Installing metal spindles in stair rail ..

[Rick Fisher]

Looking for suggestions on installing round metal spindles, 11/16" .. into a wooden handrail.

The fella wants to drill an 11/16" hole in the underside of the rail at the angle of the staircase.. but is finding it tough to keep the angle right with jobsite tools.. He has never done it before.

The bottom of the spindles is landing flat on the tread, so its not a big deal.

I suggested he buy a radial drill press.. but he was not impressed.. lol. He is a builder who is doing his own finishing because of the recession.. lol

[Richard Wolf]

You have two choices; 1) you can purchase a Bore Buster,http://www.stairservice.com/osc/lj3060-bore-buster-p-1536.html

Not cheap. Or 2) turn the railing upside down on the staircase and drill straight down. For wrought iron balusters, the second method is very usable.

[David Thompson 27577]

For less than $50, he can get a portable "drill guide". It has two (flimsy) vertical spindles. There is a carriage that rides on the spindles, and the carriage has a drill chuck in it's center. Protrudingt from the back of the chuck is a standard 1/4-hex shank.

You put the shank into your drill's chuck, and your bit into the guides chuck.

Oh -- the spindles are mounted into a base, and the base can be swiveled to just about any reasonable angle.

(http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=drill+guide&x=0&y=0)


For me, the bigger question would be about how the ballusters will "be landing flat on the tread" -- is there something that will keep them from being kicked out sideways?

Normally, the underside of the rail is drilled deeper than needed, and the tread is drilled partially through. The balluster is lifted up into the handrail, then let down into the tread.

[Richard Wolf]

Wrought iron is installed in the floor or stair tread in an over deep hole and lifted up into the rail. I then drive a small wedge into the floor with epoxy on it and cover it all with a shoe which contains a set screw which holds the shoe from moving but also stops the baluster from dropping down.