work great!  But I'm thinking I only paid about $60. when I ordered 'em." If I were a carpenter"

      1. woodguy99 | May 04, 2007 05:04am | #12

        You're right.  I bought something else--maybe spring clamps?  I forget, but I know the total was around $100!  $60 for the stair gauge though. 

         

  5. User avater
    RRooster | Apr 25, 2007 07:21pm | #5

    What John7g said.  I asked this same question about a jig I saw on Amazon.com and wound up saving the cash and making my own that worked out totally great.

    There is a picture of it on this link:

    http://forums.taunton.com/n/find/findRedir.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&mg=02CB3A4F-A29F-40DD-9D38-D46067F8ED38

    For good new rock music, click on: http://www.wolfmother.com

     

     


    Edited 4/25/2007 12:22 pm ET by RRooster



    Edited 4/25/2007 12:23 pm ET by RRooster

  6. gordsco | May 02, 2007 05:04am | #6

    This is what I usually make out of scraps of ¾" ply and ½"X 2" bolts, washers and wingnuts. sink the boltheads into the bottom so they won't scratch treads. I  add 11"X 2" X ¼" plexi blades to the underside ends for longevity and accuracy.

    Set in place and adjust, the ½" bolts and wingnuts make it solid.

    remove gently gently and don't bang into anything before placing flat on new stair tread and score lines with utility knife.

     The real trick is to eyeball the sliding miter saw and cut to line.

    Little over, trim.

    Little under... screwed.

     

    View Image

     

    1. woodguy99 | May 02, 2007 05:10am | #7

       The real trick is to eyeball the sliding miter saw and cut to line.

      That is where the laser on the Hitachi SCMS really comes in handy. 

      Nice jig, BTW. 

       

      1. gordsco | May 02, 2007 06:57am | #8

        Thanks

        I use a DW 12" 718 slider for treads now, the laser sucks/ wanders but its in and out of the truck everyday. Once in a while I'll re-adjust the laser to set skirt angles but I never trust it to cut accurately to a line.

        I always loved the old 8¼" Hitachi

        Is the laser on the SC Hitachi that accurate? 

        Gord

                                

         

         

        1. woodguy99 | May 02, 2007 12:30pm | #9

          Is the laser on the SC Hitachi that accurate?

          Yes.  When dialed in it stays that way pretty well, and the line is fine enough for all but the most finicky cuts.  I guess for stair treads I would use the laser to get the angle, but still make a test cut 1/8" or 1/16" away from the pencil line to make sure it's dead on. 

          We've got a Dewalt 718 on the job (Hitachi's my personal saw) which is good for most stuff.  It's got a bit too much flex for some cuts, IMO. 

           

        2. arcticcat | May 04, 2007 06:03am | #13

          Used to use a SCMS for cutting to a line on a tread, til I tried my Festool saw.  I just lay the track on the line & cut away.    If I need to fine tune the cut a bit, I just take the last hair off with a belt sander.  Cuts the time tremendously, not having to fiddle with the miter angle.   That track won't slip, even on prefinished treads (or risers).

          Mike

          1. gordsco | May 04, 2007 07:05am | #14

            I use a circular saw and guide to cut winders, but prefer the SCMS for treads.

            For a while I was cutting risers and treads the same size and spending a great deal of time squaring everything. The logic seemed okay, but in practice the slightest hair off caused gaps at the skirtboard. A slight adjustment at one point caused gaps at another. It drove me absolutely crazy!

            Now I install all my risers tight to the skirts first and then cut the treads to fit. Preferably the risers set up overnight and I cut the treads the next day.

            Gotta be tight. 

            Gord

                                    

             

             

          2. arcticcat | May 04, 2007 02:35pm | #15

            I've started notching the skirts around the risers.  Eliminates having to scribe fit the risers, and even if the tread should be a hair long & push the skirts a little tighter to the wall, it can't open up the riser joint.

            For me, it seems to work pretty well.

            Mike

          3. gordsco | May 05, 2007 04:49am | #16

            With existing walls bowing in and out, that's a pretty creative solution. 

            Gord

                                    

             

             

          4. arcticcat | May 05, 2007 05:13am | #17

            Yea, it works well for me.  Saw it in an old FHB a while back, but never tried it until the last year or so.   Takes a little extra time to notch the skirts, but not having to scribe the risers is worth it. 

            Mike

  7. Snort | May 04, 2007 03:58am | #11

    This cost about a buck two ninety five...got different wings for treads, window sills, etc...and it can extend as long as need be...and it fits in the trunk of my Fiat<G>

    Outside of the gates the trucks were unloadin',

    The weather was hot, a-nearly 90 degrees.

    The man standin' next to me, his head was exploding,

    Well, I was prayin' the pieces wouldn't fall on me.

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