Winter Challenge 2024/2025 - Flat Iron Corner Building - Tom Langford.

[ACL1504]

You sure can make things look easy.
A job well done.

Jerry

Jerry,

Thank you sir. I guess it is easy for me, just time consuming, as this is the fifth scratch built outside staircase I've done. Oh, it probably won't be the last but it will be the last scratch build on staircases. 

Tom

[ACL1504]

Tom great job on the stringers. By the looks of the level you can't get any better than that.

Larry,

Your kind and very generous compliment is very much appreciated, thank you.

Tom 

[ACL1504]

I'm sure many of us can claim a membership or two in the #11 Club. I've had several memberships myself.



Well, I'm now a member of the NWSL Chopper Club.

I was too quick to grab a piece of rail post from the chopper and took a little slice off my finger.

Luckily it was just a nick and not a deep slice.



Okay, lesson learned at least for now. 

[deemery]

I've done that, too.  That's why I always grab tweezers before I cut small parts on my Chopper... 

dave

[ACL1504]

Prior to moving to the lower staircase, I wanted to secure the upper one in case I bumped it and broke the outside stringer. I certainly didn't want to cut another one.

I glued stair steps randomly on the stringers to help make them more sturdy. This not only gives the staircase extra strength but it will help limit the damage if I do get careless.



Back in a few, Diet Pepsi time.

[ACL1504]

I've done that, too.  That's why I always grab tweezers before I cut small parts on my Chopper...

dave

Dave,

That and just be very careful and not in a hurry to grab the part. This was my first and hopefully the last incident. The chopper is for chopping strip wood, not fingers. 

Tom 

[ACL1504]

I got back on the horse and continued to cut all the parts for the rail posts and steps. I was in no hurry or careless this time around.



I next needed to glue the lower staircase in place. The outside plumbing pipes created a slight problem. The stringer next to the wall couldn't be glued as one piece. Nor could it be glued as one piece under the pipes.

Here is what I did to fix the problem.

I used two pieces of HO scale 6X6s. This is the height of the pipes from the wall. I measured and cut each end at an angle and test fit them on the wall.

[ACL1504]

I glued the two 6X6s to the inside of the wall stringer. I made sure each 6X6 was glued flush with each end of the stringer. This gave me the correct gap in the middle for the pipes to fit between the 6X6s.

I stained and painted them prior to gluing them to the stringer.



I'll fast forward here and show that I followed the same procedure for the lower section as I did for the upper staircase.

You can see the stringer is out from the wall but once the steps are in place is won't be noticeable.

[ACL1504]

I cut and trimmed two steps to fit around the plumbing pipes.

[ACL1504]

For the railings on the staircase, I'm using 2X4s and for the support posts I'm using 4X4s. However, not 4X4s in the traditional sense.

I'll use 2X4s and splice them together.

For the landing or deck on each floor, the support posts will be three feet from the the deck or landing to the railing. A portion of the posts will extend down the side of the deck/landing 9 inches. Of course, these are HO scale measurements.

I cut 14 2X4s to a scale length of three feet and 14 to a scale of three feet and 9 inches. And, I kept my finger out of the way of the chopper blade. 



I then glued them back to back, one long and one short.

[ACL1504]

Two of these posts will sit in the middle, one on each, of the stringers. The steps are 2X8s. So the two posts needed to be 2 scale inches shorter on the inside to allow for the post to fit correctly on the outside of the stringer and the top of the step.

You can see the difference in the next photo.



I then glued posts to the top landing.

[ACL1504]

Prior to moving on I wanted to glue on some railings for the same reason I did the random steps. The posts will be much stronger with railings glued on than just the posts alone.

I started with the top railing using a 2X4. I cut one piece at a 45 degree angle.



To get the sister angle correct here is what and how I did it.

I placed the cut piece on top of another piece and used a single edged razor blade to cut the other angle thus matching the cut angle.



Turn on the second cut piece over and you have a perfect 90 degree angle.

[ACL1504]

I used a black Paper Mate to mark where the stringer post will be located.



This is the location I need to have the outside of the step flush with the outside of the stringer.

[ACL1504]

After cutting the two posts at 45 degrees at the top, they were glued to the stringer.



Here is a birds eye view of the top railing showing the 90 degree fit of the top railing.

[ACL1504]

I also glued a top railing to the section between the first and second landing.



Always checking to make sure I have everything on the level.



Done for today. I'll have more to show tomorrow afternoonl.