Can a Handrail be Molding?

[Jim Koepke]

SWMBO wants handrails on the stairways for the porches. So what she wants she gets.

This will be shaped using a Stanley #45 and three hollow molding planes.

The reeding was chosen as a tactile grip for finger tips.

There are a few full length 2X3s in the shop. Often in the Borgs when passing through the lumber racks if there are some showing nice grain they may get thrown on the cart for a ride home.

The grain isn’t always cooperative so two planes are set up for one to be used left handed just in case. It is convenient having spare blades for such times. These are set up with 1/4” double reed cutters, #232.

One plane was set up for normal use and used in a piece of scrap. Then a second plane was set up for left handed use:

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The plane was set into the cut made by the first plane to set the fence.

After making a practice piece in scrap the easiest order of cuts was determined.

After the stock is smoothed the top is rounded with a #20 (1-1/4”) hollow:

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Care is taken to not hit the top of the work with the sharp point at the edge of the blade. Light mistakes can be removed with a smoothing plane.

Next the edges are given some reeding. Starting at the far end of the cut is advised in the instruction manual. One good reason for this is the plane makes a guide for the plane to follow as it is cutting beads, reeds, flutes, slots, matching or sash:

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Like other planes the #45 can benefit from waxing the fence and skates.

Once the cut has worked back to the other end take full length cuts:

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With beads or reeds it is often a good idea to set the depth stop to finish slightly below the surface. This allows going over the edges with a smoothing plane to clean up any splinters.

When the reeding is finished any sharp corners are smoothed with a #6 (3/8”) or #8 (1/2”) hollow plane:

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This is the finished profile:

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Tomorrow a trip to Home Depot to pick up some mounting hardware.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

That looks good Jim and it will make a very nice handrail. As always, thanks for the lesson!
Fred

[John Erickson]

Very nice Jim. As someone who work by hand or hand/machine combination. Just how much rail are you doing and I'm curious as to how long it takes to complete the milling process of the handrail.
I used my 55 with the #102 Grecian Ogee as the door sticking profile of a mitre cabinet door I made for a kitchen years ago and loved the process. After I completed the job I had a custom shaper cutter made by FS Tool so I could be more efficient in the future. I came to learn in some cases it was faster to do the door profile using my 55 then to setup the shaper for a few doors. It was then I learned a new appreciation for hand tools, got hooked.

[Lee Schierer]

Nice work so far. Hopefully you checked the local building codes for maximum and minimum dimensions for your handrails.

[Jim Koepke]

Just how much rail are you doing and I'm curious as to how long it takes to complete the milling process of the handrail.

About fourteen feet total done in four pieces. Not much more than an hour each. No hurries, no worries.


Nice work so far. Hopefully you checked the local building codes for maximum and minimum dimensions for your handrails.

Codes? We don't need no stinking codes… :eek: :D

Besides, it is the state codes that need to be followed. Beyond that, most of the neighbors just slap a 2X4 together with a 2X6 and call it good. Those are not within code, mine are on the edge of being in on the fat side.

jtk

[Mel Fulks]

Nice work. I’ve made lots of footage of what I think was just like that. But I was using machines. That pattern was called “Richmond Rail”
and they claimed it was used a lot in late 19th century. With that late date it might have been used in a lot of places .....and had a lot of
names.

[Jim Koepke]

It has been almost a year since last setting foot inside the local Home Depot. My hope was to get out quickly. Candy needed to use the restroom. She was informed she could find me on aisle 18 looking at handrail hardware or in the paint aisles looking for a clear coating that will stand up to our whether. After finishing both missions she was no where to be seen. So a trek towards the restrooms took me by the lumber racks. Imagine my surprise seeing the price on 2X3 lumber:

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When mine were purchased the price was less than $2. The web site has a dozen different listings for 2X3. From what is on display in the shop all but the spruce comes from the same stack. Not sure if the spruce has a stack.

Finally found my wife. She decided to go to the garden department without telling me. One day the Alzheimer's defense might be useful. "Sorry honey, it wasn't until halfway through my Starbucks run that my brain kicked in about you coming along today."

Lee made a suggestion about codes, :eek: Grrrrrrr: :mad: -not realy :D

Washington State Code on Handrails:


(3) Handrails.
(a) At least one handrail is required when a stairway has three or more risers;
(b) The top of a handrail must be placed not less than thirty-four inches or more than thirty-eight inches above the nosing of the treads.
(c) Handrails must be continuous the full length of the stairs.
(d) The handgrip portion of a handrail must:
(i) Not be less than one and one-quarter inches nor more than two inches in cross-sectional dimension; and
(ii) Have a smooth surface with no sharp corners.
(e) Handrails projecting from a wall must have a space of not less than one and one-half inches between the wall and the handrail.
(4) Guardrails. Unenclosed porches, balconies, and landings, which are more than thirty inches above grade or floor below must not be less than thirty-six inches in height and must have intermediate rails spaced such that a sphere four inches in diameter cannot pass through.

A quick rip through the bandsaw fixed all but the one that was finished. If that one gets dinged, it can be fixed. It is unlikely anyone is going to come look anyway. Driving through town many out of code handrails can be seen.

Especially those metal stair railings on apartment buildings.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

It is finally getting warm enough in the shop to apply a coat of Spar Urethane on the handrails for the porches. Since they need to be coated on all sides they need to be supported so they do not stick to anything:

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Here the rail is being supported on a couple of old nail blocks used on a project from the past. On the left are a few made for this project. Those were some scrap cut for use with clamps. They were drilled with three holes slightly smaller than a 6d nail. The points of the nails were flattened before driving them through the block.

The underside of the rail is coated first. Next one side is coated. The coated side is set on two of the nail blocks to coat the other side. Finally the underside of the rail is set on the nail block and the top is coated:

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They will dry overnight and if it doesn't rain tomorrow, they can be installed.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

Looking good Sir! Hope you'll post a pic of them installed.
Fred

[Jim Koepke]

Looking good Sir! Hope you'll post a pic of them installed.
Fred

Here is is Fred…

The coating on the handrails, a Spar Urethane, is dry and so is the weather for the day at least. The hanging brackets are rated for outdoor use. They are solid brass instead of steel with brass plating.

The first step was to mark the center on the underside of the handrail:

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This is followed by making a mark for the placement of the strap securing the handrail to the bracket:

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The holes for the strap screws were predrilled. When installing wood screws, wax on the threads always helps. The clutch on my drill motor was set for a little less than needed to allow the last quarter to half turn to be snugged up by hand.

This will be the top end of the rail and is marked at 3” to extend slightly beyond the face of the 4X4 to which it is attached. The 1” screws are left about 3/8” loose. This allows the rail to be set on the bracket for marking the placement of the second strap when the brackets are installed.

The state code states the top of the handrail can be no lower than 34” nor hight than 38” from the nose of the steps. To gauge this a piece of scrap was cut to 32-1/2” to check the underside of the handrail was at least this much above the noses of the stairs. With the handrail 1-1/2” thick this should work fine. Candy is short, so she wanted the handrails at the lower end of the allowed height.

Seeing pencil marks on pressure treated wood can be difficult for the screw placement. My shop made awl made this easy:

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This was made from a piece of drill rod. The corners on the point cut a mark quickly.

This was done by marking the placement of one screw, installing the screw and then marking the other two:

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This was certainly a lot less fiddly that trying to mark all three while holding the bracket with one hand and working the awl with the other.

With the two hanger brackets in place, setting the rail in place and marking for one screw on the other strap is simple. The second screw can be marked and drilled with the rail in a more comfortable setting.

The handrails are now in place and the wife is happy:

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Next big job is to make railing all around the porches, it never ends.

jtk

[michael langman]

I like your railings Jim. Came out nice.
If the projects ended, what would you do?

[Jim Koepke]

I like your railings Jim. Came out nice.
If the projects ended, what would you do?

Thanks Michael, there are always more projects. There are always trails to be cleared on my hillside and down trees to be cleared. With five acres there is always something that needs doing.

jtk

[Stew Denton]

Jim,

Nice job. I like the profile on the railing a lot.

Seems like your right.....it never ends. I am currently restoring my old woodworking planes, as I finally have time to work on them, and weeding the lawn.....we have a bunch of great stands of henbit in the back yard.

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks Stew, the area for my garden has invasive berry vines, some grass that sends runners everywhere and lots of deer that like to eat everything.

So much to do… So little time.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

Those look great iinstalled!

5 acres? Oh yes, you've got plenty of projects!

Enjoy the Spring weather!
Fred

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks Fred, There are a lot of flowers blooming adding their color to brighten up the yard.

jtk