These were Stronger than I Expected! - Finally Making Progress!! 

well done. I've been painting for 38 years and I would love to paint your work my friend. Proud of you and your craftsmanship. Love the post and install great job

Literally one of the few channels I watch religiously 🙏

Iron ballasts would look sweet in them

Leave the top caps off the newels until you install the rails, then you can use either lag/bolt combination (lag into handrail, bolt onto newel) or bolt/bolt combination (drill hole in bottom of rail as you did here, bolt on both newel and rail). But looks great. Also you'll want to plug holes in bottom of rails, you can see them as you walk up the stairs. Nice job!

Another great video. To step up your production, layout, mark and drill baluster holes in both the rail and the sole plate before installing the rail. Always do this on flat work. On sloped rails when possible, I mark and transfer the marks before installing the rail but always drill them after the rails are in place.

I've worked with a lot of carpenters in my life, including my father. Your talent and skill, is unmatched even if you combined all of there skill together. My ultimate vacation would be to work as your helper for a couple of days.

You have helped me so much in my own house. As a kid i got into carpentry from building subwoofer enclosures. Very armature at best. Then i bought a finish nailer. Router etc then instead of screws it was counter sunk brad nails and glue and miter joints. Now im doing crown amd everything else. The progression has been great. And your vids answer all my questions on point. Great vids.

Retired Custom Home Builder now Cabinetmaker. Nice Job, Good system as long as the hardware are quality materials. I’ve seen Stair Builders use nothing but pocket screws. The system you used is far superior. I like it‼️👍👍 Enjoy your channel, Vinny 🇺🇸

50 years in. I am still learning. Your videos have taught me a lot and have also refreshed my memory on little tricks of the trade. You give me encouragement that there are some younger true Craftsmen coming up. I'm hoping that there are many more following in your footsteps. Us old guys are dying off. You give us confidence that we are leaving the trades in good hands.

The posts turned out great.

Installing stairs is a specialty all by itself. There are so many measurements for different situations that have to be remembered. As a stair installer for nearly 15 years, I was patient with your demonstration.

Just as it is with framing floors and walls, marking the top and bottom rails for balusters BEFORE you install permanently makes life so much easier. I’ve done it both ways. Saves time and effort. BUT it looks great. As usual!!

The newel posts came out looking great! The attachment hardware are pretty good. The old school method of attaching the rails was to drill a hole through the newel and the end of the rail. Drive a lag into the rail with a ratchet. Great looking project.

When I installed our stain grade square wood balusters, I first twisted them onto double sided screws into the flooring for a clean look (without a shoe rail) and then slid a plowed hand rail over the top of the balusters. Adding the handrail first will probably limit you to a paint grade baluster (to hide fasteners marks) or a metal/iron baluster that goes into a bottom hole on the floor and then slides up through a hole under the hand rail.

Black iron balusters would give a nice contrast if the railings are going to be white, but squares would look real good too...I'd probably coin toss it

as the posts are custom hollows some night lights in them would be my addition , or you could put down lighting in the actual hand rails, router out a slot underneath for some led strip lighting so you get a nice night glow

I'd go iron on the balusters. There aren't that many places to put in a contrasting material (meaning, not wood) in a home and it would make a great contrast here.

Great install demonstration. Makes perfect sense. Thanks.

Looks great. A tip for the next time you build box newels, or have to work with them, is to either leave the cap off and bolt the rail on from the inside, or add material behind where the rail will connect so you can use rail bolts. Rail bolts are super strong. Plenty of piece of mind, no extra screw needed.

Props to the camera operator. Excellent camera movements and focusing on the area.

Excellent effort!!! And this from a grumpy old nitpicker!

It looks great! I’m doing stairs and have gone for toughened clear glass in 10mm to keep it open

Great video! Glad to see you back at your house. I’ve learned so much watching you. Putting the screw in was a good idea, peace of mind and everything. Looking forward to the next video. Thanks Richard

Nice!

Excellent demo, big help !

Great Job!, I'm a little older then you and have been a carpenter for 40 years, and I've learned a lot from your videos!

Dude, you got such a great attitude. The way you approach learning new skills will get you far. Best wishes from Denmark.

