Help, cladding Newel Posts

[ChrisWiduWood]

You might want to sort out that landing skirting as well ... jesus my eyes

 

[Spectric]

It is a mix of styles, glass infill with wooden rails. The property looks more period, ie last century so I would remove the lot and fit wooden spindles and new post, good opportunity to buy a lathe and take up some turning otherwise plenty of places to buy the parts.

Stair Spindles | Traditional & Modern Staircase Spindles | Stairparts Direct

Stair Spindles At Stairparts Direct. We pride ourselves on being able to supply high quality Stair Spindles anywhere in the UK at the most competitive prices available. With over 30 years experience in designing and manufacturing bespoke timber staircases for Builders Merchants, Joiners and the...

stairpartsdirect.co.uk

 

[deema]

You might want to sort out that landing skirting as well ... jesus my eyes

That’s being done, the skirting is what was there originally some bodge I have to say. It’s loose, and still in place so I can use it as a rough template for cutting the replacement

 

[deema]

It is a mix of styles, glass infill with wooden rails. The property looks more period, ie last century so I would remove the lot and fit wooden spindles and new post, good opportunity to buy a lathe and take up some turning otherwise plenty of places to buy the parts.

Stair Spindles | Traditional & Modern Staircase Spindles | Stairparts Direct

Stair Spindles At Stairparts Direct. We pride ourselves on being able to supply high quality Stair Spindles anywhere in the UK at the most competitive prices available. With over 30 years experience in designing and manufacturing bespoke timber staircases for Builders Merchants, Joiners and the...

stairpartsdirect.co.uk

We have moved the whole house more contemporary, all a matter of taste, of which I profess to have zero. I’m working on happy wife happy life.

 

[Spectric]

I’m working on happy wife happy life.

The problem there is that it becomes a full time job, what is in favour this year may well be out next year and you could end up in a state of constant change.

 

[ColinDeVelen]

The problem there is that it becomes a full time job, what is in favour this year may well be out next year and you could end up in a state of constant change.

Isn't that just always the way of things? Plus one for the thin boards glued on by the way.

 

[MikeJhn]

You had the answer here:

My only effort was solid with mitrelock...

Oak clad newel stair refit. Picture heavy!! - Woodwork UK

Not sure if the pictures are available to others?
Cheers, Andy

Once the cladding is mitrelocked together they will not move or cup.

 

[Spectric]

My only effort was solid with mitrelock...
Oak clad newel stair refit. Picture heavy!! - Woodwork UK Not sure if the pictures are available to others?

That is a nice job, a lot of work but a good result. With hindsight would you have still done it that way or just replaced, I suppose it is a question of your time against cost of premade parts.

I have the large one of these Lock Mitre Bits – Infinity Tools and the setting jig, that made the setup so much easier but have never done lenths as long as the ones you have done. What cutters did you use ?

 

[toolsntat]

That is a nice job, a lot of work but a good result. With hindsight would you have still done it that way or just replaced, I suppose it is a question of your time against cost of premade parts.

I have the large one of these Lock Mitre Bits – Infinity Tools and the setting jig, that made the setup so much easier but have never done lenths as long as the ones you have done. What cutters did you use ?

Thank you.
In this case it was not going to be an option to remove and replace and it helped that the existing was rock solid. Had there been any issues with the stair treads and risers needing attention I would have had no qualms about taking the lot out. Also I needed to broaden the middle newel post anyway to accept the upper and lower handrails without clashing.
Until you have dabbled with the mitrelock joint you cannot envisage how helpful it is in aiding the process of fitting up. It's so well locked that it tends to stick together and stay put while popping a clamp or two on.
The timber planing was done in two stages with time to "settle" in between which greatly reduced any chance of movement when finished.
For the joints I had the convenience of a spindle moulder and Whitehill full size block.
Cheers, Andy

 

[Spectric]

Another plus for the spindle molder, I suppose that cuts the mitre lock joints in a single pass !

 

[ChrisWiduWood]

That’s being done, the skirting is what was there originally some bodge I have to say. It’s loose, and still in place so I can use it as a rough template for cutting the replacement

Can i suggest that you plumb the string first as thats how it should have been done.

 

[ChrisWiduWood]

I'm another advocator of the mitre lock cutter. Here is a before and after stair renovation it was put to use on

 

[deema]

Thanks everyone, you’ve convinced me, solid oak. @Sideways and I spent today experimenting with both the best way to make the cladding as well as the optimum thickness to achieve the best yield of the stuff I can get. Nothing ‘real’ made yet, just a lot of prototype boxes. Anyway, we’ve arrived at 10mm thick material, which is the minimum we felt we could get away with when using a mitre lock joint. I (as it is my staircase) decided that the mitre lock was a IMO the better solution compared to say the lap joint as it is both self jigging making assembly around the newel will be easier and it also pushed the joint to the very tip. When rounded over the joint became almost invisible.
I’ve borrowed a friends router table with a Incra router lift and fence. I have to say these made setting up the mitre lock cutter very easy and quick. (I still prefer a spindle) Anyway when I borrowed it I’d totally forgotten I have a special spindle shaft for the spindle moulder that can hold a router cutter holder, so I’m very tempted tomorrow to set that up and have a few text cuts. The big downside with the spindle is the RPM available it can only go up to 8000RPM.
We are using Riyter mitre lock cutter from Axminister. It can mitre lock material down to 9mm. Tyere are three cutters available each offering a different material thickness range.

The box isn’t glued, just held by my hand pressure, the lower picture shows two sides joined together at 90 Degrees. Spot the joint.

The round over bit was set a bit low and this left a slight groove. I need to make a few test pieces to iron out these sorts of issues and getting everything set up and tuned in.
With just hand pressure the joint creates a perfectly square box which I was amazes by.

 

[HOJ]

I now make all my newels hollow, and did glue them around a plywood, now mdf core, I have in the past just mitred and biscuited them which was fine, but invested in the SM head to do them with the lock mitre option, saves a lot of of faff and the results are spot on, with a lot less clamping needed (the one on the left is 3.6 mtrs long) :



The other left

 

[deema]

The newels look very nice, lovely solution.

 

[Spectric]

hi @deema this might be helpful in getting a good joint

Wealden 45° Lock Mitre Cutter - Wealden Tool Online Resources

I had some issues with setup so ended up going infinity as they have a nice setup tool

Lock Mitre Jigs – Infinity Tools

Set up perfect-fitting lock mitre joints in minutes, without frustration or wasted wood.

www.infinitytools.co.uk