A young lady my wife works with wanted to update her deck, new railings and some more steps. I fabricated some new railings for her, I will install tomorrow when it is not raining. Being I am also replacing the posts I made my life easier by making standard size sections. These are the spindles bronze 3/4" aluminum 32 inches long for a 39" railing, yes those are safety slip ons on my feet. First I set up the drill press so I could drill on edge, a shop smith is perfect for this because you can rotate the table 90 degrees and use the rip fence as a table. drilling the top and bottom rail, 1 1/4" deep allows a little play to adjust height always mark the ends in case of any variation assembly of railings made gate to match, I use 5/16 x 7"lags to join rails and stiles install it tomorrow if its not raining. Also will add pics of how to build the stair railings.
I do own several shop smiths along with my other shop equipment 1) they are handy 2) they are cheap I can set up each one for a different operation and go machine to machine for each operation. I find it very handy a lot disagree say they are junk. Like any machine if you use it within its limitations it will do a fine job.
Very nice work! I remember when shop smiths were expensive. If you can get several and set them each up that’s awesome. A friend of mine has 2 table saws, one just for dado work.
The copper in the PT will eat the ballusters over time. The ones i installed on my deck used plastic standoffs with SS screws- way easier to layout
I just finished our deck railing using this system. Took a little learnin to get it right at first but eventually went nice and smooth.
Hey jack, we're doing well! Hope you are too! Yes it's amazing how fast they grow up. She's turning 6 this july! And my littlest piney is almost 1.5.
I'm not trying to hijack ironpony thread. Was just chiming in saying i used the same railing balusters. Sorry buddy.
I grew up on a ShopSmith. In the late '50s my dad was a ShopSmith demo guy at Monkey Wards. I learned a lot of my wood working on the '57 Greenie sitting in the garage. I use it all the time on my boxes. I made 7" spindle sanding drums that I run on it set up as drill press w/a router chuck. When I came back home, I rebuilt the speed control pork chop. Replaced the drive belt and blew out 60yrs of dust. It runs like brand new. They are great machines. Post some pics of your SSs.