Love the Newel Zip bolt system...secures well, creates clean look. Thanks for the measures...it helps when going from the Forsner to “spadle “...like the modification of the name.

Looks good I agree with everything you've done and I've been doing construction work and carpentry for 40 plus years

Richard, you do outstanding work ... I myself planned to stay in my house for two to three years than buy a house with a really big garage, well 20 + years later I am still here .. do it exactly the way you want it you may be there longer than you thinck , you will get your money back .. Semper Fi Pete M

I hated carpentry until I began watching your videos. You make me want to learn everything and switch from the professional painting business to carpentry.. Good job man, I apllaud you. Hey, share some of those secrets and advice that you got from the Idaho painter when you went and visited him last year....LOL

Those fixings are quite common now in the UK and are so much faster than traditional mortise and tenon. They do a range of different stair hardware. Did a nice job. Bit of glue maybe and finish tighten by hand so you can feel the pressure a bit better. Totally changes the stairs.👌

Looking good Richard!💥👊🏻 Those zip bolts are pretty slick!👍🏻 Take Care bro.😎

These came out so nice

Great job bud 👌.

Great job as always

Good Job Abe

Looks great!

Step up my stair game lol perfect way to end a perfect how to video. Once again very impressive my friend

Looks great 👍

Awesome job. 3” screw is good enough that zip bolt system takes to long to setup and install. But it’s going to look amazing when it’s all done . Keep pumping out those videos

Great teaching vids! I have enjoyed the making of the Newell posts which turned out nice. I also use Sommerfeld router table and bits. The fence is large and allows larger project pieces. Also, the sanding flapper with grinder for back cutting crown looks like a worthwhile investigation and trial. Thanks for shooting the v-log.

Love your channel and work

Looks good, if the caps on the post were removable you could have bolted the rails from inside but it still looks great it would look good with black metal balusters.

Wow I am currently working on a stairway landing project almost identical to this. I was contemplating how I was going to connect the railing to the newel post. I will definitely. Try this method. Thanks for the detailed instruction.

That's a pretty good system. 👍

Looks pretty awesome

Love the content dude, I followed a lot of your wainscoting ideas in my home remodel and it all worked fantastic. Thanks

Woah that's a cool method for the handrail. Love a good pun to finish a video too 😂

Your how to videos are great!

Good solid work. I've been watching your videos lately and you have gave me the confidence to remodel my trim in my house. I've learned alot from your videos. Doing trim in house 1 room at a time. And it's coming out great. Thanks to you.

Those look awesome man nice job

Great work dude👍

Beautiful! I would go with the wooden balustrades.

Very well explained thanks bud.

Or you can use the regular studs that are threaded for wood on one end like a lag screw, and regular threads on the other end, and put those into the posts. Then what you do is drill your 1" hole in your rail as you would normally do, and a 1/2" hole in the end of the rail, and then break out the bottom of the rail with a sharp chisel, (from the end grain, in a "v", two hits) so you can get the bolt to slide through the bottom of the rail, and then glue that piece back in, and tighten the nut. The grain will match like it should. Then put the 1" plug in.

Very nice newel post. I thought it will be the last time we see you till the next year. The cable railing look will look nice I think. Keep sending us videos.

Another great video. I've been holding off on my stair project because of this issue. I've never installed railings but feel I can do it correctly with your video guide. Thank you very much.

Beautiful job, I never expect anything less. Enjoy your progress on the house, I know we all do.

Thanks for all the great content!

This is the only channel I watch regular. Thanks for the great work.

Beautiful work! Hey, if you mounted the cross-bar deeper in the top of the newel you would have a super secret hiding place for a gun or other valuables. Had you waited to mount the crown cap on the newel wouldn't that have allowed a simpler fastening of the upper rail with no need to cut into the side of the newel? Maybe a simple lag screw or a plain bolt into the round nut that you installed in the rail, but before you tightened the vertical threaded rod. You could make a good living with a shop mass producing those beautiful newels. I'm also a fan of "Next Level Carpentry".

