# What do you do when ya need 14' skirt board, but only have 10' stock?



## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

Here's what I do.

I need a couple 14' x 12" hickory skirt boards for a stairway we're working on. But I've only got 8' & 10' hickory in the lumber rack. 

I order my stock 15/16ths thick. I straightline both edges & stagger my joints. I used a 1/4" spline into the butt joints & used pocket screws on the backside to draw the joint closed while the glue dries. 

The next morning, I pull the screws out & plane just like any other stock. :thumbsup: We got em clear coated last night, so I'll snap some pics of the finished skirts when I go down to the shop this morning.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Don't see hickory skirtboards much around here. Sounds like a nice project. :thumbup: looking forward to more pics


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

The board stretcher would be much faster


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## Metro M & L (Jun 3, 2009)

Tom M said:


> The board stretcher would be much faster


Works on oak, the hickory has to much spring.


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## littlefred811 (Dec 16, 2012)

SchaWing!
Definitely looking forward to seeing the next round of pics!!!


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## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

Maybe a little better grain match at the joint would have been nice


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Gus Dering said:


> Maybe a little better grain match at the joint would have been nice



I didn't want to be the first to say it, but yeah. I just grain match, install one piece, add some domino's and spring the second piece into place, built in clamp.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

Gus Dering said:


> Maybe a little better grain match at the joint would have been nice



Easier said than done with hickory. You've got brown & white wood with limited choices of boards. The face side is a closer match than the back side which you're seeing. But I did make an attempt with what I had to work with.

Bet at the end of the project, the client is thrilled & my check clears.


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## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

I hear Melamine trees are easy to grain match 

The difficulty with hickory is where my sarcastic comment was born. I was sure you made an effort, you do very nice work.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

It's possible, might not happen if you only have a couple boards to choose from but you can get it real close even with hickory.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> It's possible, might not happen if you only have a couple boards to choose from but you can get it real close even with hickory.


Yes, it's possible if you pay attention & have unlimited boards to work with. The white wood boards aren't too bad. 

The other thing I keep in mind, is the bar the client sets & how high I have to jump to get over it. Some are willing to pay extra for the extra time it takes to be anal & some couldn't give a chit less. The key is knowing which mindset the client you're working for has & exceeding his expectations.

Let me put it this way, as to the mindset of this client. He's using 3/4" rebar for his ballasters. He painted them black himself.:laughing:


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## Sisyphus (Nov 1, 2010)

pinwheel said:


> The other thing I keep in mind, is the bar the client sets & how high I have to jump to get over it. Some are willing to pay extra for the extra time it takes to be anal & some couldn't give a chit less. The key is knowing which mindset the client you're working for has & exceeding his expectations.


Well put and so true!


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

OK Gus, ya had me second guessing that I gave the grain match my best shot with the boards I had to work with, so I had to look yesterday. After a second look, I'm good with the job I done on grain match.:laughing:

What I'm not good with, is that I faced the boards & forgot to get them outta the sun when I got to the job & they stuck together. I'll wait till after I notch em around the treads to respray.


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## mgb (Oct 31, 2008)

Not bad, could hide pretty well if the seam die's into a nosing.

That is pretty wild grain, never worked with hickory aside from hammer handles.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

mgb said:


> Not bad, could hide pretty well if the seam die's into a nosing.
> 
> That is pretty wild grain, never worked with hickory aside from hammer handles.



Both joints ended up breaking pretty well.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I'm curious how do you do the cuts to the stringer to get the riser board to 45into the stringer? I have never done that.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

BCConstruction said:


> I'm curious how do you do the cuts to the stringer to get the riser board to 45into the stringer? I have never done that.


I cut the stringers to fit top & bottom & clamp them in place. I've made a jig, the same thickness as my riser material that looks kinda like a tuning fork. I slip it over the stringer at each step & mark mark the right side of the jig (in this case, left if the stairs went the other direction). By marking the right side, I can make my riser cuts on the face of the stringer Then I lay it flat & mark the bottom of the jig to mark the tread cut. Hope that made sense, I'm a lot better at actually doing it, than explaining how I do it. 

I then use my rail saw to cut each 45 degree cut for the risers, followed by straight cuts for the treads.

More time consuming than straight cuts & moulding, but it's a lot cleaner look when finished IMO.


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## duburban (Apr 10, 2008)

how else would you do it? aren't they always mitered?


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## Railman (Jan 19, 2008)

If you use frets, you can cover the riser/stringer lap. Otherwise, they need to be mitre'd.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

what are frets?..forgive my ignorance..


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