simple newel posts
I do a fair amount of rails and related millwork. Traditionally when a customer wanted square posts, I would make them up as a frame and panel door, with the shaper. Time consuming and subject to movement seasonally, etc.
I noticed that several suppliers of these now make them machined from solid. So when a small railing job came up I decided to try the same technique I used in the past for built up table legs.
I laminated a slab of 8/4 hard maple, and then made a file to cut 5 individual panels from each. I used a profile bit (beading) and a ball end mill to give the bead and cove profile, then an end mill to undercut the face before V carving the faux panels.
It worked out well, as then I just ripped up the individual panels from the larger panel and mitred the edges on the table saw, and glued them together.
Today I filled the corners with 3/4 blocks and started sanding them. I also made up some 3D carved top caps. Should look pretty decent when finished. They will be stained a dark cherry red.
The panels took me minutes to laminate - set up on the router and held with the vac, and cut out in about 20 minutes per panel of 5. After gluing the posts and half post up I did the file for the caps and they took 50 minutes to carve (rough with 1/2" end mill and finish with 1/4" ball end mill).
Total time is much less than the old way which is more than a full day job for three posts. I estimate these three will take approx less than half that including machine time, which I use to do other jobs.
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Originally Posted by Kyle Stapleton
