[TheForge] guardrails & handrails

[debmiller at fuse.net]

I hate to admit it, but I do stair rail as well, although grudgingly.
As you mentioned, miss the pitch by a RCH, and you are screwed.

With but a few exceptions, have i ever been able to get away with a bottom rail on pitched rail sections. I have almost always had to attach them to the stair tread to meet code, even though they haven't made a kid yet that can figure out how to get their heads stuck under a bottom rail and hang themselves.

My biggest challenge on mounting balusters to stair tread is doing in a way that I am happy with and is sturdy.

I have welded drilled shoes to the balusters and screwed them in. Issues are small fasteners that break off and cause more PITA factor.

Some builders are ordering their treads predrilled for "drop in" balusters that are expoxied into place. NOT WILLING!!

I have angle drilled through the end of the balusters so I screw through into the wood, kind of like toe nailing. But I have had mixed results.

Anyone of the "real professionals" out there with a better solution I am all ears!!!

Ray Miller
Cincinnati

> 
> From: Howell Steve <steve.howell at siemens.com>
> Date: 2004/07/23 Fri AM 11:56:06 EDT
> To: "'Sponsored by ABANA'" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: RE: [TheForge] guardrails & handrails
> 
> Roger- my 2 cents FWIW: YES!  Definately give yourself some breathing room
> for pitched sections. I've been taking on more stair rails 'cause I like
> making all that screwed up geometry fit together. I have smith friends who,
> while far more skilled that I hate rails because there are 'too many little
> decisions'. Someone here once referred to it as the PITA factor: the Pain In
> The Ass factor. I think that's a great way to sum it up. There's so many
> things with angled sections that can get your head in a twist; height above
> tread, height above nose, securing posts to treads (or best case- under the
> tread to secure to the framing. Try that in a finished house) not to mention
> the fact that a tenth of a degree off over 10' is something like 1/2". Ask
> me, I know! 
> 
> I do have some printouts of sections of the UBC code that was on a pre-fab
> spiral builders website. It's not complete but it's a start:
> westfiremfg.com/html/stair_codes.html
> 
>  
> My unanswered code question is what to do with that big 'ol space that forms
> under the bottom rail between treads. Definately larger than 4" round.
> 
> Steve
> Seattle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Subject: [TheForge] guardrails & handrails
> 
> 
> I have done maybe 8 guardrails,  some on stairs, some on only
> horizontal, and some with both.  Building railings on stairs has always
> been harder and involved a lot more time than on the horizontal but I
> never gave much thought to a percentage difference in cost from
> horizontal to angled.  I had lunch with a smithing friend yesterday who
> does quite a few railings and he asked if I had heard of and do I bid my
> railing jobs by the method of figuring your bid on the horizontal and
> then double it for the angled.  Have any of you heard of this?  Do any
> of you have thoughts on time differences from building horizontal and
> angled and if you figure it into your bidding process somehow.  I
> realize that different styles of joinery or design can have a difference
> but just generally speaking.
> 
> Also do any of you have the UBC book?  If so and you also have a scanner
> would you be willing to cut and paste them to me or maybe to the group?
> There seems to be some gray areas and although I have spoken with the
> inspector I would very much like a copy of the code.  My county does
> follow the UBC and has now deviation from it when it comes to handrails
> and guardrails.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Roger Olsen
>  
> _______________________________________________
> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> password:  anvil
> ___________
> 
> 
>