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!

                                                                       

A NEAR PERFECT MATCH

     In reproducing the balustrade ,which originally lined the roof of the front porch, we encountered a huge snag.  We have assumed for the past year that the 125 gorgeous balusters we found all over the house upon purchase were the original balusters removed in the early 80's by a previous owner.

  

As time approached to reconstruct the balustrade we realized that these pieces of architectural salvage were just that....salvaged from another house.  They neither match in shape the balusters on the first floor...

nor are they the correct length to have fit with the original post and rail we have used as a template to build the reproduction posts.

In a quandary as to what to do, we started getting estimates here locally from wood mills to determine what the cost might be to duplicate the original balusters.  We were just looking for ballpark figures and, given estimates of anywhere from $35 - $110 apiece, we decided we could not even afford a ticket into that ballpark. 

    I started searching online and came across Mr. Spindle .  And here is where we get excited.  Not only are the folks at Mr. Spindle pleasant to deal with and knowledgeable about their products, but also they are up to the task of reproducing my baluster at a VERY decent price.

    Here is how it has worked for me....

1.  I sent Mr. Spindle a photo of my porch spindle next to a tape measure.

A baluster from the first floor porch

2.  Kary out at Mr. Spindle (a long way from Virginia in Fargo, North Dakota) made a scaled drawing of the proposed turned baluster.

                               

3.  Upon approval, the spindle is turned and a sample photo sent.

                                     

4.   The next day the spindle arrives on  my doorstep.

An overnighted package arrives on my porch

5.   It is a near perfect match and I give Mr. Spindle the thumbs up to reproduce "X" number of balusters at a crazy fabulous price.

All of these things happened in under 5 days.  We eagerly await the arrival of all our balusters.  The folks at mrspindle.com say the shipment should be here next week.  We will be working on the handrails this weekend.

I am so excited to see how it all turns out! (pun for Wallace)   Check back to see photos of the finished project.

EXIT

     Exiting this door will lead you to a second floor deck over the family room addition.  It is my suspicion that, once it is completed, it will be another favorite spot for Miss Magnolia.  Until this day she had not been out the door to experience the view.

The deck is right off what we have been calling "the music room."  Being on the west side of the house, it will definitely be toasty hot come summer weather.  For now, it is a cozy spot on a sunny spring afternoon and a perfect sunset spot whatever the temperature.

The posts, though approximately 12 inches taller to meet current building codes, are modeled after a single remaining balustrade post from the front of the house which we found in the basement with dozens of balusters and a 5 foot section of railing.  A stretch of turned balusters will run between each new post and the new deck will be complete.  I anticipate the completion by this coming week.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?