BUILDING THE BALUSTRADE, PART 3

  As I mentioned before, this is not just a weekend project.   

A total of 240 turned balusters must be cut to exact specifications.

A portion of the primed balusters await milling

3/8 of an inch comes off the top end

Taping off the bottom end getting an angle cut helps prevent splintering

Each bottom end runs through the table saw twice at a 12.5 degree angle.

Like soldiers all in a row

Short end squares

Long ends with 12.5 degree pitch

     Leftover ends must have some use in this world.  Any ideas?????    'Aunt Carlie's Craft Camp' and 'Art Camp for Boys'  campers will surely come up with some uses.  Until then I will store them in the eaves of the studio space.  After all, cedar fends off moths.

What a mess we made in Billye's room!

BUILDING THE BALUSTRADE PART 2

    The task of building this balustrade is not just a weekend project.  It is made up of  many stages.  After last weekends' work we were ready to cut the rails to size and mock up a sample section of the railing.

The bottom rails we put together last weekend were purposely longer than required

We measured and cut each bottom rail to size

Propping a section of rail on a 2x4 at each end gives us a visual of how it will look.

Cut to size rails are laid out and marked for location

Half of the 250 balusters, primed and
ready to be cut to size

A sample  section of the railing

On to milling the 250 primed balusters!