Curved stairway round two

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Well we had to take the first one apart, the channel for the stringers wasn't bent right so our stairs didn't fit and we didn't have enough reveal on the steps to make code.  here are three more crappy phone pics.  I almost finished it today so I'll have pics of it completed tomorrow (without powdercoating).  We cut the stairs on the plasma table and bent them ourselves, but we had the stringers bent for us.  I found out a little about it, they run the channel through three rollers.  We made wood templates for them to go by as this was the 4th time they bent em lol and we needed them right.  They also rolled all the steel for the lower, upper and cap rails.  I cut all the pickets, did all the drilling/setup/welding.  The only thing I didn't do was set up the plasma table as I haven't been trained on it yet.  Not bad for being a welder for all of 8 months or so?  Any criticism welcome (except for my photo skills on a crappy camera phone haha).Last edited by buggyboy_2006; 01-31-2008 at 07:23 PM.
Reply:Looks good.  Ouch on the code requirements.  It is all in the details.
Reply:Well the fortunate part is that it wasn't our ouch.  The plans for the house never got approved by the county even though they issued a permit lol so it is coming out of the builders ***.  Time and materials.  That set of stairs right there cost them about $4500 and we have another set to make for the opposite side of the deck.  We have gotten about $20k worth of work out of this project as I've built atleast 7 curved handrails and a few straight ones for different various sets of steps and decks all around this house.  When we get them all installed I'll take pics.  I've built every handrail this house is getting (except for the wood ones inside, wood is for wimps lol)
Reply:What is that 8 or 10 inch channel iron? How do you form it in a spiral, just feed it at a specific angle to the rolls as opposed to perpendicular ? Nice work
Reply:We actually had a local company roll it for us.  I was told that the channel was fed through 3 rollers at the same time but I don't know the details of it.  Sometimes they let me cruise down there to pick up material so I'll try to get more info from them next time.  It is 10 inch channel that is 1.5 inch deep.  This has been a FUN project.  makes my day go by like crazy.
Reply:That is a beautiful staircase, nice work!
Reply:Probably be a set up like this...on a larger scale no doubt...we rolled C6x8.2 in these rolls but only a section of a large diameterLast edited by Tinbasher; 01-31-2008 at 10:23 PM.
Reply:Yes something like that but I was told it runs through 3 rolling machines at the same time from what my boss says.  He told me that is the only way to get the pitch/radius and keep it plumb at the same time.  I myself honestly have no idea.  I could have misunderstood him though, I usually need to see/do things for them to make any sense haha.Last edited by buggyboy_2006; 01-31-2008 at 10:42 PM.
Reply:It was probably a roll similar to the one shown earlier.You lay out the stair like normal and feed it threw the machine parallel to the rise line.
Reply:looks goodThe Welder Shop has great deals and reviews on Hobart, Miller and Lincoln Welders.
Reply:Originally Posted by Ron ShafferIt was probably a roll similar to the one shown earlier.You lay out the stair like normal and feed it threw the machine parallel to the rise line.
Reply:Let me give you a little hint about forming metal...nothing comes up perfect. Everything must be fine tuned with a hammer, a pattern and a lot of patience.
Reply:I didn't have time to get more pics this morning as we had to dismantle it to get everything off to powdercoat but we should have it installed in the next two weeks so I'll get pics of the final product.  I get to build the other side next week.  Fun project that's all I can say.   Beats all the bobcat buckets etc. that we seem to be fixing all the time.Oh yeah and I've got to say, I LOVE our new Millermatic 210, that thing welds like butter!Last edited by buggyboy_2006; 02-01-2008 at 11:09 PM.
Reply:sorry, but back in the pics. are the treads bolted to the stringers? and if so why?G
Reply:I would think bolted steps would be easier to get into the building.BuggyboyIf you guys disassemble the stair, do you have each step marked. ...Just in case there might be some "minor" variation make the steps not be interchangeable.Last edited by tapwelder; 02-01-2008 at 11:55 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by TinbasherLet me give you a little hint about forming metal...nothing comes up perfect. Everything must be fine tuned with a hammer, a pattern and a lot of patience.
Reply:buggyboydid you form the handrail in shop or did you sub it out?i'm intrested in the method of bending the handrail (and bottom rail)G
Reply:I have always wanted to make stairs like that but never could figure out how they bent the stringers.  Also Wanted to know how some of the spiral stair cases hand rails were bent.  One thing I do know is I am not set up to even attempt that. Me!
Reply:is there some kind of formula to measure something like that?
Reply:after some thought (yes it hurt) i assume that you make up a lenght of railing with the spindles at the correct angle for the rise and run of the stairs.Then run the section through the thing with the 3 rollers so the spindles are paralell to the rollers. the top and bottom rails must be the same width.but i havnt tried it yet.Can anyone varify this?G