# Ash Staircase build thread



## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

Here we go......

Made a trip to the sawmill for ash.
Goal is to remove the carpet from my moms stairs (16 steps) and put hardwood in.
I chose ash, cause she is going to paint them, maybe her mind will change.

Oh, while at the sawmill, I fell in poo, and came out smelling like walnut. Yes, epic walnut grab, I'll include the pics.

So, since my moms is a 2 hour drive, and I plan on staying for a week, options are...
Take table saw, bandsaw, planer, jointer, spindle sander, chop saw, porta air comp, misc hand tools, etc.
Or,
Resaw the ash here, plane ash so I can glue up the steps in fort worth, final plane, and final mill.

Either way, blah, I'll need to load the table saw, and jointer, but can leave my rikon here.

Main issue, my truck does have a full 8' bed (eat that you quad cab dodge truck driving soccer moms with your short bed lol) but....its a high climb to lift big heavy tools. 
What to do what to do, 1 300.00 hooker bot, or 300 1.00 hooker bots. 

Anyway, the ash, cutting it down to 40" pieces before shoving them through the rikon. Plan is to book match her steps, so it looks nice, and she won't paint them.











I'll get some post resaw pics up tomorrow. I also need to start breaking some machines down, start loading truck, plan is to leave at O-dark30 Saturday morning.

I'll update this post as the build happens, so everything is in one spot.


So, wanna see the epic walnut score I made?.

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## HugeCow inc. (Jun 12, 2010)

i want to see epic walnut score


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

HugeCow inc. said:


> i want to see epic walnut score
































35 year old tree. Gotta wait 90 days for cutting, and kiln time.

190.00

Epic walnutness. Epic.

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## HugeCow inc. (Jun 12, 2010)

hot damn, thats a log and a half, awesome you will be set for awhile!


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

A good portion of it will be a 5" thick 4x8 dinner table top as a gift for my uncle, and a 4x4 top to replace my table, and...I'm waiting on the root ball to get delivered, see what surprises that has in store.

Yeah, I bought a tree, top that. LOL.

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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

I'll be watching this one. Nice walnut logs as well. 
If no paint, how will you finish the treads?


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

It says you "went to the sawmill and got the ash".....Is this kilned dried or @ the proper MC?????? Needs to acclimate also in the house 2-3 days MINIMUM even if already dried properly. 

You may already know these things, but if not just trying to prevent some UNHAPPINESS from "green"/improper MC wood introduced to "controlled climate".

Love that walnut find...CONGRATS:thumbsup:. Keep us posted.

Have a Blessed day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

Except for that walnut, I only buy kiln dried. And I know about the acclimation.

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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

Well, loading the biggest and heaviest tools alone was easier than expected











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## Jim West Pa (Jul 27, 2010)

This is gonna a cool thread to follow. Thanx omn.
I sure hope mom changes her mind 'bout the paint.
Jist wouldn't be right to do all that work and then cover it with paint:no:

How many bf do ya figger ya got fer yer $190.00 ?

In yer first pic...looks like you folks got one SERIOUS Easter egg hunt planned :blink::laughing:

"my truck does have a full 8' bed (eat that you quad cab dodge truck driving soccer moms with your short bed lol) " :laughing:

A 6' bed on a pick up truck..In the words of Pete Hogwallop.....
" That makes no sense !! " 
Serioulsy, a pick up is a TOOL !!!
Sellin 'em with a 6' bed is like sellin a hand saw and gitin only the handle with the blade optional.

Caint wait to see 'em walnut logs sliced up.:yes:


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## Jim West Pa (Jul 27, 2010)

oldmacnut said:


> Well, loading the biggest and heaviest tools alone was easier than expected
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Mmmm..takin yer wood machines fer a ride. I spose they jist like the feel o' the wind in thier blades now 'nagin' :laughing:


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

What a great son you are. Cherish those moments with your mom.


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

Road trippin with the shop, first 20 miles sucked 1/4 tank. Truck is stuffed.

This feels like a mini story, a story of a guy named Jim, who took his woodshop on a 187 mile adventure.....











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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Wish our gas was that much here.


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

Quick update.

I'm really tired, mostly from having to take tools in and out, not having them in their normal spot is more work.































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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Hey that's starting to look good. Making some progress. 
Question? Is mom happy with the look so far? Or is she still wanting to paint? Shreek


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

Man, really! Painting over that beautiful grain would hurt my feelings. Looking good man.


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## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

*Nice Ash.....*

No skirt board?????


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

That, is just a dry fit test.

As far as skirt board, since she is painting, I am using the one that is in already.

Yeah, she is still painting the stairs.

