Episodes

  • Building a Bench with a Stone Leg

    Building a Bench with a Stone Leg
    Jun 30 2025
    A Unique Woodworking Journey

    Woodworking often blends creativity, craftsmanship, and problem-solving. In this project, I set out to build a bench unlike any other—one that incorporates a massive granite boulder as a leg, refined joinery, and an elegant wooden arch. This custom bench project was built for a Colorado Springs Client. Here’s how it all came together.

    The Stone Leg: The Most Demanding Part

    The project began with the most physically challenging task—working with the granite boulder. Since the stone was too heavy to lift alone, I used an engine hoist to move it from my truck. Once positioned, I scored the base with an angle grinder and broke off the excess with a coal chisel to reduce weight.

    But that wasn’t enough—I wanted the bench to be movable by one person, so I spent an entire day hollowing out the rock with a 4-inch angle grinder. By the end, my arms felt like they’d grown three sizes!

    Inspiration Behind the Design

    The idea for this bench came from architect Erick of 35×40 Design. He once designed a house where a boulder was craned through the roof to become a fireplace. That got me thinking: How can I incorporate raw stone into fine woodworking?

    After some brainstorming—and a hike through Oregon’s Cascades—the vision clicked: a bench that bridges organic stone with precise joinery.

    Carving the Bench Top to Fit the Stone

    With the rock hollowed and manageable, I milled lumber for the bench top. The next challenge? Carving an opening in the wood to fit the irregular stone shape.

    1. Initial Layout: I drilled holes and chiseled out the rough shape.

    2. Tracing & Refining: Placing the board over the stone, I traced the outline from underneath.

    3. Power Carving: Using an angle grinder with a carving disk, I removed material up to the marked line.

    4. Final Fit: As I got closer, I switched to rasps and files for precision, ensuring a snug but slightly loose fit to allow for wood movement.

    Constructing the Wooden Arch & Supports

    The bench’s arched backrest required laminating thin walnut strips around a plywood form. After gluing, I:

    • Cut the arch to length with a Japanese pull saw.

    • Shaped the ends to match the leg’s angle using a bandsaw and hand plane.

    • Hand-cut through-mortises for the cross braces, carefully chiseling to match the arch’s curve.

    Assembly & Finishing Touches

    Before final assembly:

    • I reinforced the hollowed stone with spray foam to prevent cracking.

    • Added a steel bracket to secure the wood to the stone, carefully drilling and welding custom-fit rods.

    • Applied a water-based dye to the mahogany to enhance its grain.

    Finally, I epoxied the arch in place, using screws (later replaced with decorative dowels) for clamping pressure. The last step was bolting the top to the stone—tight enough to hold, but loose enough to allow for wood movement.

    Final Thoughts

    This project pushed my skills in stone carving, joinery, and design. The result? A functional yet sculptural bench that blends natural stone with handcrafted wood.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Building an Oval Table with Abstract Shelves

