Renew newel post

[mailee]

Ok guys here is a good one. I have a job coming up to re-fit a set of stairs. It also requires the newel posts to be renewed. How do I drill the 50mm hole into the old base and get it accurate. It needs to be perfectly straight and upright of course. Any ideas on this? I could use a router but I doubt that it will have enough plunge so will have to go for a drill bit like a forstner or spade bit I suppose. I have replaced spindles before but never a newel.....yet. :?

 

[garywayne]

hi mailee.

If you mean the hole needs to be enlarged, couldn't you fit a piece of wood in the present hole, then drill to the size you require.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Suppose you started with a router and finished the depth with a Forstner bit?

My thought it to make a jig that fits the top of the base with a hole cut for a guide bush on the router and the longest straight bit you can find. Make the hole as deep as possible with the router. The side of the hole would then guide the Forstner bit in to the final depth.

The other thing that comes to mind is a thick block with a 50mm hole in it to act as a guide for the initial part of the hole. After you get in far enough, you can remove the block and continue drilling.

 

[WellsWood]

Hi Mailee,

When I had to this for the first time a couple of years ago I asked the same question of a local company whose mainstay is the supply of stair parts. Their answer, and the way I did it, was to drill the hole as best I could with a spade bit and then jam the tapered spigot in with loads of 2 part woodfiller, and clamp straight. I then ran a couple of dowels at right angles through the mating area.
Worked a treat, solid as a rock.

Mark

 

[RogerS]

Hah..mailee....i was going to suggest that you tried the Screwfix forum but see that you beat me to it :lol: but did you discover this thread?

 

[jasonB]

I,ve answered it on SF but here it is again, Ive got to do the same again later this weel with 5 oak newels


A 2" spade bit will not be very good into endgrain even if you could find one that big.

Richard Burbidge sell 2" fostner bits but they are still hard going into endgrain and usually end up slipping in the chuck.

Try a 2" holesaw and keep cleaning out the wast with say a 18mm spade bit or mad/3D bit, should be able to do it with a cordless.

Just keep checking buy eye that you are vertical in bith planes.

Jason

 

[Colin C]

A 2" spade bit will not be very good into endgrain even if you could find one that big.

Jason

You can chance this by filing spurs on the edge of the cutting edge, I will post a pic so it is clear .
It will cut much much better after and you will see that it will cut end grain without wondering

 

[JFC]

spurs colin ? are you trying to tell us something :lol: :lol:

 

[jasonB]

ColinI've got spurs on some of my Hex recess flat bits and they are fine into endgrain upto 25mm but still don't know of anyone that makes them as big as 2"

JFC I should have got you to make the newels on the Legacy, if you could have done them for less than the £100 each that Burbidge charge, Still what do I care I'm still making 20% on all the materials

Jason

 

[Alf]

Richard Burbidge sell 2" fostner bits but they are still hard going into endgrain and usually end up slipping in the chuck.

Are they genuine forstners? Or saw tooth? The latter are supposed to be better on end grain, fwiw.

Cheers, Alf

 

[jasonB]

They are Fostners, I think the problem is that you can't get enough pressure on them and then when they do start cutting the load is too much slip in the chuck, I've tried both keyless & keyed chucks, this was into the newels of a 1930's house. Since then I have used the holesaw method.

Jason

 

[gwaithcoed]

Hello Mailee,

I replaced both of my newel post some 10 years ago. I cut off the existing newel post at the top of the square bit, then using a 55mil saw tooth type forstner bit drilled down into the top.
The new posts had a spigot on the bottom 50mil diameter.
I then mixed up some Davids isopon P38, (the stuff used for car body filling)
buttered this around the spigot and pushed it into the hole.

To ensure that they were upright I clamped two lengths of timber to the square base and lined up the new posts to this.

The isopon sets off in minutes and leaves the post rock solid. I swing round mine every time I come down stairs and it never moves.

Alan.

 

[Roger]

I swing round mine every time I come down stairs and it never moves

That's what Woodwork and Golf get you

 

[gwaithcoed]

Ploget wrote

That's what Woodwork and Golf get you

I sometimes swing at my ball and that dosn't move either.


Alan.

 

[JFC]

Jason , if you get another job like that your welcome to come and use the Legacy just to see what it can do . Ive just turned four half pilasters and fluted them in less than an hour including set up .
Back to the question in hand ....
I use a hole saw to make the 50mm hole and clear out with a 3d bit and chisel as i go . I then cut the dowel that goes in the end of the newel down as i find its always too big . Loads of glue in the hole and around the base of the newel , drop the newel in place and turn a few times to get the glue all around . Then (hammer) (hammer) (hammer) making sure while your (hammer) its going in level . Brace it up level and leave as long as possible .
P.S I forgot to add i also put a 75mm screw through the existing newel into the doweled part of the new newel on the 3 sides i can get to .

 

[Colin C]

spurs colin ? are you trying to tell us something :lol: :lol:

Wash your mouth out with soap young man [-X [-( :wink:

 

[RogerS]

spurs colin ? are you trying to tell us something :lol: :lol:

Wash your mouth out with soap young man [-X [-( :wink:

Aw..c'mon.....he's got to finish his hot tub first :wink:

 

[Colin C]

spurs colin ? are you trying to tell us something :lol: :lol:

Wash your mouth out with soap young man [-X [-( :wink:

Aw..c'mon.....he's got to finish his hot tub first :wink:

 

[engineer one]

course, as an engineer, i'd say use a floorstanding pillar
drill over the hole :lol: :lol:

but i wonder whether there is something to be said for a modification
of this idea which is to drill a small hole, the size of the drill in the
centre of your hole drill in a block of wood in side a pillar drill.
this will ensure that it is vertical.

next place the new jig over the centre and then use a LOOOONG drill
to drill down into the fixing hole. next run the hole saw down this
hole, and as jason says just go down a short amount, then remove waste,
and go again.

paul :wink:

 

[mailee]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I had not looked for a 2" spade bit but browsing through the catalogues told me they aren't available. I will go for the hole saw as I do have a set and think I will start it off with the router as this will ensure it is plumb. Will let you know how it goes of course. I have two of them to do the top and bottom of stairs so it should prove interesting. :roll: