New newel post

[wrinkly1]

Hi all ,

Looking for some tips/warnings, have a new newel post to fit and need to make a 50mm hole in the existing part of the old post, have a suitable size forstner bit, BUT, not sure, before I rip my hand off at the wrist :shock: thought I would consult some knowlegable people.

Regards Bob

 

[TobyT]

I'm sure there's a professional who can provide a much better answer but here's an amateurs report while they respond.

My father had to do this recently. He bought a drill guide (like this, but I don't think it was an axminster one)
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-Drill-Guide-22269.htm
and mounted this on top of a square box jig (built from scrap) that slid over the top of the cutoff newel. He used a flat bit. Initially he found that the bit moved around a bit so didn't always drill a central hole. Looking at the image on the axi site, his drill guide didn't have that piece of plastic in the middle. So after we had played around with some ideas he put a bit of perspex between the guide and the jig, with a hole through for the bit shank to provide a secondary bearing. This did mean that the bit head was now below the base of the guide so he had to extend the jig; I think he put in an internal stop to support the bit just above the newel in the 'neutral' position.

Is a Forstner bit a suitable bit? Is there a recommended max depth that you can take a Forstner down to? I really don't know on this and looking for the answer as I need to drill some deep holes in my bench.

 

[studders]

I used a forstener bit, with guide, to drill my bench dog holes, a lot of them drifted offline. I think a router might be a better bet.

 

[Benchwayze]

I haven't heard fantastic reviews of the drill-guide. I was going to get one, but then I remembered something. My old Bosch router has a detachable plunge mechanism. This has a collar of 43mm; standard on most drills. It works fine, it's positive, doesn't wobble about and it can be pre-set to depth.

So if you have one of those upright cylindrical shaped routers, yours might well suit too.
HTH

John

 

[wrinkly1]

TobyT,

Interesting solution, was thinking of a flat bit originally but knowing how they tend to waggle about a bit bought one of these http://www.rutlands.co.uk/hand-tools/dr ... stner-bits.

I have used Forstner bits in both drill press and hand drills with good results but never anything this big.

Extensions for these are on sale so I would think you should be able to go pretty deep.

studders

Also thought of a router but can you get 50mm dia. cutters and the hole needs to be 100mm deep.

Thanks to you both for your input.

Regards Bob

 

[wrinkly1]

Benchwayze,

Have Triton in my router table and an Atlas Copco 2000 don't know if either have detachable plunge on them will have to have a look, thanks for your thoughts.

Regards Bob

 

[Benchwayze]

I have never shopped for a 50mm cutter, other than a panel-raising bit. But large routers can swing a hefty bit. I think for a job like this you'd have to use low speed, but if you can get the cutter, then I suppose it's feasible.

I am just wondering if given the same problem, I might put in four slip-tenons, each as thick as the timber can sensibly cope with.

If you can work from all sides of the newel 'stump', a half inch spiral up-cut bit would make short work of the mortices, and you could use the fence supplied with the router to get precise location of all four mortices. (Well, 8 altogether). The post you are going to attach can be morticed in the vice of course.

It just demands careful marking out and attention to detail. If you used good quality ply for the slip-tenons, you'd have the opposing grain strength from that too. With a modern adhesive, Robert's your Mother's Brother .

Otherwise its a hand cut M&T! :wink:

HTH
Good Luck
John

 

[wrinkly1]

Benchwayze,

Now that is what I call lateral thinking, all along I have been thinking round hole because the newal has a round peg.

Where's my brain at (hammer) , nurse I need more pills :lol:

Brilliant thanks John =D>.

Regards Bob

 

[Keenedge]

How can it be £57.95 in Derbyshire from Rutlands and £39.20 in Buckinghamshire, talk about a north -south divide!!!!!!

 

[chippy1970]

I bought the 50mm Forstener bit that Richard Burbridge sell for their newel posts but its a right pain. I have done a few now for people , maybe some sort of router jig would make a more acurate hole but if you take your time with the forstener bit you should be ok.

 

[studders]

studders

Also thought of a router but can you get 50mm dia. cutters and the hole needs to be 100mm deep.

Thanks to you both for your input.

Regards Bob

Sorry, didn't express myself all that well. I meant using a router and 19mm bit for the bench dog holes, not the newel.
I would imagine though that it ought to be feasible to knock up a jig, with a suitable sized center hole, that fits over the newel post/ Then you could run the router as deep as possible before fitting an extension collet. Wether that would get down to 100mm I don't know.

 

[peter99]

If your not doing lots of them (ie one post top and bottom of stair run as a one off job) I have done it this way before, it doesn't take long.

Mark the centre of the base, drill out using a standard hole cutter,( the type that fits on a two pegged arbour or similar), then chisel out working down the plug thats left inside the cut out. trick is using a close fitting cutter size and a STRONG glue. Still going strong 5 years later in a let house!

If doing lots make a jig with flat plate of wood to sit on top of newel base with hole cut out allowing for a guide bush. countersink and screw through this into 4 short battens placed underneath the plate, 1 on each side of the newel base underneath. Route out using long cutter.
simply lift off and slide on to the next newel base and repeat.

 

[jasonB]

The Fostner bits that the likes of Burbidge sell don't cut well in endgrain and you can't get enough pressure on them with a hand drill.

I use a 50mm Holesaw and drill out the waste with a 20mm mad bit though a flat bit wil do. You will have to remove the waste in stages as the most you can do at a time with the holesaw is about 40mm.

And remember the Burbidge newels use a fox wedge type fixing so onve they are tapped in they are not easy to get out so make sure they are plumb before driving them home.

Jason

 

[Keenedge]

A forstner bit will be fine freehand if it has a centre point
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