    Building an Oval Table with Abstract Shelves
    Jun 13 2025
    Building an Oval Table with Abstract Shelves and Sculpted Legs For today’s Custom Furniture project, I set out to build a unique oval table with abstract lower shelves and sculpted legs. The process was a mix of careful planning, improvisation, and a little bit of trial and error—especially when my daughter compared the Oval Table design to Squidward’s head from SpongeBob SquarePants! Milling the Lumber and Glue-Up I started by milling the lumber as usual, but when it came to the glue-up, I decided against using dominos for alignment—something I typically rely on. Since I was cutting an oval shape and some abstract curves later, I didn’t want to risk a domino being exposed on the edges. Instead, I cut some cauls and covered them with packing tape to prevent glue adhesion. These helped keep the panels flat during the glue-up. To make clamping easier, I spaced the clamps off the workbench with scrap wood, allowing room for the clamps to slide underneath the material. Cutting the Oval Shape After the glue-up, I crafted a quick shop-made oval-cutting jig. I’m no mathematician, but the basic idea is that the jig has two sliding pivot points—one controlling the length of the oval and the other controlling the width. I double-stick taped the jig to the center of my workpiece and made several shallow passes with the router until I cut all the way through. Shaping the Lower Shelves The lower shelves only extended halfway across the table, so I glued up two shorter blanks and traced half of the oval onto them. After rough-cutting them on the bandsaw (leaving the line for cleanup), I used double-stick tape to attach the top to the lower shelf. Then, with a bearing-guided bit on the router table, I matched the shelf’s curve to the tabletop. Where the oval transitioned into the abstract shape, I blended the curves with a disc sander. My daughter’s observation that it resembled Squidward’s head was too amusing to ignore—so with her approval, I refined the shape and cut it out on the bandsaw. After cleaning up the cuts at the spindle sander, I used double-stick tape again to make a matching copy for the second shelf. Designing the Legs Originally, I thought using the oval’s arch for the legs would be clever, but after sketching it out, I realized it looked too busy with too many steep curves. Instead, I opted for straight legs with a curved top section, resembling the shape of a calla lily flower. To cut the legs safely, I used a table saw for the straight portion and switched to the bandsaw for the curve. Then, I refined the shape at the spindle sander and hand-sanded with a flexible strip to ensure a smooth transition. To prevent kickback at the router table, I added small plywood blocks with CA glue at the start and end of the template. This gave the router bit a solid surface to engage before cutting into the workpiece. Joining the Legs to the Table The legs were notched to fit into the tabletop and shelves. A dado stack cut the notches, but since the tabletop was curved, there was a small gap. I fixed this by chiseling a concave curve into each leg to match the table’s shape. During a test fit, I noticed a gap on the lower shelf due to Squidward’s sharper curve. I marked the leg’s position, sawed a notch with a Japanese pull saw, and refined it with a chisel until everything fit snugly. Final Shaping and Finishing For a smooth roundover on the legs, I used a router table with starter blocks to prevent catches. After knocking off the blocks, I trimmed the leg tops at the miter saw (though in hindsight, the table saw might have been safer—lesson learned!). A hand-sanded chamfer along the edges softened the transition between the legs and the table. Before final assembly, I pre-finished the pieces with wipe-on satin polyurethane, masking the joints to avoid glue interference. Assembly With nine joints across seven pieces, I opted for slow-setting epoxy. The band clamp, as usual, proved frustrating and was eventually abandoned. Despite my daughter vetoing the name “Squidward Table,” I’m really happy with how it turned out!
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Building a Japanese Inspired Bench

    Building a Japanese Inspired Bench
    Jun 9 2025
    How to Craft a Japanese-Inspired Bench: Carving, Bowties, and Joinery Today, I’m excited to share my process of building a Mountain Contemporary Japanese-inspired bench featuring a hand-carved crack with decorative bowtie inlays. Along the way, I’ll explore three or four different types of joinery to bring this piece together. This project was originally built for a Manitou Springs Client. Step 1: Preparing the Bench Top I started by cutting 8/4 cherry boards to approximate length for the bench top. While a live-edge slab with a natural crack would have been ideal, using standard cherry was more cost-effective, and I could control exactly where the “crack” would go. After milling the pieces, I arranged them to hide the glue line, ensuring the grain flowed naturally. Once satisfied, I used tracing paper to map out the crack’s path, following the wood’s grain to make it look as organic as possible. Carbon paper (yes, it still exists!) helped transfer my design onto the workpiece. Carving the Crack Using a power carver on an angle grinder, I carefully shaped the crack, starting at the top and working downward. A soft pad on my random orbit sander smoothed out the grinding marks. On the opposite side, I removed bulk material from the bottom and feathered it upward to meet my layout line. To enhance the crack’s realism, I applied a dark brown dye stain, then misted it with water to create a weathered effect. After speeding up drying with a heat gun, I sealed it with shellac to prevent any dye transfer onto clothing. A quick pass with 0000 steel wool toned down the shine. Floating Tenons for Alignment Before glue-up, I mortised the edges for floating tenons to ensure perfect alignment. Step 2: Inlaying the Bowties I experimented with different bowtie sizes and shapes on paper before settling on a layout. Using spray adhesive, I attached the templates to walnut scraps and cut them out on the bandsaw. Double-sided tape held each bowtie in place while I traced around them with a razor blade. This created a precise outline for chiseling. Chiseling the Inlay Starting just inside the razor line, I removed waste in small increments to avoid compressing the wood fibers. After several test fits and adjustments, I glued each bowtie in place, planed it flush, and used steam to swell any compressed grain for a tight fit. Step 3: Building the Legs & Joinery I laminated 8/4 lumber for the legs, carefully matching grain to hide glue lines. After squaring the ends, I cut bridle joints on the table saw using a shop-made sled, taking shallow passes to avoid blade strain. Tapering the Legs A quick tapering jig on the bandsaw (made from scrap plywood) helped shape all four sides of each leg. The jointer cleaned up saw marks, leaving smooth, even tapers. Upper Rails & Curves I shaped the upper rails using a template and double-sided tape. After rough-cutting at the bandsaw, I routed the curves with a flush-trim bit, switching between top and bottom bearings to avoid tearout. Step 4: Mortise & Tenon for the Lower Stretcher Finding the leg’s center, I marked mortises and used a mortising attachment (shimmed for squareness) to chop them out. A chisel cleaned up rough walls. For the stretcher tenons, I measured each leg’s angle individually (since slight variations existed from tapering) and cut matching angles on the table saw. Hand-sawing and chiseling finished the shoulders. Step 5: The Trestle & Final Assembly Before making the trestle, I dry-fit the legs to determine spacing. Using a naturally curved piece of wood, I traced an arch with a flexible strip and a nail as a pivot point. Half-Lap Joints A dado blade cuts half-laps on the trestle and stretchers. After test-fitting, I bandsawed the curve, smoothed it with disk and spindle sanders, and hand-sanded any imperfections. Final Thoughts This project combined carving, inlay, and multiple joinery techniques to create a functional yet artistic Mountain Contemporary bench.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Building a Mid-Century Modern Walnut Nightstand

