Square hole at 45 degree angle

[steve_b]

I'm doing a stair renovation project. and I am putting in a new handrail with iron balusters. The balusters are 1/2" square and I will need to drill holes at a 45 angle (or so - at the measured angle of the stairs) into the shoe and into the underside of the handrail it self.

I have made a jig for my drill press, to test my drilling on a scrap piece of wood, and will make a second that is 'better' quality that will have drill bushings and possibly change it to be for a hand drill so I can do the handrail and the shoe which is part of the existing stair case - so it won't exactly fit the drill press

I have a couple of options I think.

1) drill a slight oversize hole (across the corners) with a brad point - but the baluster could now turn

2) Drill 1/2" and chisel out the square

I think option 1 is the best option because of the margin of error is better and figure out some way of keeping the baluster from turning.

Any ideas or suggestions before I start. tips on drilling holes on the 45?

TIA

Stephen

[LJR]

Interesting "problem". Surely it could be helped along with a new tool of some sort.

Can the ends of the balusters be made round? I think if you drill a round hole large enough to insert your square baluster end you will really have a challenge coming up with something to fill the gap in especially if it will be seen.

Drilling a half inch hole at the required angle and then chiseling it out to be square could turn into a real chore but would probably look the best in the end.

Could you make a larger "plug" say an inch in diameter, mortise the half inch square, then drill a one inch round hole in the handrail and shoe, drop plug in, cut top of plug to fit flush with existing angle. That would probably look funny too.

[LCHIEN]

i would guess the holes are only 1/2" deep or so?
You could use a mortiser, they go up to 1/2" sq. mortising bit, you can tilt the table with a jig; an indexing jig would be great,

[Uncle Cracker]

Second the motion on the mortiser. HF has a pretty good one for cheap money, and if you catch it on sale and have a 15% off coupon, well... (I got mine for 60 bucks).

[mpc]

Can you add small/thin wood strips to the bottom of the handrail? Then you could drill oversise round holes and be somewhat sloppy rounding off the corners of the ballisters too. Then tack thin wood strips to the bottom of the handrail - between the ballisters with half-square notches cut in them like a sideways "H" shape - and let those hold the ballisters from turning. They'll also hide the oversize holes...

Running a giant dado/groove in the bottom of the handrail to make a recess for the wood strips will let you preserve the profile of the handrail.

mpc

[scorrpio]

I kinda doubt that putting a staircase onto a mortiser table is gonna work. But if a mortising bit + chisel can be used on a hand drill, that might work.

Will need to make a guide - cut a 1/4" deep, 1/2" wide dado in two pieces of wood, glue them togeather to form a 1/2" square hole, then cut to desired angle. Now, find a way to clamp this piece in proper location, and, unless you fitted a mortising nit on hand drill, first go in with a 1/2" bit, and then use a 1/2" chisel laif flat against guide hole sides to chop out the corners.

[LarryG]

Drill round holes using a jig similar to what I show in this thread. Then chisel the hole square using a 1/2" square hollow chisel from a mortiser.

If you don't own the square hollow chisel, it'd be worth buying if you have more than a few of these to do. Should cost around $15-20 (less if you can find one at Harbor Freight).