I’m looking at a set of stairs that are going to have iron balusters.
16 treads, volute with birdcage, 15 hardwood treads with 3 balusters each. Hardwood railing. Straight run.
How do youse guys fasten the baluster tops? I have a vision of hours of epoxie run clean-up, yeeech.
Think a dab of PL in the rail holes would stay put until all the balusters were in? Would it hold…forever?
Replies
Most of the time when they powder coat those iron spindles they fit tight in a 1/2" hole. Sometimes you have to sand off some of the powder coat just to make them fit in the hole. A royal pain these spindles can be.
If the endplug diameter is something off standard, you can grind down a good longpoint spade bit to do the holes so you get a nice tight fit.
I have some of my spades ground to produce holes with slight tapers, so you get a chairbrace kind of fit.
As for glue, the urethanes like Gorilla stick to metal real well, and with a good tight fit, you'll hardly need any.
I'm worried the tops won't be consistent...I've got plenty of customized bits, but danged if I want to use all of them , I'm slow enough<G>The tapered bit is intriguing, but it would be quite the beech if just one of the tops hung up, whooo...and I'm definitely not quick enough to use Gorilla Glue.I am gonna use that tapered bit idea somewhere, though. Hey, pocket doors can't come off the track if they're nailed open
I should have mentioned, they're wrought iron, I've done powder coated on exterior rails, and they did take some persuadin' Hey, pocket doors can't come off the track if they're nailed open
As said, the wrought iron balusters should fit into a 1/2" hole. We also drive a small wedge in the hole in the rail. In the tread, we use PL, a wedge, and an iron shoe with a set screw to hold in place.
Bear
These will get the iron shoe...I like the wedge, do you glue? And, can you see it in the rail? Sounds like it just might be my speed...so no adhesives in the rail? Hey, pocket doors can't come off the track if they're nailed open
You will not see the wedge in the rail. I cut the wedges at a very small angle so they are thin. Drive them in and cut or snap off the extra. They work very well.Bear
Here is a pic of one of our staircases.Bear
Thanks Bear, those are even the same design of balusters, coinkydink?...and nice lookin' stairwork, too.I had to come back to ask how you fastened the rails in pics to the wall? Very clean look. Hey, pocket doors can't come off the track if they're nailed open
Edited 4/9/2006 10:01 pm ET by Snort
I used gorilla glue on my last iron baluster job. she didn't want the collars on the bottom so i used the GG on both ends.
last time I was there it was still holding. :)
I'd ask TGNY
here is his railing
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=71635.26
Do you look to the government for an entitlement, or to GOD for empowerment. BDW
Hey, hope he comes to the party<G> Hey, pocket doors can't come off the track if they're nailed open