MEASURE UMPTEEN TIMES...CUT ONCE

The old saying is "measure twice, cut once". I am now involved in the stairway and it's more like measure 3 or 4 times and cut once. I've got the two box newels pretty much complete. For both of them, I used a sturdy piece of 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" solid oak which extends from the framing below the subfloor and runs up into the newel about 18". This allowed me to get a very sturdy installation without any external screw or mounting brackets at the bae. In other words, it's a very clean look and solid. It's a little nerve wracking cutting into these pieces since they are around $100 each plus they are prestained. So, one bad cut and it sets me back on the schedule and also in the pocketbook. That's why I measure more than twice before cutting. Some of you may recall our stirway in the house on Neal-Pearson. I set the bar pretty high when I installed that one as it came out really nice even though I never had any prior experience putting in a stairs. That one was actually more difficult because the open side required compound miter cuts where the skirt board and risers intersected. Plus, that was oak which is a little harder to work with. For this one, I am using poplar except for the tread, which are maple to provide added durability.

Above pics are from the stairs I built 25+ years ago.

Below is the modest progress made through today on the new house.