Project: Basement Hall, Stair Railing

[Bill Lewis]

I've alluded to my basement project a couple of times int he past few weeks and monthes, but I never made a direct post regarding it. Well this weekend brought about more woodworking to the project so I thought it's be appropriate to give an overall update.

Since this was a 4 day weekend for me, I got started on Friday. I began by beginning the installation of the new railing. The first picture shows what it looked like a couple of weekends ago. I took it just before we laid the tile.

The second picture shows the almost finished railing. The installation went pretty smooth, though I cut a couple of ballisters too short. I went and got more. I also decided it was easier, and looked better to evenly space the ballisters, vs. trying to get them to match to each tread on the stairs so I needed more anyway.

I didn't like the big holes in the newel post for the attachment bolts, and though I could have used the button plugs to cover them, I thought I'd do something a little different. I also wanted to have reasonable access to them in case they needed tightening later. Also, because the way the stairs were framed, the newel post looked kinda wrong. Somewhat "un-substantial" design-wise.

So I decided to build a base for the post that would wrap around it, and be removeable. See pictures in the next post because for some reason I can't upload again...

[Chris Barton]

It looks great! Now you can go to work with Richard in his stair railing business!

[Bill Lewis]

Ok the first picture shows the base I built, in place, but yet unfinished. My wife started finishing the railing as soon as I finished installing it.

The second picture is a close up of the post base that shows the guide pins that will hold the base in place.

The third picture shows the parts that make up the post base. I slotted the side pieces to engage the pins to hold the base in place. Currently I have no plans on using any other fasteners. You can also see in this picture that everything is splined together.

The fourth Picture: Tragedy!:mad: I was just doing a little touch up sanding on the ocilating belt sander when the piece caught an edge, grabbed it out of my hands and flung it 6-7 feet and to the floor. It immediately broke in to at least 4 pieces. You can see the torn belt in the picture. Boy was I not happy. I think the belt was to blame, I felt it go thunk thunk thunk just before it grabbed the part. How it got torn, I'm not sure, but cause I had been using the sander all day.

Well it always takes less time to make something a second time, so about 4 hours later, and I have what you see in the 5th Picture. Another post base just prior to it's final glue up. It's in the clamps now, and It'll be finished this week. I actually like the second version a bit better. I was able to use the same board for all three sides so the grain matches much better than the first one I built. I also used thicker stock, some stuff I planed awhile ago. The result was the chamfer at the top easing the transition between the molding profile, and the base.

[Bill Lewis]

It looks great! Now you can go to work with Richard in his stair railing business!Yeh, but the commute would kill me!

I forgot to post another porject we got done this weekend. Actually, my wife built this one. It's a teeter-totter base for the dogs' agility equipment. She did it all without much help from me, just a little direction, and I drilled the holes for her.

Other weekend accomplishments included picking up 9 sheets of the paperless drywall for the bathroom (also part of the basement project), and we selected the tile, and picked that up this morning. Next weekend the drywalling should be hung.

[Jim Becker]

That last one is different, Bill. Nice job on the railing and good recovery from the "big bang"... ;)

[Matt Meiser]

I really like that railing. We have a 1/2 wall between our basement steps and foyer that I'd like to replace with something like that.

[Bill Lewis]

I really like that railing. We have a 1/2 wall between our basement steps and foyer that I'd like to replace with something like that.Well I got all of the parts and pieces from everyones' "favorite" big orange box store. They also have a little flyer with some basic instructions available. I glanced at the instructions briefly, but never really used them to do the job. I later went back and looked at them after performing the installation. I pretty much did what it said to do, but in my own way. the best advise I can give is to set up a stop block for the ballister filler pieces. Work from the top down, and once you plumb one ballaster, the rest will follow.

BTW, the newel post and the ballisters don't "match", but we liked the way they looked better. Actually I picked up the wrong one (I had a 54" but needed a 48"), but my wife liked it better after compairing the two.

[Richard Wolf]

Great job on the rail. I'll send you an employment application.

Richard

[Steve Clardy]

Looking good!