The handrail is that portion of the fence carried up on the outside of the stairs and supported by the balusters, which are let into the ends of the treads. While these balusters form protection, the rail is to assist in the ascent and descent of the stairs. It is very evident the rail should be a uniform height over the line of nosings. This height should be 2 feet 8 inches, measured vertically over the face of risers, from the top side of tread to the top side of rail. And it will be seen that the risers around the circular parts should be placed so as to have the best possible falling line of rail, while the balusters should be, if anything, a trifle longer than on the straight parts.

The method adopted in this work is as follows:—The plan of centre line of rail is first laid down, and the tangents and face of risers drawn. Next the centre line of rail is unfolded, or developed, on a board, with position of risers thereon. Then the centre falling line of rail is drawn, resting on the corners of the full-size steps and continued across the well. And here it is where good taste and judgment is required, so as to get a good falling. After the falling line has been drawn it will be seen at once if any improvement can be made in the position of the risers. The development of tangents is next drawn to suit the falling line of rail.

The face moulds are next got out of some thin stuff. The tangents on the moulds will equal the tangents developed in the elevation. This will be better understood by referring to the succeeding drawings. Two face moulds are used, one for each side of the plank. The tangents and sections are the same on each mould, but as the width is on the inside of one mould and on the outside of the other, this gives the wreath the necessary twist. The wreath having been cut out square through the plank and the joints made, and the tangents squared across the joints, the face moulds are then tacked on, with the ends of both moulds flush with the joints, and the tangents on both face moulds are put to the tangents squared across the joints of wreath, there being no pushing or sliding the mould in any shape or form. The inside and outside is now sawn off, the saw always being held in the same direction as the section lines on the face moulds. A bevel is obtained for each section and set off on a board. The width of rail is also drawn on the same board, and where the bevel cuts the centre of width of rail, is the centre of plank. Now as the face mould gives the height of the centre of plank at each section, these heights are transferred to the elevation, which shows at once if the falling line is any, and how much, out of the centre of plank. Then the sections of rail are drawn on the board above, or below, where the bevel cuts the centre of width of rail, according to what the falling line is out of the centre of plank at each section. This shows what superfluous stuff there is to come off the top side of the wreath at each section, which is marked on to the wreath before the face moulds are removed. This superfluous stuff is then sawn off, keeping the saw in the direction of the section lines, after which the wreath is gauged to a thickness and the superfluous stuff sawn off the bottom.

I may say that this system has been put to practical test, and some of the very best examples of handrailing have been done by it with the very best results. But it was found to be a great advantage to use a machine gig-saw: they can be bought the same as any other saw, and if it is fixed into a bow-saw frame, or a frame made for it, no difficulty will be experienced in sawing out any wreath shown in this book.

The advantages of this system are:—

1. The tangents are made to conform to the falling line of rail, instead of the falling line having to conform to the tangents, as is the case in most systems.

2. The wreath being sawn out to the section lines instead of vertical, as is the case with cylindrical wreaths, saves more than half the time in squaring. 3. The wreath being straight across on the inside and outside in the direction of the section line, instead of concave on the inside and convex on the outside, as is the case with a cylindrical wreath, is much easier to mould, and has a much better appearance by far when finished.

4. It has all the advantages of falling moulds without the trouble of getting them out, and it can always be ascertained what any part of the falling line is out of the centre of the plank.

5. It takes the minimum thickness of stuff, as it can always be seen exactly what thickness will be required.

6. The system of bevelled joints does away with the short ramps, and thereby saves both labour and material; besides there is only one joint instead of three.

It will be seen that in no case in this book is extra thickness of stuff required.