Hollow Mortising Chisels--Do or Don't

[wyogunwriter]

jteneyck, Excellent work! My project is a bit longer and without any support except for the end connections. I like your treatment of the bolt in the baluster against the wall. I may steal the concept. I have been wondering how to connect the end to the wall of the landing. And you are correct, a plowed dado would be the easier route, however, my stairway proper is 14 ft., 8 in. long. I am attempting to use mass and the mortise-and-tenon joinery for strength. The bottoms will me bolted with carriage bolts to the stringer. Thanks for the feedback!

[jteneyck]

Not sure I understood your one comment, but on the chance I did you can see how I attached the half newell to the wall in the first photo above.  There are two screws at the top and bottom (can't see the bottom ones in the photo) that are hidden once the handrail and bottom piece are installed.  I had to go add reinforcement in the wall for the screws to bite into.  Fortunately, I had easy access to the other side in an unfinished alcove, but I've done it from the front on a finished wall with no repair of the wall required, and I can post photos of how that works if you would like. 

Mass is certainly good, but M&T joints are unnecessary if we are talking about anchoring the balusters.  Long balusters will break before the joints, almost regardless of what type you use.  Something about a big heavy human hitting a dinky little baluster causes that to happen.  I used the same dowel in the bottom and plowed dado in the top on the other side of the stairway.



If someone falls hard into those balusters they are going to break long before my joinery gives way.  The only way to prevent that is to use metal balusters, or metal reinforced wooden ones.

John

[wyogunwriter]

Yeah, my stairway is sort of hanging out in space. I'm not as concerned about a heavy (like me) human slamming into it as I am for a heavy (like me) guy having to use the handrail for support. I'm coming off back-to-back hip replacement and back surgery and am learning to walk again. Used to fly--well, maybe run for a old fat guy--up and down stairs easily. I often have to pack 25- to 30-pound loads up and down the stairs, and I'd feel safer with something beefy between me and space.

[jteneyck]

Vertical support comes from making sure the handrail is supported by each baluster below it.  It doesn't matter how those balusters are connected to it.   Side loads on the handrail are borne by the cross sectional area of the handrail and how well it's held to the wall and/or newell posts, and the strength of the newel posts.  The balusters play no role in that direction. 

If you feel better using M&T joints, go for it, but it's unnecessary from a structural standpoint.  

John

[JGrout]

To expand on John's thought process: 

If you want to break a matchstick in half does it break at the ends or in the middle

The ends are just points of stability for the balustrade  and that is not where it will break if done as John suggested.