Looks good Richard. Newel posts are killer. One thing tho’ depending on your balustrade design, whether you use a toe rail or tenon the spindles into the floor, you may need to take all those top rails loose again in order to assemble the system. Also you can buy tapered 1” oak plugs made to conceal the rail bolt holes. They are much better than anything you can site fabricate. Great job so far!

Ya it’s cool but I use a 3” 3/8” bolt washer and nut system. Same premise drilling 1” hole to get your wrench in and tighten it up. 1/2” whole on the side for slop adjustments if you don’t install the bolt perfectly. It can withstand 200lb of pressure which is code in California. Thanks for the alternative tips. Cheers!

Glass inserts.👍

I like it. Good job!

If you’re going with that look some white 3.5” plantation shutters on the windows would really make it pop. Plus your trim work it would all look like a million bucks

Grate job brother.!

Amazing good to hear you are having fun.

You make everything look so easy! I know I’d be cussing for half a day or more trying to get this done.

Like the threaded rod install. Solid install, GREAT JOB‼️👍👍. Vinny 🇺🇸

Looks great. :)

With your paint skills, definitely the classic square or slightly rectangular balusters. Looking great!

As far as balusters go, an 1 1/2" square with a stop chamfer on four sides looks really nice. Will always be in style because its traditional. my advice would be buy the square balusters and do the chamfer yourself, chamfer will vary going down the stairs

Looks great

Great video. I learned something new. By now you have already installed the balusters but I would have voted for using iron balusters to compliment the woodwork you have done. Bravo!

Nice piece of hardware!!

As a display and commercial carpenter for 25 years , this guy knows what he talks about . He reminds me of what Mike Rowe preaches , work smart and hard .

My preference for the Balusters I would to use square wood balusters with a lightly rounded edge. Painting them white would look cool. If you space them closer together, it will make the whole stair case look richer.

Great video, thank you. I am thinking of using these to attach our new bannister; thanks for the thorough instructions!

I love everything about finish carpentry, and have been inspired by many of your videos to take on such projects, id like to send a few of my pics just so you can have more ideas for your stair project, it’s funny how much really goes into stairs, and I’m not a stair guy but I’ve had to teach myself and research everything, and we used the same bolt set up for handrail

Great job

Finished watching, this is perfect timing for me. I need to put in new stair treads, posts, rails and balusters but wasn't sure best way to fasten posts and rails. I like your explanations, always complete and not in a rush, reminds me of Tommy on This Old House. 👍☺️❤️

I have never used that system but I like the concept, I'll have to look into those on my next stair build. you were right to add that extra screw its just added insurance that the rail will never fail. With the railing you used you are going to need to stick with a wood pin top or metal baluster. Wood is going to be your less expensive route, but metal is a nice contrast or wow factor. Looks good so fare keep up the good work. P.S. What I have seen from your skills so fare you should have no problem with stairs, it only gets to be a pain when you start doing bent railings. Keep up the good work.

Just Wow!

Looking good

Very informative and I find myself getting a smile or a chuckle every time I watch one of your videos. Thank you for the great content.

Your right it was a good time to end it, you wont get a riser out of me. Though I might tread on a few toes. Ill see myself out.

As a stair guy I would put the balusters , rail and shoe in as one unit. I think it is easier and faster to fasten everything together and put it in as a unit. That is a cool idea for mounting the rail to the post.

Looks nice, 👍

Did you consider or have access to railing stock with the channel for the pickets on the bottom? Suggestion - on the floor - use masking tape and a compass and scribe to plot before drilling holes in the nosing.

Richard, the newel posts look Stupid Dope Fresh Son!! Fantastic work Bud. Hoping all is well, Dirty Jersey out!!!

Love your work 👍

Excelente Job. Congrat. I love with Contractor did things right

Looks bad ass and like always best work ever

Beautiful job! Professionally done !

I learn a lot following your channel. Great stuff. And all can be used around your house and more. Awesome work.

Posts are beautiful

I got my first stair job and ordered a bunch of those fastening hardware from amazon. Was excited to use these but then it turns out the handrail wasn't thick enough for the depth of the hardware so I couldn't use them. So just something to keep in mind for those that are looking to use that fastening system. Otherwise great video as always !

Those fasteners are crazy...I was wondering how that was going to work... then you showed how they go in and out. Amazing!!!