Making post caps for deck railing

[Luigi Zanasi]

I am putting a railing on my deck. The 4X4 posts protrude and need a cap. I couldn't find anything locally that I like. Actually, I did find a model, but it was pressure treated wood, and the store couldn't get it in cedar.

What I am thinking of is something similar to the following.

I get some 2X6 cedar, cut it in 5-1/2 lengths. Next is making the pyramidal top. No problem - angle cuts on the table saw with the cap held on edge, four cuts per cap should do it. So, switch the Unifence over to the left (I have a right tilting saw), angle the blade at 5 degrees to do a test cut. Bring a piece of 2X6 to the fence to adjust the fence distance. Look at it. Think, nah, bad idea. Kickback and mangled fingers just waiting to happen. There's gotta be a better and safer way. Don't turn on the saw & go the wreck.

I thought of making a jig for the planer: flat melamine bed with a cleat under one side to create the right angle, and a sort of nest for the caps on the top so they don't move. But I suspect the pieces are too short and might jump up as the planer blades hit. Maybe hold the cap with carpet tape - which would be a PITA.

So any ideas or suggestions, fellow wreckers?

No problem with the rest of the moulding - router table & something to hold, as well as an applied moulding underneath. But the pyramid top has me stymied.

TIA

Luigi Replace "no" with "yk" twice in reply address for real email address

[George]

Bandsaw. Remove two, then replace one wedge with doublestick to cut the 90 degree pair.

You can lag screw your short pieces to a convenient miter gage fixture and use the tablesaw, too.

[seelyjv]

George, Instead of using the miter gage, as suggested below, try using a piece of

3/4" plywood or MDF about a foot wide to make an "h" shaped jig that fits around the fence on your table saw. Then, carpet tape each piece of your

[Preston Andreas]

I made some nice looking caps using an ogee raised panel cutter in the router table. With some nice moulding underneath, it looked nice.

[Wood Butcher]

[nospambpb]

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 18:52:20 GMT, "Rob V" scribbled

Thanks, that's an idea. I have some 6X6 cedar left-over pieces instead of 4X4. But the end-grain would be up, which is what the caps are supposed to avoid. Luigi Replace "no" with "yk" twice in reply address for real email address

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 17:27:22 -0500, "seelyjv" suggested:

Pieces of wood or pieces of fingers? :-)

Thanks, I don't know if I can make an H-shaped jig for the Unifence, as the way the fence attaches to the slider (?) might prevent it from travelling far back enough. I'll have to check. Here is one point for a Biesemeyer, in the on-going struggle, without have to buy or build an addition to the fence, like Chris Merrill had to do.

Luigi Replace "no" with "yk" twice in reply address for real email address

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 23:07:57 GMT, "Preston Andreas" suggested:

Thanks, a good idea, but the PC 690 in my table is too small and too fast to use a panel raising bit. It would work with a bigger variable speed router. Hmm ... maybe this is an excuse to add to my collection of routers. Or maybe a vertical panel raising bit. Luigi Replace "no" with "yk" twice in reply address for real email address

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 01:05:50 GMT, "Wood Butcher" scribbled

wanted to buy. You, sir, are a man of good taste. I like the copper top, but couldn't get in cedar. However, the price is pretty steep - over $20 in Kanuckistani loonies plus shipping, compared to less than a loonie's worth of cedar to make them. Then multiply by at least twelve. BTW, the pressure treated ones I saw were about $CDN11.00.

Luigi Replace "no" with "yk" twice in reply address for real email address

[Luigi Zanasi]

Thank you everyone, I knew the wreck would come through. I am leaning towards an H-jig to go over the fence, like Scott and Jim suggested. But I will only get to it in a couple of weeks as for the next week, my shop has been taken over by 1600 lbs of grapes starting their magic journey to becoming one of the four basic food groups (wine, garlic, pasta and olive oil, IGWOS). And after that I'm off in the bush to sexually harass and hopefully murder some poor gentle giant forest creature (moose, the fifth food group in the Yukon).

Luigi Replace "no" with "yk" twice in reply address for real email address

[nospambob]

[George]

Replace one cutoff to give yourself greater stability against the table.

48 lags - no sweat with a power driver.

[Larry Jaques]

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 22:55:48 -0700, Luigi Zanasi pixelated:

Hey, that spells WGPOO, not IGWOS. 'Sprain, preese. BTW, 4 food groups down here: Sugar, Grease, Starch, & Caffeine.

You're a moose raper?!? Here, come sit down on the Group W bench next to me and tell me all about it. ;)

Maybe one of these will help you cover your tracks:

Interpreted Interpolations Done Dirt Cheap. ----------- Website Application Programming

[Tom Kohlman]

...wow!!!

Only $1800+ to kill a mole or a gopher. I liked the idea so much I bought one for every member of the family. No moles or gophers here but the traditional "wedgie" is getting old. This should liven things up a bit...thanks for the link!!!