Messed up newel post

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Hi,

I had one of the "rated person" carpenter do some work who has done the shoddiest of jobs ever. I was being silly not watching over him.

Anyway, here is the problem. We were getting new banisters and newel post fitted as only part of the staircase had banisters. He cut off the old post saying he will fix the new one in same place by making a hole and fitting the post in the hole. The post was very wobbly and as the ****** hasn't shown up to fix it for few weeks now I opened it up only to find a flat post screwed to a big hole and as a result no grip. The picture says it all.


Any thoughts on what is the best way to get this sorted without breaking the bank?

Thanks
Neeraj
 
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The best way is not to go to rated cowboys and get the cheapest quote. How much did he charge you?
 
sometimes lessons are learnt hard way... what should I do now?
 
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Let me hear your tips, who knows you are not one of them...
 
You can fix newel posts in place using large diameter dowels and it does look as though he's sort of done half the job then bodged the rest! Could you measure up the diameter of the hole that's been drilled in the stub? Maybe it's a standard dowel size. What I'm thinking is that if it is a longish piece of dowel could be glued into the hole, the bottom of the newel post could then be drilled to take the dowel as well and this could then be glued in position. Of course this depends on the diameter of the hole, how deep it is and whether or not it is perpendicular

And, no, despite the handle, I don't work through Rated People!
 
Thanks, that sounds like an idea. Let me try though I will struggle to drill that big a hole through the post but I guess that is the best option.
 
Thanks, that sounds like an idea. Let me try though I will struggle to drill that big a hole through the post but I guess that is the best option.
Well, I was actually thinking more along the lines of you taking it to a joiners shop where they have a lathe, or even to a woodturner's, and getting them to end bore it for you. Two reasons: first off that's a fairly big hole (at a guess 40 to 55mm diameter) so buying an appropiate drill bit plus extenders (and the drill to run it) might prove expensive (and you will also need some way to hold the timber firmly whilst you drill it)and number two, end-boring an 80mm square (?) newel post in a dead straight line isn't the easiest thing to do, even for a decent joiner with the right gear Just trying to save you some unnecessary pain, that's all
 
Looks 32mm to me. Car body filler is the secret here. Drill. Body filler in the hole, dowel, tap down and clamp in place. Job done. Best to do the first section first so you have a newel with a peg in the end - then drill the next bit.
 
The hole in the base is little more than 50mm so I guess I need something similar in the base. I will try to find a joinery shop nearby.
 
you could probably plane down a bit of timber to fit if they cant help you.
then plenty of glue,something thing like poly glue,then scew nail/screw.fill and paint.jobs a gooden.
 
What about marking a square hole out with a marking gauge, just to square off the round hole, then carefully cleaning out the corners. Clean up the end of the post so that it's flat and square, mark a square hole there the same as the other piece, remove most of the waste by drilling and clean up by chiselling. Use a square piece of decent quality wood as a tenon.
 
The body fillers doesn't sound like a bad idea.
And a lump of 20mm re-bar for a dowel. :mrgreen:
You might as well finish it off in true bodge style now.
 
I've done it loads of times, use it all the while. Sets that solid you'd never know it wasn't a tight dowel.
 

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