At Home In The Woods

[Obed]

We have been cutting and sanding boards that will be used for the porch/deck railing. I am enjoying having a garage in which I can work during the rain. I cut off the top of that middle post that leans so badly. I cut around the post with a handsaw to get my cuts started straight. I finished cutting through the post with a sawzaw. The handrail will sit on top of the middle post.

 

[Obed]

Our garden is slowing down. We bought a second motion activated Scare-Crow Sprinkler and relocated the first sprinkler to protect the fall vegetables from the deer. Our garden has stayed mostly free of critters this season. I'm pleased. I really did not want to have to put up a fence.

 

[Obed]

All the boards for the porch railing have been prepped (cut, sanded, drilled). Drilling all the holes in the 2Xs to hold the vertical steel rods has been time consuming. I made a "jig" out of a scrap piece of composite decking to help me drill the holes straight. My BIL said I should just use a drill press. That would be a great idea if I had a drill press; but I don't. Each rod requires drilling 3 holes, one throught the 2x4 at the top of the rod, one half-way through the 2x4 at the bottom of the rail, and another smaller hole drilled through the bottom hole to drain rain water. We have 110 rods to install so that makes 330 holes!

 

[Obed]

This picture shows one of the rods beside a smaller drill bit I used for creating the drain hole. Hopefully, the drain holes will prevent water from collecting in the holes that hold the bottom end of the rods.



Here's a closeup of a hole in the bottom 2x4 that will support the rods. You can see the smaller drain hole.



On the drill bit used for drilling the larger hole, I made a mark at the top of the bit. While drilling, when the mark lined up with the top of the jig, I knew my hole was 3/4" deep.

 

[Obed]

Here's the first railing panel without the cap rail installed at the top. We have blocks nailed to the posts below the bottom rail and top rails for support.



We bought some 6d galvanized finishing nails for attaching the top and bottom 2x4 rails at the local hardward stores. These nails were expensive and are some of the softest nails I've ever used. I'm sure they are made in China. It almost seemed like the nails were made of lead, as soft as they are. In order to nail 8 nails, I had to throw away 4 because they bent. And my hammering is not THAT bad. My wife is going to buy some more from Lowes or Home Depot and see if the quality is any better. I'm not terribly optimistic. I was even nailing the nails through pre-drilled holes and they would bend.

Here's the panel with the 2x6 cap rail sitting on top of the 2x4 top rail.



One panel down, 8 more to go.

 

[955Lincoln]

I can see those rods bending and pulling out of the holes if someone pushes or falls hard enough. I really like the looks, nice and clean.

 

[Obed]

I can see those rods bending and pulling out of the holes if someone pushes or falls hard enough. I really like the looks, nice and clean.

955Lincoln,
The rods are 5/16" steel and are quite stiff. The top end of the rod fits snuggly 1 1/4" deep inside the hole drilled through the top 2x4 rail. The bottom end of the rod sits inside a 3/4 deep hole in the bottom 2x4 rail. In order for the rods to bend, the holes in the 2x4's would also have to give. If a full grown man intentionally kicked one of the rods, he might be able to knock it out, maybe, but even then I'm not sure if he would knock it out. Someone pushing or falling against the rails will not knock them out, especially since their weight would be distributed against several rods. I'm not concerned about the ability of the rods to hold.

Obed

 

[srs]

We bought some 6d galvanized finishing nails for attaching the top and bottom 2x4 rails at the local hardward stores.

Obed, Are you nailing the top 2 x 6 CAP RAIL to the top 2 x 4 TOP RAIL with the galvanized nails? What about drilling holes through the TOP RAIL, setting the CAP RAIL on top, then using galvanized screws to insert the screws from the bottom and then attaching. That way the CAP RAIL would not have any nail heads showing and the screws would pull the two boards in real tight.

 

[Obed]

Obed, Are you nailing the top 2 x 6 CAP RAIL to the top 2 x 4 TOP RAIL with the galvanized nails? What about drilling holes through the TOP RAIL, setting the CAP RAIL on top, then using galvanized screws to insert the screws from the bottom and then attaching. That way the CAP RAIL would not have any nail heads showing and the screws would pull the two boards in real tight.

Stanley,
Screwing the cap rail to the top rail from underneath is a good suggestion. That's what I will do. Thanks.
Obed

 

[srs]

Stanley,
Screwing the cap rail to the top rail from underneath is a good suggestion. That's what I will do. Thanks.
Obed

Obed, you are welcome! Hope it works out for you. Stanley