    Building a Mid-Century Modern Walnut Nightstand
    Jun 2 2025
    There’s something deeply satisfying about crafting a piece of furniture that’s both functional and beautiful. Today, I’m walking through my process of building a Mid-Century Modern Nightstand out of walnut, with a focus on how I cut perfect mitered corners so the grain flows seamlessly around the edges. This project was designed and built for a Denver, Colorado Client. Let’s dive in! Step 1: Milling & Preparing the Wood Like any woodworking project, this one starts with cutting, milling, and jointing the lumber. However, there’s one key difference: I kept the boards for the sides and top as one continuous length before glue-up. This ensures that the grain will match perfectly once the miters are cut. After milling everything to thickness, I used floating tenons to keep the panels aligned during glue-up. Once the glue dried, I cut the sides and top to length, carefully labeling each piece to maintain the grain match. Pro Tip: When cutting with a track saw, take your time to ensure the cut is perfectly square. If you have to make a second cut to correct an angle, the grain match will be thrown off, sometimes to the point where the two ends no longer align at all. Step 2: Cutting the Miters To achieve seamless mitered corners, I prepped the pieces with a straight pine guide attached with CA glue. This ensured a perfect reference edge for the table saw cuts. Miter Setup: Installed a sacrificial fence on the table saw. A scrap piece (same thickness as the nightstand sides) was used to set the height of an auxiliary fence. Glued a runner to the workpiece to ride along the fence. Adjusted the blade to a perfect 45° and raised it so the tooth just kissed the auxiliary fence. After test cuts confirmed accuracy, I ran all the pieces through. A few taps with a mallet removed the pine guides, leaving perfectly mitered edges. Reinforcing the Joints Since miter joints aren’t as strong with glue alone, I reinforced them with floating tenons. (If you don’t have a Festool Domino, a router jig works just as well!) Step 3: Veneering the Back Panel Walnut plywood is expensive, so I opted for a walnut-veneered birch plywood back panel: Used ¼” birch ply as a core. Resawed walnut into thin veneers. Glued them in a vacuum bag, ensuring alignment. Step 4: Final Assembly Before glue-up, I: Pre-finished the interior faces. Taped off edges to prevent squeeze-out. Used slow-set epoxy for extra working time (due to multiple tenons). The top required some persuasion (and parallel clamps), but everything came together smoothly. I checked for square by measuring the diagonals before letting the glue cure. Step 5: Adding Decorative Details Front Bevel I cut a decorative bevel on the front using a sacrificial fence to prevent kickback. The exact angle was determined by test cuts on scrap wood until I found a look I liked. Leg Construction Laminated 8/4 stock for the legs. Cut mortises for floating tenons. Added a decorative angle (cut on the bandsaw, cleaned up on a disc sander). Step 6: Building the Drawers Dovetails & Dados Used a Leigh Dovetail Jig for precision. Cut dados for the bottom panel between the pins (so they remain hidden). Leave drawer sides slightly long, trimming them after dry-fitting. Installing Blum Drawer Glides Blum’s self-closing glides make installation straightforward with their setup jig: Pre-drilled holes in the drawer back for alignment pins. Attached glides to the drawer bottom. Used plywood spacers to ensure consistent height inside the nightstand. Final Thoughts This walnut nightstand combines Mid-Century Modern aesthetics with traditional woodworking techniques. The key to success? Precision in miter cuts, careful grain matching, and reinforced joinery. Even if you don’t have all the high-end tools (like a Domino), simple jigs and patience can yield flawless results.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • DIY Barn Door Guide

    DIY Barn Door Guide
    May 26 2025
    DIY Barn Door Guide: How to Secure a Steel-Framed Door Without a Traditional T-Track

    A while ago, I built a barn door with a steel frame that encased the wood for a client in Denver, Colorado. It turned out great, but one question kept coming up: How did I keep the bottom of the door from swinging around? Most barn door hardware kits include a T-track that gets screwed into the floor, with a slot routed into the bottom of the door for guidance. But since my door had a steel base, routing a groove wasn’t an option.

