CURVED HANDRAIL | How to Build a Staircase #4 | Build with A&E 

Hi Michael much appreciated, I will always be thankful to the guys who trained me thanks for watching all the best Tony 👍 have a awesome week

I picked up a huge historical build in Seattle. Thanks for sharing . Lol I'm nervous.

Hi Bill thanks for your kind words, glad you enjoy the channel. The Historical build in Seattle sounds amazing if you have a chance please do a few photos or video and send to us loved to see it all the best Tony 👍 have awesome weekend

More to come Reg, take care 👍

Hi hideyourcable thanks for your kind words, we are glad that you are enjoying the video, love you title above it’s ate company policy no wire or pipes to be seen, thanks for watching all the best Tony 👍

Hey Lewis Clark thanks for your kind words, sculptured curved rocking chairs how cool, always loved them don’t know why they alway give me a sense of calm when I see one, thanks for watching keep Safe all the best Tony 👍

Chester Dodd thanks for your kind words it’s great to able to share one’s knowledge the old boy who trained me would have loved you tube he was a true master craftsman thanks for watching keep Safe all the best Tony 👍

Hi BlueKingfisher thanks for your kind words, thank you for watching, keep Safe all the best Tony 👍

Hi Mark we are glad you found the video useful have a awesome weekend all the best Tony 👍

Hi Peter Kiernan thanks for your kind words, thanks for watching keep Safe all the best Tony 👍

Hi Desmond Lacy thanks for your kind words keep safe all the best Tony 👍 oh thanks for watching

Much appreciated Lee, take care 👍

Hi Mark Russell thanks for your kind words, super exciting times for you then with this new, we you all the best on the journey, please don’t hesitate to ask any questions on your new build if you need any advice or if we can point you in the right direction, thanks for watching keep Safe all the best Tony 👍

Thank you Javed 👍

Thanks Maria! 👍

Hi Danny Mistry glad you enjoyed the video all the best Tony 👍

Hi Silver Fox 👍👍👍 keep safe

Glad you liked the video Paul! 👍

Hi Johns Law thanks man, don’t really get to do much curved work nowadays but I have a wreath on the way which I’am looking forward to when I have time 😂 all the best Tony 👍

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Hi TheHairyKarl never have enough clamps 😂 thanks for watching keep Safe all the best Tony 👍

Thanks for watching Roy 👍

Hi Freddy Leon sorry about the late reply, slip through the net. Thanks for your kind words keep safe all the best Tony 👍

Please get back to tony!! It’s a framed out curved staircase so I know I can clamp to stud just wanted to know the rule of thumb on the block playing weather you just mimic the dimensions of each tread nosing

Glad it was helpful Kris! Take care 👍

Hi Bjorn we are glad you enjoyed watching happy holidays all the best Tony 👍

Much appreciated Jack, take care 👍

Hi Troy Queen thanks for your kind words, you are lucky to be able to buy from the stair supplier your right it saves a lot of time. Thanks for watching keep Safe all the best Tony 👍

Those supplied from Stair companies are usually 7 layers making it hard to bend to a tight radius.

Hi Sam sapele is a wonderful timber to work with and be absolutely fine DM some photos when done if that’s Ok all the best Tony 👍

Thanks Bob 👍

Hi Benson, yes - you can use the Cascamite powdered resin wood glue outside. Take care bud 👍

Hi hurculeforever thanks glad you enjoyed the video, steam bending solid pieces, well something that I haven’t done but I bet someone out there would be maybe doing it especially in boat building or something on that line, I’am going to RU-vid it I need to know all the best Tony 👍 keep safe

Solid wood handrails today are typically manufactured using CNC equipment (computer numerically controlled) These are typically 5 axis machines and very expensive to purchase and program. The programmer must also be highly trained. A typical curved stair with one inside stringer and handrail, usually requires at least 3 solid, helical handrail segments. These are rail-bolted together to form the overall length. During the 19th century, various drawing techniques were used to create the required patterns (called face molds.) These were sometime provided by the architect or a handrail specialist. Not just the proper helical curve was required but twist bevels had to be ascertained. The ends of each handrail segment had to have exact amounts of twist in order to remain level as it spiraled around. The method that I used was known as "the tangent method" and was first introduced to North America by Robert Riddell. Although there were others who used different systems. Riddell remains at the top. The Mowatt brothers refined his work and penned one of The best books on the subject. The look and feel of solid curved handrail segments remains rare. But there was a time when only a crazy carpenter would cut-up perfectly good timbers and reduce them to bundles of strips. BTW, to my knowledge, there has never been much steam-bending in curved handrail manufacture. That was more for the boatbuilder. PS, Not only the curved handrail was formed with twisted surfaces but all of the adjoining fittings as well. I'm retired now but have been paid to lecture and teach this now obsolete and forgotten skill. It still works today though and with very few limitations, commonly associated with strip-bending.