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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

That sucks. Put a top coat on it and then show her the beauty of wood. Come on we're rooting for you. 
Show momma this thread. Lol


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

stairs are done, came up with a killer idea to allow mom to be able to paint, but also keep the natural wood, I've tried to update this thread with pics, but the app keeps crashing.

So, maybe tonight I'll reflash my xoom, fresh install of the app, and make a good detailed post with all the pics in took as I went.

But, still here in fort worth, right now making moulding and doing trim work.

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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Well I'm excited to see the finished job. 
Can't say much more till the pics come in.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

oldmacnut said:


> Road trippin with the shop, first 20 miles sucked 1/4 tank. Truck is stuffed.
> 
> This feels like a mini story, a story of a guy named Jim, who took his woodshop on a 187 mile adventure.....
> 
> ...


Reminds me of this...





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.


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## garryswf (Aug 17, 2009)

Oldmacnut i am hoping you were able to talk mama into a painted riser with a stained or clear finish on the treads :thumbsup:, either way you have done a great job for MOM!!


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

garryswf said:


> Oldmacnut i am hoping you were able to talk mama into a painted riser with a stained or clear finish on the treads :thumbsup:, either way you have done a great job for MOM!!


Ding ding ding.

2 ash risers on bottom, 2 ash risers at top, 12 mdf risers in middle.

I had to come home last night, when I'm awake, I need to upload pics, outside shop, 30lb Newfoundland puppy, jsf f35, stairs, tons of cool stuff.

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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

I'm waiting for a 4 hour MRI appt today, so lets see if these pics will upload..































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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Are you finished Mac? Because I see no paint.


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

No, I'm not done. I've been home the past week, have had non stop procedures this week for my arms. I head back tomorrow after my final MRI .

The original plan, was to put hardwood stairs in, and mom would paint them, I picked ash cause its so damn hard, and since she was going to paint them anyway, its not like I would have waisted walnut, or white oak.

But.... the treads were looking nice, I had installed the first 2 kickers ,made from ash, then I gave up thinking I could talk her into not painting. So I decided to use mdf for the remaining kickers, they were getting painted anyway.

But I ran out of mdf, with 2 kickers to go, and then I decided....why not have 2 ash kickers at the top, 2 ash kickers at bottom, leave the treads alone, and mom could paint the mdf ones.

Turned out to be a good idea, so now mom can change the color up when she wants.

All I have left to do is the trim work, and 2 final treads, make a few backups, and mom will do any paint or stain.

I haven't been spending anytime in the shop, I'm in tremendous pain, these procedures are killing me, and I'm tired as I can't sleep at night from the pain, so desire to get back in the shop is very low.
Which sucks, cause I have that walnut stool project, the few construction toys, and a few small house things. I'm not even bringing all of my big tools back, just the rikon, joiner, and planer.

If the imaging place gives me a DVD tomorrow of all the mris I've had this week....lol I'll post a few pics of my injuries from last year.

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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Wow. What happened? Did I miss something?
Hope you get better soon. I can relate to that I've been out for nearly two weeks with a pulled muscle in lower back. Can't work,sleep sit or stand. Can't wait to see the stairs. Take care.


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

Dominick said:


> Wow. What happened? Did I miss something?
> Hope you get better soon. I can relate to that I've been out for nearly two weeks with a pulled muscle in lower back. Can't work,sleep sit or stand. Can't wait to see the stairs. Take care.


Last year I was hurt at work. I have extensive tendon, nerve, and joint damage in both shoulders, elbows, and wrists. Hands are always number, cramping, in pain, elbows, well they are fried, left rotator cuff is fried. Been like this for some time, just has taken a year to get to pre-surgery phase, goofy tests, etc.

And I have 5 discs in my back that are scheduled to be removed, and replaced. Yeah, I'm a trooper at times.

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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

oldmacnut said:


> Yeah, I bought a tree, top that. LOL.


Sure. As if I could.

I'm anxious to see how the stairs shape up.


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

LOL, as promised, pics of my insides.

LOL

Now, I have no idea what these pics say, regarding my injuries, however, they are cool.

Shoulder










Arm


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## Jim West Pa (Jul 27, 2010)

oldmacnut said:


> That, is just a dry fit test.
> 
> As far as skirt board, since she is painting, I am using the one that is in already.
> 
> ...


 
Maybe you and mom can come to a compromise ?
Paint the skirts and risers and leave the treads natural ?
That would indeed make a good look and and make you AND her ( and all of us :laughing: ) happy.
There is actualy a paint program, I believe it's on a Sherwin Williams' website,where you can upload a photo and then paint it to see how you like the colors before actualy doin it. You and she can check it out together.


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## Jim West Pa (Jul 27, 2010)

oldmacnut said:


> LOL, as promised, pics of my insides.
> 
> LOL
> 
> ...


Dang Mr. Fields, looks like you've been invaded by an alien :blink:


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