Milling Handrail

[gtrgeo]

Thanks for the suggestion Mike. I am looking for something with a little more square features than the windo sill cutter would provide. Looking at those cutters they seem to be limited to ~1-1/8" cutting height as well.

[gtrgeo]

Looking around some more I found this bit from Magnate. It has the straight lines I am looking for. https://www.magnate.net/ProductDetails.a...tCode=4901

I believe I can cut the chamfers on top at the table saw as well as plow the groove with a dado. The sides would be cut at the router table with the bit. It should turn out something like this. As far as I can tell this appears to meet code in height, width and grip requirements. I may do the rails at the landings in a wider version of this same profile.

[jteneyck]

Looking around some more I found this bit from Magnate. It has the straight lines I am looking for. https://www.magnate.net/ProductDetails.a...tCode=4901

I believe I can cut the chamfers on top at the table saw as well as plow the groove with a dado. The sides would be cut at the router table with the bit. It should turn out something like this.  As far as I can tell this appears to meet code in height, width and grip requirements. I may do the rails at the landings in a wider version of this same profile.

Here is what the NYS Code (which are the same as the National Code AFAIK) related to stairs says about Type 2 handrails:

TYPE II.
Handrails with a perimeter greater than 6-1/4 inches (160 mm)
shall provide a graspable finger recess area on both sides of the
profile. PHOTO 28. The finger recess shall begin within a
distance of 3/4 inch (19 mm) measured vertically from the
tallest portion of the profile and achieve a depth of at least 5/16
inch (8 m) within 7/8 inch (22 mm) below the widest portion
of the profile. PHOTO 29. This required depth shall continue
for at least 3/8 inch (10 mm) to a level that is not less than 1-
3/4 inches (45 mm) below the tallest portion of the profile.
PHOTO 30. The minimum width of the handrail above the
recess shall be 1-1/4 inches (32 mm) to a maximum of 2-3/4
inches (70 mm). PHOTO 31. Edges shall have a minimum
radius of 0.01 inch (0.25 mm). PHOTO 31.

I think you will find your latest design fails to meet those requirements.  But you could easily modify it so that it will meet code by increasing the length of the recess in the sidewalls.  Here's another handrail I made for a different job:



The top profile was cut with a Grizzly Giant Thumbnail router bit, IIRC and I can check:



I didn't have a variable speed router at the time so I used a Variac.  The router was supported by another piece of rail stock to keep it from tipping.  







Then I made the angled cuts with a rip blade on the TS.  Finally, I plowed out the waste between the angled cuts with a straight knife on my molding head, which gives a cleaner finish than my dado blade.  You sneak up on the final depth until the edges of the knife just intersects the corner of the saw cut.  







You have options, but you still have to pay attention to the code restrictions.  If you need a dado in the bottom, as I did for some of the rails, you just plow that on the TS with a dado blade. 

Here's what that job looked like:






John

[gtrgeo]

John,
I found the same code language when I was putting that design together. Unless I am reading the code wrong, I believe it meets the criteria. The taper starts at 3/4" below the peak and meets the 5/16" required recess within 7/8" of the widest part of the rail. The sides are straight and I am measuring from the bottom of the widest portion so that is the only area I can see that may be a sticking point. I could always add a slight taper to the sides to make the widest point at the 3/4" depth from the top without question.

Not trying to be argumentative but trying to understand exactly where this design fails to meet the code.

Thanks again for all of your feedback I truly appreciate your help with this.

George

[Turner52]

Surprising how dificult a handrail can be. I didn't want to open a can of worms when I said look at the codes, but still wanted to warn you so you didn't have to redo something due to a violation. In my experience, the inspectors look very close at projects where they are not familiar with whoever pulled the permit. Not so much if they are famliar with the contractors work and have not had any problems with them before. This means homeowners pulling a permit are usually under close scrutiny. Most of them are very helpful if asked questions ahead of time. The code books do their best to cover everything, but can be very confusing when written by lawyers or engineers.

[jteneyck]

Surprising how dificult a handrail can be. I didn't want to open a can of worms when I said look at the codes, but still wanted to warn you so you didn't have to redo something due to a violation. In my experience, the inspectors look very close at projects where they are not familiar with whoever pulled the permit. Not so much if they are famliar with the contractors work and have not had any problems with them before. This means homeowners pulling a permit are usually under close scrutiny. Most of them are very helpful if asked questions ahead of time. The code books do their best to cover everything, but can be very confusing when written by lawyers or engineers.

Hey, we engineers make the world work.  

John

[Stwood_]

If you had a buddy with a molder/planer, he/she could whip up some railing pretty quick.

   

And some fluted balistors with the right equipment

   

[gtrgeo]

Turner52 - I appreciate you bringing up the code aspect as I would hate to have to rework down the road when we sell.

Stwood - Want to be my buddy with a molder/planer? 


I am still debating if this is all worth while for the project or if I should just use something off the shelf. I will definitely make the top rail for the balcony areas as I want them to be wider. I have even thought about just running some stock handrail through the table saw to get the top profile I am looking for. I can experiment with the old handrails I am pulling out.

Thanks,
  George

[Stwood_]

Sure.
  Where are you?

[jteneyck]

John,
I found the same code language when I was putting that design together. Unless I am reading the code wrong, I believe it meets the criteria. The taper starts at 3/4" below the peak and meets the 5/16" required recess within 7/8" of the widest part of the rail. The sides are straight and I am measuring from the bottom of the widest portion so that is the only area I can see that may be a sticking point. I could always add a slight taper to the sides to make the widest point at the 3/4" depth from the top without question.

Not trying to be argumentative but trying to understand exactly where this design fails to meet the code.

Thanks again for all of your feedback I truly appreciate your help with this.

George

George, not looking for an argument either.  This is the part of your design I'm not sure about:  

This required depth shall continue
for at least 3/8 inch (10 mm) to a level that is not less than 1-
3/4 inches (45 mm) below the tallest portion of the profile.

It doesn't look like the recess continues for at least 3/8" once you get to the minimum 5/16" recess.  


John