Stairway Spindle Fitting

Home repair expert Henry Harrison helps a homeowner add extensions to a loose spindle on her century old staircase.

All About

Product Ideas

Materials and Tools:

workbench
spring clamps
woodworker's clamps
pull saw
elastic cord
wood rasp
pry bars
hammer
drill with 3/8-inch bit
rasp bit
center finder tool
hand plane
awl
engineer's square
carpenter's pencil
caliper
5-in-1 painter's tool
shim
folding rule
sandpaper
towel
safety glasses
dust mask
dowel
glue
nails
1x1 lumber

Steps:

1. Measure how long your spindle needs to be to fit securely by measuring from the base of the tread to the midpoint of the railing. Use a folding rule with extendible tip for accurate measurements.

2. Remove nosing using a painter's tool and maybe a pry bar.

3. Grab the spindle from the back and slide out of place.

4. Examine spindle and cut away any cracked areas at the top. Clamp the spindle to a workbench and mark a cut line using a pencil and an engineer's square.

5. Cut damaged portion away using a pull saw.

6. Use a center finder tool to mark bisecting lines across the end of the spindle and determine the center point of the spindle.

7. Punch a depression at the center point to create a starting point for your drill. Use a 3/8-inch bit to drill a hole into the end of the spindle for a dowel. Wear a dust mask and safety glasses when working with power tools.

8. Insert the dowel into the hole then mark the correct length. Cut the dowel to length using the pull saw.

9. Cut off about three inches of a piece of 1x1 lumber. Clamp it to the workbench and mark the center point. Drill a hole at the center to attach to the dowel at the end of the spindle.

10. Sand the cut edge of the block. Spread wood glue liberally over the dowel, insert into end of spindle then slide wood block onto the dowel. Wipe away excess glue.

11. Use an elastic strap secured at the other end of the spindle to hold the block in place while the glue sets.

12. Transfer the measurement you took earlier to the spindle. Measure from the base of the spindle and cut the block you just glued to the end of the spindle so the whole affair is the correct length to fit snugly in the railing.

13. Draw an circle on the end of the block to the approximate size of the opening in your staircase railing. Attach the rasp bit to your drill and carefully care away excess material.

14. Fine-tune the piece with a hand plane and file. Finish up with fine-grit sandpaper.

15. Slip the extended spindle into place and replace nosing. Drill pilot holes and secure nosing with finishing nails.