K.I.S.S.

Keep It Simple, Stupid...often easier said than done.  Given my proclivity for making stupid decisions, this is a philosophy to which I must often check myself against.  While it could certainly be argued that my entire mancave project flies in the face of this principle (after all, its hard to imagine how I could have made this project more complicated), it stands to reason that the "keeping it simple" is probably the smart way to go when it comes to designing & fabricating my railing.



In contemplating the details of my railing project,  I studied numerous cable railing examples on the internet.  In doing so, I discovered several recurrent themes:

Cable railing schematic

1. The top railing and vertical posts (aka "newel posts") must be a strong, rigid material to withstand the enormous tension created by the cables
2. Cable spacing must be less than every 4 inches to ensure the cables cannot be "pulled" apart to violate the 4 inch sphere rule (i.e. so a young child cannot squeeze his/her head between the cables)
3. Newel Posts can be fascia mounted (as illustrated on the left of the image above) or surface mounted (as depicted on the right side)
4. A variety of fittings can be used to couple the cables to the newel posts--the fittings also enable the installer to adjust the cable's tension.  Everything from the simple, $2.49 turn buckles found at your local hardware store to a $25/piece high-end swageless fitting are available.  The big consideration here (aside from aesthetics) is whether you want the fittings to attach to the outside or inside of your terminal newel posts (i.e. the posts at the end of a linear run).

With this in mind, I opted for what seemed to be simplest approach...fascia-mounted, square steel tubing newel posts and 2" wide steel plate for the top railing.  Ironically, fascia mounts were what I originally used in the conceptual rendering I made over a year ago:

Fascia-mounted newel posts (the above rendering was done almost a year ago when I didn't even know the term "fascia mount.")

   In my estimation, fascia mounting seems optimal for several reasons:

1. It maximizes the loft's usable floor space 
2. It offers a cleaner look when viewed from the loft (no mounting hardware is visible when on the loft itself)
3. Plumbing the posts (i.e. ensuring they are perfectly vertical) is generally easier with fascia mounted posts as compared with surface mounted posts.

After choosing a mounting methodology, I created a very basic schematic for my post and mounting brackets.  For me, its always easiest to start with a very basic concept first (in this case, the image highlighted in aqua) and then go back later to add details and dimensions.  Below are the basics of my newel post design:

End posts require a larger hole diameter to accommodate the cable hardware fittings

With the basics figured out, I made a trip to Pacific Steel of Twin Falls and picked up my raw materials.  I then set forth prepping all the steel:

The daily grind:  removing mill scale is my least favorite part of working with steel, but its a necessary evil.  Prepping the steel ensures clean, strong welds and will allow it to be painted once the railing is complete.

With the steel prepped, the next step was to mark my layouts and drill all the holes.  Fortunately, my friend Jim has a drill press which made drilling what seemed like thousands of holes go much, much quicker...it also ensured my holes were accurate and straight.  As an aside, drilling holes in steel is a fairly involved process.  Because the metal's surface is so smooth, you can't just ram a drill bit into it and expect your bit will stay on its mark.  Instead, you have to follow a series of steps that begins with using a tool called a center punch to "dent" the metal...this dent prevents the drill bit from slipping off its mark.

Jim's dill press was a lifesaver...between the posts and mounting plates, we drilled a whopping 312 holes.  Needless to say, this would have been a nightmare using a hand held drill.  Here are some shots of the drill press in action:

With all my holes drilled, the next step was to weld the posts to the mounting brackets:

The set up

My welds are getting better

The finished product (soon to be painted)

With my posts fabricated, I was now ready to install them.  As luck wold have it, my life-long friend of 35 years, Andy, came to visit me in Idaho.

Andy...the legendary, goal-scoring machine of the infamous Greentree Grasshoppers boys 8 & under soccer team

Before he came to visit, I asked him what he wanted to do.  I suggested we go skiing, visit Shoshone Falls, check out the hotsprings, or even do a road trip to Sun Valley.  His response was classic...he was like "screw that dude, I want to work on your mancave!"  Needless to say, Andy and I are cut from the same cloth (I often help him with his home improvement projects when I visit).  We have been friends since age 2 when I hit him in the head with a Tonka truck.

Although we grew up living just 3 blocks from one another, we've actually lived in separate cities for the vast majority of our lives (I moved away when I was 8 years old).  Despite geographic separation, we remain the closest of friends and always just seem to pick up where we left off the last time we were together.  There are few friendships I treasure as much as Andy's...he's family.

Tuscon, AZ (2005)  Over the years, we have each moved around the country and traveled the world, but we always manage to reconnect.

Upon his arrival, Andy threw on his Carharts, rolled up his sleeves, and was like "let's get to work."  Having his help was HUGE...I don't think I could have made all the progress I did without him.  He is a civil & environmental engineer by trade and one smart ass mofo...having him with me to trouble shoot the install was invaluable.  Together, we made quick work of installing the the posts and top rail:

Andy in action

With the fascia-mounted posts and top railing installed, the next step would be to tackle the section of railing on the stairs.  Before tackling this, however, I thought it would be best to install the wood treads to ensure the stair's railing would integrate well with the wooden treads.  But that's another post for another time.