    So, I came up with a custom solution—here’s how I did it.

    Materials & Tools Needed

    • Angle iron (two short pieces, ~1.5” long)

    • Scrap plywood (as a spacer)

    • Welder

    • Grinder

    • Clamps

    • Spray adhesive

    • Felt pads

    • Black paint

    • Screws

    Step-by-Step Process 1. Cut and Prep the Angle Iron

    I started by cutting two short lengths of angle iron, each about 1.5 inches long. Then, I modified one piece by cutting off the “L” (one of the flanges), leaving a flat strip.

    2. Create a Spacer for Proper Fit

    Since the door’s steel frame added thickness, I needed to ensure the guide would fit snugly. I cut a piece of scrap plywood 3/16” wider than the door’s thickness to use as a spacer.

    3. Grind and Fit the Pieces

    I ground down the two angle iron pieces until they just barely touched when placed around the spacer. This ensured a tight fit around the door’s base without restricting movement.

    4. Weld and Smooth the Guide

    After clamping the pieces in place, I welded them together. Once cooled, I used a grinder to round the edges and smooth out any rough spots for a clean finish.

    5. Add Felt for Smooth Operation

    To prevent metal-on-metal grinding, I spray-adhered felt pads to the inside of the guide. This made the door slide smoothly while reducing wear.

    6. Paint and Install

    Finally, I painted the guide black to match the hardware. Once dry, I screwed it into the floor, aligning it so the door would glide effortlessly without wobbling.

    The Result? A Stable, Silent Slide

    This custom guide keeps the door perfectly aligned without needing a routed track. It’s durable, easy to install, and works seamlessly with steel-framed doors.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Building a Platform Bed

    Building a Platform Bed
    May 20 2025
    In this episode, I build a platform bed with a sheepskin headboard for a Colorado Springs Client. The bed is made from walnut and features four floating shelves attached to the headboard. Each side of the bed has an integrated reading light. Headboard Construction: Precision Mitered Corners The headboard frame required tight mitered corners, so I took extra care prepping the material. I started by ripping rough walnut stock slightly wider than needed, allowing room for any warping that might occur. After joining and planing the boards square, I ripped them to the final width using a feather board to keep them tight against the table saw fence. For the miters, I clamped the long boards to the miter gauge to prevent wobbling during the cut. A test fit confirmed the corners lined up perfectly. To reinforce the joints, I: Added pine clamping blocks with CA glue for extra clamping surface. Used Dominos in each corner for strength. Applied slow-setting epoxy for ample adjustment time during glue-up. Bed Rail & Hidden Supports Since the bed rail (which supports the mattress) would be hidden, I used cost-effective alder. After milling it flat and square, I centered it on the walnut frame, marked Domino locations, and glued it in place. To enhance the frame’s visual appeal, I added a walnut filler strip where the mattress and lower shelf would sit. Parallel clamps kept everything aligned during glue-up. Mattress Support & Knockdown Hardware The mattress support rails (also alder) attach to the side skirts and footboard. I cut them to fit knockdown hardware, ensuring they sat just below the walnut platform to hold the mattress securely. For the knockdown hardware, I: Built a plywood jig matching the hardware dimensions. Used a router with a pattern bit to notch out recesses. Hand-routed relief slots for the hooks. Once installed, the hardware allowed for easy assembly and disassembly. Side Skirts & Footboard Assembly The walnut side skirts were ripped to width, milled to thickness, and cut to length using the same clamped-miter-gauge method for square cuts. To hide the alder end grain on the headboard, I notched the side skirts for a seamless fit. The footboard consisted of a walnut skirt with an alder support rail glued in place. After glue-up, I sanded off excess squeeze-out and test-fitted the hardware. Mattress Platform & Slats To support the mattress without a box spring (and avoid voiding the warranty), I ripped and beveled slats so they could be rolled up for shipping. A center support, using the same knockdown hardware, added extra stability. Nylon strapping kept the slats bundled together. Floating Shelves: Veneer & Perfect Miters The modern floating shelves required no visible end grain, so I used walnut veneer and mitered all corners. Steps included: Resawing veneer at the band saw and planing it smooth. Cutting to size and taping seams for glue-up. Use a vacuum bag for even pressure. After drying, I cut the pieces to exact lengths with stop blocks for consistency. Domino’s helped align the miters during glue-up, and slow-setting epoxy allowed fine adjustments. Sheepskin Headboard & Lighting A plywood panel, drilled for reading lights, was upholstered with synthetic sheepskin (no real sheep were harmed!). I installed cleats inside the frame to secure the panel from the back. For the floating shelves, I fabricated custom steel brackets: Cut and drilled flat bar for mounting. Welded round bar supports using a plywood jig. Attached brackets to the headboard and shelves with lag bolts. Installing the lights was straightforward—just feeding wires through pre-drilled holes and securing the fixtures. Final Assembly With all components complete, the bed came together beautifully. The walnut’s rich tones, paired with the soft sheepskin and integrated lighting, created a luxurious yet functional design. Key Takeaways Precision is key—tight miters require careful milling and alignment. Dominos & slow-setting epoxy make complex glue-ups manageable. Custom hardware solutions (like knockdown fittings and welded brackets) add strength and functionality. This project was a rewarding challenge, blending fine woodworking with modern design. Now, it’s time to enjoy a good night’s sleep!
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Building a Fireplace Mantel

