Stair stringer issue

[0Floz0]

Hi

I’ve modified the stair stringer in our house. It originally had a strange wavy decorative section on top, which you can still see from the old wallpaper line in the photo. That part wasn’t structural, and the stringer has been fully reinforced underneath anyway.

I used a track saw to separate/remove the decorative top section, but because of the position it was difficult to get a perfectly clean cut.

The important bit is that the front edge of the stringer is straight — it’s only the back edge that’s uneven and a bit of a mess.

The stringer is around 45mm thick, and I need to get the top reasonably flat so I can fit some beading and then MDF panelling on top.

So far I’ve tried:

• Multitool — too difficult to keep accurate enough.
• Electric planer — can’t get the blade close enough to the back edge.
• Router — same issue, I can’t get close enough to the back.
• Track saw — not really an option now because the edge I’d need to cut is at the bottom with nothing behind it to support/guide the saw properly.

The section in the photo is actually the best one. It’s a winder staircase and the other two sections are quite a bit bumpier.

Any ideas for the best way to flatten just that back edge without ruining the straight front edge?

Thanks!

 

[big-all]

if the string was 45mm thick
you should have gone around 43 to 44mm deep to protect the saw blade or 45 to 46mm if a sacrificial blade how deep did you go??

it may just be easier to temporary affix timber for the track saw to run on against the wall

in my case my dewalt plunge saw cuts around 12mm from face to blade back edge
so i would temporarily lay or affix an appropriate thickness or padded out timber to the tread noses for the face to run on with the temporary wall timber and use the tracksaw without the track remembering to reduce the plunge depth by around 2mm to allow for the lack off the track thickness

as an aside i would make sure the wall timber is perhaps 125 to 150mm as the weight [push towards the wall]needed on a plunge saw would automatically try and pivot on the top off the wall timber iff below the saw handle or below base plate centre

 

[0Floz0]

if the string was 45mm thick
you should have gone around 43 to 44mm deep to protect the saw blade or 45 to 46mm if a sacrificial blade how deep did you go??

it may just be easier to temporary affix timber for the track saw to run on against the wall

in my case my dewalt plunge saw cuts around 12mm from face to blade back edge
so i would temporarily lay or affix an appropriate thickness or padded out timber to the tread noses for the face to run on with the temporary wall timber and use the tracksaw without the track remembering to reduce the plunge depth by around 2mm to allow for the lack off the track thickness

as an aside i would make sure the wall timber is perhaps 125 to 150mm as the weight [push towards the wall]needed on a plunge saw would automatically try and pivot on the top off the wall timber iff below the saw handle or below base plate centre

It was a cheap blade but there is some slight deviation on the wood. It’s only cut into plaster so no real damage to the blade.

That sounds like the best option My only worry without using the track is running off the line. It’s an awkward angle to hold it easily. Is there anything that can be done to assist that? Maybe some wood the other side?

 

[big-all]

with timber sitting on the nosing and timber on the wall you have an "L" supporting 2 surfaces so no real guidance needed that assumes your saw has a rubbing face on the blade guard

 

[0Floz0]

with timber sitting on the nosing and timber on the wall you have an "L" supporting 2 surfaces so no real guidance needed that assumes your saw has a rubbing face on the blade guard

Good point. I’ll give it a go later. Thanks!