Custom handrail 04'

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Here are some handrails I built back in 04' for a customer in Carlton Oregon.  Mockup on the bottom ones took about 3 days to follow the custom veneer.  They not only had a radius, but also a helix.  We underbid the job and pretty much did it at cost when everything was said and done.  Next time, this kind of rail will go for around 190 per foot.
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img src=http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m143/brainfarth/63.jpgimg src=http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m143/brainfarth/61.jpgimg src=http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m143/brainfarth/60.jpgHmm... What am I doing wrong?Last edited by Brainfarth; 06-06-2007 at 08:11 AM.Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:Originally Posted by BrainfarthHere are some handrails I built back in 04' for a customer in Carlton Oregon.  Mockup on the bottom ones took about 3 days to follow the custom veneer.  They not only had a radius, but also a helix.  We underbid the job and pretty much did it at cost when everything was said and done.  Next time, this kind of rail will go for around 190 per foot.Hmm... What am I doing wrong?
Reply:Thanks and thanks.  Here are some more photos, but of the mockups.I used jigs to keep everything straight until I was done with welding.  It worked out pretty nice.Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:That's really nice work, Brian.  Looks like it required a pretty good amount of figuring before hand to get it right.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Very nice work.  Spiral rails always through me a fit trying to lay them out.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Nice work. I would love to work with someone that knew what they were doing on a project like that.
Reply:You are very talented! Looks really good.
Reply:looks good what a pain to keep them perfectly strait very nice what kind of material and what coating was put on them
Reply:How do you actually turn and twist a rail like that? The process is what really interest me!Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Very nice..You get the "A" for the day.. Even though it was 3 yrs ago... ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:very nice work.DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:Way cool stairs, and gorgeous house to boot!
Reply:Originally Posted by Hammack_WeldingVery nice work.  Spiral rails always through me a fit trying to lay them out.
Reply:That is awsome.  Very very nice work.  I'd love to build something like that some day.
Reply:looks good...Strive For Perfection
Reply:We are in the process of building a roller, but for now we are outsourcing all of our material that we cannot put in the small roll(good for flatbar and small tube).  As for matching the contour of of vaneer, I did a few measurements to get the correct radius.  At the shop, I had a co-worker hold one end with a pipe welded to it for leverage and with me on the other side with the same setup.  Then we gave it a little twist and drug it to the site.  I had to build a pretty good sized jig with a porta-power mounted on it to fine tune the helix.  That was a pain because I could not bring it inside the house so we had to pack the rail inside and outside 20 times before it matched(within 1/4").  I should have taken a picture of the jig before cutting it back apart.  All of the sharp corners are 90's cut to the right angle.  I couldn't get any clean 90's in time so I had to go with black pipe(with the stamp on them) which add more time to the project because I had to fill in the stamps and sand them out.  On average, I calculated that it took 1 hour per sharp bend.  That is for the fitup time, tig, grind and sanding.  A porta-band is a must for jobs like these, and so is a portable tig machine.  Because alot of the time you can't tack things together with a mig inside a home that is being finished.  Another great tool is a hand held belt sander. ( something simular to this: http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=4533 ) Those are great at getting in corners and smoothing out grind marks.Oh yeah, it was double powdercoated(not sure how they do that) with some kind of dimensional silver color.  Then the guy clearcoated the whole thing for more depth.  He does some prety nice work for the money he charges.-MikeCommon sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.