    Building a Fireplace Mantel
    Mar 27 2025

    In this episode, I designed and built a Craftsman-style fireplace mantel for a client in Colorado Springs. The mantel was made from hickory and stained to match some of the other millwork in the house.

    Summary Fireplace Mantel Design and Fabrication

    Building a Custom Fireplace Mantel to Match a Staircase Newel Post

    In my last project, I built a custom staircase with a handrail, and the client loved the newel post design so much that they asked me to create a matching fireplace mantel. Today, I’m walking you through the process of building this mantel, from selecting the wood to the final installation.

    Selecting and Preparing the Wood

    I started by rough-ripping the stiles, sides, and inner panels to width before sending them through the planer to achieve the correct thicknesses. Since the mantel would feature mitered joints, I took extra care to match grain patterns and coloring so that the seams would appear seamless, almost as if they were cut from a single piece of wood.

    Mitering and Gluing the Joints

    The sides of the mantel were mitered to the front stiles for a clean, continuous look. I used blue tape as a hinge to ensure precision, folding the pieces together after applying glue. I left small gaps in the tape to monitor the miter alignment while clamping.

    Initially, I cut the stock slightly longer to allow for adjustments. Once the glue dried, I ripped the stiles and sides to their final width and length, using a stop block to ensure uniformity.

    Assembling the Legs with Dominos

    For joinery, I used the smallest Domino tenons available. If you don’t have a Domino joiner, a biscuit joiner or even small mortise-and-tenon joints would work—though the stock was only about 3/8″ thick, so precision was key.

    To make the process safer, I clamped long, narrow pieces in a vise while cutting the mortises. For smaller rails, I stacked them against each other for stability. Since end grain doesn’t hold glue as well, I applied adhesive to both the Dominos and the mortises for a strong bond.

    Building the Header and Adding Cleats

    The header was constructed similarly to the sides, with a mitered edge for a seamless appearance. I added plywood cleats to the legs to provide a nailing surface for attaching the mantel to the wall.

    Before final assembly, I did a mock-up to measure the filler strip that would support the cove molding. This strip was a simple 3-inch board with mitered returns that tucked back into the wall.

    Routing the Cove Molding

    For the cove molding, I first roughed out the profile with a dado blade at the table saw to reduce router strain and prevent tear-out. Then, I made finishing passes with the router for a clean edge. I used a wider board than necessary, routing profiles on both sides before cutting them free.

    I also used a round-over bit to create quarter-round molding for the base of the legs.

    Creating the Bullnose Shelf

    The top shelf featured a bullnose edge, matching the staircase nosing. I started by routing the profile on a test piece to set the correct table saw angle for waste removal. After ripping off the excess, I routed the final profile and mitered the edges for a seamless wrap-around effect.

    Installing the Mantel

    At the job site, I positioned the plywood cleats inside the legs to mark their placement on the wall. After securing them with molly bolts, I attached the inner panels from the inside of the legs before reattaching the assembly to the cleats.

