[TheForge] another railing question

[Ralph Sproul]

        Hi Roger,  I do each panel/frame/section individually.  Keeping with
being under a particular legal spacing.........I use dividers to layout
with.  When you come an inch short in 8 spaces......just tweak the dividers
in 1/8" and try again......pretty fast if you don't make heavy marks till
the last run.
        I've never felt small fractions show either, I just stay away from
trying to place frame posts where the distance would be way different.  If
unavoidable, a decorative element or panel can supply needed spacing
solution on an off beat section.

Ralph
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Olsen" <erik at methow.com>
To: "Art Metal" <ArtMetal at wugate.wustl.edu>; "The Forge"
<TheForge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 9:55 AM
Subject: [TheForge] another railing question


> Out of curiosity I am interested how others of you have chosen to deal
> with this question.
>  A fair number of railing jobs I do involve fixed runs of varying
> lengths.  There is always the dilemma of spacing the pickets so the two
> outside pickets match the distance from their mount post or wall the
> same measurement as that between the pickets.  Easy enough on each
> section as it stands alone.  But say a separation of 3 &3/4 inches works
> perfect for one section but on the next cuz a difference in length it
> leaves the two outside ones 1 inch from the post or wall.  Do you layout
> each section as a 'stand alone'  concentrating on the end pickets
> working with the field, thus not matching the exact distance between one
> section and another as long as it is close.  or do you match the
> distance between pickets and totally ignore the end pickets.
>
> When I first began doing this sort of thing I always assumed I had to
> match the measurement between pickets in one section exactly the same as
> another, but have found that a tiny increment say 1/16 or as much as 1/8
> can make a dramatic difference when played out over 12 or 16 pickets and
> it is small enough that your eye does not pick it up.
>
> I always try to match the distance between pickets from run to run. and
> some designs dictate that there is no other way, but some designs allow
> the freedom to be flexible.  Sometimes it just doesn't look right no
> matter which you choose.
>
> Just curious which way most of you compromise on this, although I think
> I already know.
>
> Roger Olsen
>
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