Hi tony,fellow carpenter here though not up to your standard with staircases like this one,I have been watching very closely and due to the fantastic way that you explain things I believe I would be able to tackle a similar but maybe less complex one so thanks. Do you ever watch grand designs? There was one a few years back where the builders/homeowners had a business and made a living steam bending wood and some of the details that they incorporated in to their house were stunning,I would recommend watching it if you can find it anywhere. Thanks for these videos mate.

Hi Tyler Thanks for watching Depending on the style of staircase about6 to 8 weeks 👍

@@BuildWithAE nice! 20 weeks plus for me then.. thanks for the response

Hi Kimberly much appreciated. Not to sure All the best Tony 👍

Make or mockup copy of the wall height and stair width. Now construct the stair case curve with piece of 1 inch phex pipe. draw the lines. Measure each step height. Next cut in the stair rail or ballaster. Measure. Measure. Measure Once you finally confirmed all the exact measurements. Cut the oak strips and start gluing As you can see. With the massive amount of clamps needed. Set the glued up oak or the wood of your choice. Clamp in place. Finally removed the ballaster. Next lay the assembly in place and see if it fits. And finally the finish work.

You can steam the timber

@@BuildWithAE Steam AND laminate? Wouldn’t the wood be wet and glue not work well?

Wouldn't recommend them or trend routers. Plenty of power but the handles and position of them are horrible. Especially if you use the router plenlty. Makita router is lovely to use and comfortable. My opinion. I do plenty of moulding and curved handrail same as these guys so just my opinion. Go to a toolstore and get a feel. Yes you will get more attachment with trend but also the price tag as well with them

@@snwman862 couldn’t be worse than Bosch. I hate those stupid round knobs

Hi Rick much appreciated Any joinery shop really all the best Tony 👍 Make sure it’s out of the same plank

@@BuildWithAE top man thank you

Hi top 111 portland good question, the reason I don’t I feel I have more control over the run of the handrail especially with longer rack piece handrail, in the joinery shop we would use a feed roller on a spindle moulder, thanks for watching all the best Tony

Hi Silver Fox there will be three more to follow, hope we can get them out soon apologies about delay just crazy times hope you’re all well all the best Tony 👍

Hi Leslie what a cracking idea, will give it a go next time have a awesome week all the best Tony 👍

Hi Bodge71, Yes We will be in the near future, also to install and spindle installation. Thanks for watching 👍

Hi rmdemaray we had a camera nightmare, for some reason the camera didn’t record, so we then had to use the footage from the curved flat landing rail to show the process. On the rack handrail you have to take your time a bit more. I’am just glad we had the other curved rail, in the next stair video you will see the jig being made got the flat curved landing handrail, hopefully this makes sense thanks for watching, keep safe all the best Tony 👍

Many thanks! 😎👍

Hi Michael P . Shaw Joinery then went to Humphrey Brother Curved and Spiral wooden Stairs then to Manor House Interiors then did shop fittings then site work and then decided let’s have ago building for myself and the rest is history all the best Tony 👍

Lots 😂

Hi Peter Hope Cascamite powder resin glue mixed with water thanks for watching keep Safe all the best Tony 👍

Awardart 3 mill under 1/8 of an inch

Hi Bradley well you learn something new every day it makes perfect sense thanks for watch all the best Tony 👍

Hi mark kouba depending on what glue you use might be the case, but do you get the working time, do you get the clear glue line, I have tried many glues over the years especially when I was making stair’s full time and always came straight back to cascamite, plus working with Oak as you may or may not know it has a tendency to move a lot, personally you would have it delaminate if you only did one side. Thanks for watching keep Safe all the best Tony 👍

Glue on both sides helps the strips to slide while they're being bent. It also allows a little more time before the glue begins to grab. And you need more time to get everything in position and all. Clamped up. Strip-laminating is tricky business and when you're done, you cross your fingers that you won't have to much spring-back or delamination issues. I hated the whole process and even the striped handrails it produces. It also requires another pair of hands which was not always at hand. Eventually I learned to cut and shape curved handrail from solid stock which put an end to my bending days.

😂 all the best Tony 👍

Hi William Davis sorry for the late reply, great question, it’s funny that I have never used a dovetail cutter I suppose it’s because it’s the way I have been shown always used a flute when being trained it might of been cost, the main reason for me is most veneer finishing you have to have a square surface because the trim router bit needs it, if it was dovetail it would trim to the wrong position, the rule with cutters as I was always told width of the cutter is the depth you plunge no more is 13mm cutter 13mm plunge, also some cutter have cutter speeds on the plus always use a 1/2 collet not 1/4 or 3/8 thanks for watching, keep safe all the best Tony 👍

Hi Sean yes but probably on a horizontal plain all the best Tony 👍

@@BuildWithAE what do you mean by horizontal plane? Go with the grain not against?

@@rockandmeatroll hi I would assume kitchen cabinets are on a horizontal and vertical plane the handrail is on a pitch or rack I have never seen a rack cabinet only panelling all the best Tony 👍