    Next, I installed the header, ensuring a snug fit, followed by the filler strip and the top shelf—nailing it from below to hide fasteners. Finally, I added the cove molding and quarter-round trim, using a headless pin nailer to minimize visible holes.

    The Finished Fireplace Mantel

    The result is a beautifully crafted mantel that perfectly complements the staircase’s design. The attention to grain matching, tight miters, and seamless transitions makes it look like a single, cohesive piece.

    If you’re considering a similar project, remember that careful planning, precise joinery, and patience in selecting materials make all the difference. Whether you use a Domino, biscuits, or traditional mortise-and-tenon joints, the key is in the details.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Building a Craftsman Style Staircase and Handrail

    Building a Craftsman Style Staircase and Handrail
    Nov 23 2024
    In this episode, I help a Colorado Springs Client remodel their staircase. The existing staircase was a straight run with an outdated style. I redesigned it to have open-ended steps with a craftsman handrail. Summary Building a Custom Staircase with a Handrail When a client wanted to modernize their outdated staircase to match their new hickory flooring, I took on the challenge of transforming it into an open-ended tread design with a custom handrail. Here’s how I tackled the project—from demolition to final installation. Assessing the Existing Staircase The original staircase had a dated design that didn’t complement the new flooring. The clients wanted an open-ended tread style, which required significant modifications. Before installation, I had to: Remove the old treads (which were dadoed into the skirt board).Cut new stringers.Reframe sections of the wall to support the new structure. Since the drywall corners were fragile after demolition, I reinforced them by sliding in new framing between the stringers and drywall and securing it to the existing studs. Fabricating Custom Components To ensure a seamless fit, I pre-fabricated most of the staircase components in my workshop. Crafting the Treads While custom-sized treads could be ordered, local millwork shops couldn’t accommodate the exact specifications needed to wrap around the existing walls. So, I milled my own: Glued up stock to the required thickness.Used a router with a large nosing bit to shape the front edge.Clipped the corners at the table saw to reduce router load and prevent tear-out (hickory is prone to splintering).Used feather boards at the router table for a clean, consistent profile. For the open-ended treads, I cut miters on the table saw. The bottom tread required a notch for the newel post, so I: Attach the center nosing with dominoes and glue.Pre-cut the miter on a longer piece before trimming it to length for safety.Tacked the return in place with brad nails. Constructing the Newel Post To match the home’s existing door panel design, I built a newel post with the illusion of floating panels: Ripped and laminated quarter-sawn stock.Added mitered corner trim (held together with glue tape since clamps wouldn’t work on such thin pieces).Pre-finished the post before installing the trim to prevent raw wood exposure from seasonal movement.Used a headless pin nailer for a clean, nearly invisible installation. The post featured three horizontal rails (bottom, middle, and top) to match the home’s interior doors. For consistency, I used a spacer block to align the middle rails perfectly. Creating the Post Cap The decorative cap required precise miter cuts to meet cleanly in the center. I: Used a shop-made vertical sled to hold the workpiece.Cut cross-grain first to minimize tear-out, then with the grain for a smooth finish.Reset the saw blade to 90° to cut decorative shoulders.Installed with glue and brad nails, trimming the underside with cove molding. Prepping the Spindles With 20 spindles and cross braces to assemble, efficiency was key: Jointed, planed, and squared each spindle.Cut angled cross braces using a shim clamped near the table saw blade to prevent kickback.A stop block and miter gauge were used for repeatable cuts. Joinery with the Domino While some woodworkers debate using a Domino joiner, it was a game-changer for this project. With 72 mortises needed for the cross braces, it saved hours of work. I: Built jigs with angled stop blocks for consistent placement.Pre-finish spindle assemblies before glue-up to avoid staining difficulties later.Routed oblong dowel holes in the spindle bases for slight adjustability during installation. Final Assembly & Installation Once all components were ready, I: Assembled spindle units using a jig aligned with the staircase’s rise and run.Attached spindles to treads with dowels.Installed custom-milled handrail (a complex profile best left to a professional millwork shop). Lessons Learned Hickory is tricky—it splinters easily, so careful milling and routing techniques are essential.Pre-finishing saves time—staining and sealing components before assembly prevents missed spots.Always check building codes—misinformation is common, so refer to official sources to avoid costly mistakes. The Finished Staircase The final result was a sleek, modern staircase that perfectly complemented the home’s new flooring. Every custom detail—from the handrail to the newel post—was crafted for both aesthetics and durability.
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    Less than 1 minute