Stair Spindles

ACG

Im just wondering if someone can check I have done this correctly or not. Its on the stairs so is on an incline.

From one end to the other on the angle it is 69.75 inches (ie along the bottom or top underneath the handrail).

The spindles are 1.5 inches each.

So I have worked it out that I need 13 spindles, with a gap of 3.58(4)inches between each which is less than the 10cm H&S limit.

Does that sound about right?

I will convert these figures to cm/mm when doing it properly but I just want to make sure I am doing the maths correctly and am within the ball park.

Cheers.

maisie_cat

The gap is measured on the horizontal, not the angle. When I did mine I bought too many spindles and made the gaps closer together than I needed. I think you need 9-10 spindles depending on the angle of the stairs.
If I did it again I'd draw it out to check.

leveller2911

The way we were taught to set out spindles/balusters at college was with a compass. Its quite simple to do but not easy to describe over the internet.

Basically you work out (roughly) on what spacing you want between the spindles (allow for the fact that any turned/shaped areas are where you would measure your maximum spacing and not the square section on the end) .A 100mm sphere should not pass through any spacing on the staircase.

Add the width of the spindle onto that spacing so for instance if you have 68mm between them then add the width of the spindle say 36mm so the compass is set to 104mm. Now put the point of the compass by the bottom Newel post on the base rail (part the spindle sits on) and mark where it sits on the base rail and mark it , then just keep on marking/stepping off that distant with the compass all the way up till you meet the top newal post.Be careful not to alter the compass as you work your way up the stairs.

If the final compass spacing at the top is less than a full spacing then either narrow or expand the compass spacing by a very small amount and then set out from the bottom newel again and the final spacing at the top will be closer if you are lucky it will be exactly right but if not just adjust the compass again .


Remember that when you adjust the compass by 2 mm and have 14 spindles then that single alteration will make a difference of 30mm over the length of the run of spindles.

It sounds a long winded way but in fact when you get the hang of it its very simple and very,very accurate. I did say its not easy to describe over the net..:D

Setting out spindles on the horizontal measurements (called the "total run") is not accurate and gaining by 1mm on each spindle spacing will make a difference of 14mm (if you have 13 spindles) on the very last spacing at the top.If you have 20 spindles it will be an error of 3/4".

Ruski

Nice and simple.... Clicky

HTH

Russ

ACG

Thanks for the link, that is ideal.

I have a question after completing it. It says:
You need 10 spindles, spaced 8.64 cm apart, using spacers of 11.49 cm

"spacers"? What are those?

leveller2911

ACG wrote: »

Thanks for the link, that is ideal.

I have a question after completing it. It says:
You need 10 spindles, spaced 8.64 cm apart, using spacers of 11.49 cm

"spacers"? What are those?

I'm just guessing but I think they may mean the "fillets" which are the pieces of timber you nail into the base rail and underside of the handrail between the spindles so from the bottom newal you pin a "spacer" (fillet) that is 11.49cm long then fit a spindle ,then its another "spacer" 11.49cm long ,then a spindle etc etc etc .. They are usually called "base rail fillets".

My advice is to only temporary nail the "spacers" in place so that when you get them all in and its worked out correct you can go along and hammer home the pins. If it doesn't work out right it will be far easier getting them all out to start again.

When you cut the "spacers" if you are cutting them on a chop saw then set a length stop so you cut every spacer exactly the same. If you don't then you will find the spindles aren't plumb/level and the further you go the worse it will get.

The "spacers" need to be cut very accurately.

leveller2911

Duplicate post.......

chappers

cheers Ruski that's very handy, I used to do it by trigonometry and eventually wrote a little java app that worked on my phone, but since the event of smart phones it wouldn't work anymore, so ordinarily I now do it essentially how leveller does, but usually using a block of wood instead of the compass

Ruski

Yeah - I had an Excel macro that worked it out too years ago....

Damned Internet knows everything now

Russ

phil24_7

Surely there's a smartphone app that'll do all these calculations for people!?!?

chappers

probably, but now it's just easier to access the net from your phone and use the one Ruski linked to.