how do you shape curved raillings?

Question

making an interior staircase, with lamminated raillings.

i have allready lammanated the railling, i'm looking for advice on how to shape the rails. i was going to use a router w/ a big thumb nail bit, but it's very large, and states "for router table only" any help would be appreciated. thanks john

Answer 1

use smaller bits of different shapes and set at different depths and don't take it all in one pass.

Answer 2

figure out what your finished width&hieght will be,then rip strips of whatever material you are going to use into 3/16'' strips. Add an additional 1/4'' in both width&hieght. Then make a jig,which will hold the strips once you apply the glue to all the pieces. The jigs or clamps ,will be mounted to each tread, about2" from each treads outside edge. Let them dry for 24 hours, then mould& shape to fit your application.

Answer 3

You glue thin layers of laminate together in a bending form that you make yourself to the desired angles. Then you finish the product after it dries. Visualize cutting the shape you want to bend out of sheets of MDF that were glued to the thickness you want your rails. You then just clamp your fresh glued laminates into the form. Sufficient clamping pressure should cause the laminates to assume the shape of the form. Hope this gives you enough info the get the picture. PS, you don't need to use full width sheets of MDF. Just wide enough to be strong enough to bend the laminates when clamping.