I found a house that the laws of math and geometry do not apply!!!!!!!
Tried to install a banister with balustrades and the math didn’t work. First I install the two end posts. Then to get the right angle and length of the handrail I laid it on the stairs to mark for the cut. Here’s were it goes wrong…… I cut the length with the proper angle at each end, Moved it up to the 36″ mark and tried to plumb the end posts and screw in the hand rail. 2″ TOO SHORT.
So here is my question…. Since when does a parallelogram not have two even sides??????
I did learn my lesson and won’t take for granted that measuring at the bottom and transfering it to the top will work next time. Better to measure first then set it up dry and stand back and see if it “LOOKS GOOD”
The two end posts were off plumb enough to see it was off. At least the hand rail was a cheep $30 and easy to suck up and eat it.
Chock this one up to experience.
“Sir! You are drunk!”
“Madam! You are ugly, and tomorrow I shall be sober!!” Winston Churchill
Replies
Jet,I can't offer you any help w/your situation but maybe if you re-title your subject to "stair problem" or something like that you may get more responses.Stan Foster,the resident master staircase builder
may notice and respond.Of course there are other resident experienced "stair" folk here too,sorry can't remember their names but I'm sure if they notice the question in the subject they will more likely respond.
Plus,by replying I get to type some stuff to the board and bump your message to the top again.Good luck.I'm glad you posted the question,as I will hopefully learn something as well.
george c.
Were the newels (end posts) equal in size top and bottom? Did you measure the 36" from the same place - the top of the stringer rather than from nosings? Did you, ahem, cut at the correct pencil mark? Are you aware of any cosmic rays? Dunno, sounds a little 'off' here, it must be simple.
All the best...
To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.
AS Lucy would say to Schreoder in the X-mas Charlie brown episode.......
THAT's IT !!!!!
Now I see that I measured the nosing side on the top newel and the riser side on the bottom.
So Neuton and his laws are still safe.
Life may now continue.........Thanks Piko"Sir! You are drunk!"
"Madam! You are ugly, and tomorrow I shall be sober!!" Winston Churchill
Sir, that was no paralleogram, you wuz dealing with a trapezoid<G> What in the gosh darn golly have you done to Rez?
How are you plumbing the end posts? Maybe your level (if that's what you're using) is off. I guess I'd try a plumb bob to make sure (or just twist the level 180 degrees on a vertical plane and see if it reads the same) then I'd pick one end post and plumb it and put in the rail and attach it to the other post and not worry about plumbing that one and assume that the laws of geometry and physics must apply and that one will also have to be plumb! (Like someone else said--you are measuring up 36" from like "front" and "front", or "back" and "back" of posts and not from the faces that face one another, right? If you do the faces that face one another, you will be too high on the bottom one and your rail will be too short, and it will not be parallel to the stairs.)
Edited 11/13/2005 7:41 am ET by Danno
I think you answered your own question, didn't you? If posts are not plumb, you are not dealing with a paralellogram.