Another staircase

[gduke2010]

Doing another stair at the Lake

[gduke2010]

[gduke2010]

This is from one I did over the summer. Had to bend the rail.

[gduke2010]

[look 171]

Wow, that's some seriously work. Is that what you do for a living? You must be good at scribing. Look like tremendous fun.

Are the raiser solid or plywood? The nosing on the thread a glued on piece? Got more pics? I did a few stairs ( one of them was a spiral ) in my younger days when were were just doing wood working and finish carpentry.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by gduke2010

Hand railing is lam. bending? How much spring back after drying?

[look 171]

I hope you are a young man with many years of this. Are there younger guys that want to learn the art? I have been at this since my late teens and still get exciting over see something like it at 53.

[gduke2010]

Yes, they are solid treads. The first picture is walnut.

[gduke2010]

Originally Posted by look 171

I hope you are a young man with many years of this. Are there younger guys that want to learn the art? I have been at this since my late teens and still get exciting over see something like it at 53.

I’m 57 and when I was young the really good carpenters that trains me were my age. Still learning every day.

[gduke2010]

Top view the treads are acashia (sp) sorry I don’t know how to spell it.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by gduke2010

I’m 57 and when I was young the really good carpenters that trains me were my age. Still learning every day.

You were lucky. I have to learn it the hard way, read a book, lots of trial and erors and just figured it out. I was going to college when I started this. But I did go to all the trade shows and made lots of local contacts. I was doing smaller stuff for a few local guys then one thing led to another, I was able to hire these older semi retired craftsmen (they all knew each other from years of work) as subs to work for me. I basically stood there and watched just to learn. Then I started doing it myself to save a few bucks. Then my business grew into a monster just doing finish work and cabinetry. Still, what you do it a lot of fun and challenging.

[Bill Douglas]

It looks nice. Nice styling and nice and SOLID.

I'm presently working on a place of GF's and the staircase squeaks. It need to be glued and screwed. Not just nailed together.

I never fail to be impressed at the talent on this board. Really outstanding design and craftsmanship. It definitely is a dying art.

How is the acacia finished?

[flatbutt]

I'm assuming the rail is steamed then bent? How do you bend wood that much in one shot?

[GH85Carrera]

Wow. It looks like maybe you really have done that before.

Nice to see real craftsmen man work.

[fintstone]

That is freaking incredible!

I have a very similar staircase in my house...but the baseboards are not the same quality work in the curved areas at the base. How do you get that deep curve with stained baseboards?

[gduke2010]

The stair railing comes cut in 1/4" stripes and is glued and quickly clamped. The base is alder and also 1/4", glued, clamped and nailed to the wall. Then a router is run for the detail.

[DavidI]

That is beautiful! Fantastic craftsmanship.

[gduke2010]

Originally Posted by look 171

You were lucky. I have to learn it the hard way, read a book, lots of trial and erors and just figured it out. I was going to college when I started this. But I did go to all the trade shows and made lots of local contacts. I was doing smaller stuff for a few local guys then one thing led to another, I was able to hire these older semi retired craftsmen (they all knew each other from years of work) as subs to work for me. I basically stood there and watched just to learn. Then I started doing it myself to save a few bucks. Then my business grew into a monster just doing finish work and cabinetry. Still, what you do it a lot of fun and challenging.

I was in business too during the boom. I could see the money drying up before the bust and got out early. I was reading how people were cashing in on houses in California and renting before the bubble. Also, read and article in the Wall Street Journal written by a Japanese professor who was comparing our boom to Japans. Working for a contractor now with good health insurance. Made enough money during those years and don't want to risk what I made starting another business.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by gduke2010

I was in business too during the boom. I could see the money drying up before the bust and got out early. I was reading how people were cashing in on houses in California and renting before the bubble. Also, read and article in the Wall Street Journal written by a Japanese professor who was comparing our boom to Japans. Working for a contractor now with good health insurance. Made enough money during those years and don't want to risk what I made starting another business.

He has enough work keeping you employed doing staircases? I am sure you do other finish type work for him. Are these big-o-houses up in Tahoe , SF money? If so, that's a long hump over the hill and can be fun during the winter months with lot of snow fall.

Especially in high end construction, during the lean years, its the first to come to a halt. I was lucky in the last bust because we were heavily involve with the hollywood crowd and they seem to have endless supply of money. Eventually they get caught up after a couple years later. We weathered the storm well. That was when we started buying real estate for flips when the market goes back up. Scary just thinking about it. The timing can be horrible for guys in their 50s when the economy goes bust. Not ready for retirement, and for some, houses aren't paid for. Bad situation.