Chap. III.

JOIXERY. 669
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which is as follows : In the upper ramp, for cx-
Hinple, produce the top of the rail HM to V ;
draw
MN vertical, and produce the straight part ON of
the pitch of the rail to meet it in N, making NO
equal to NM. Draw OP at a right angle to ON.
From P, as a centre, descrihe the arc MO, and then
the other contrary curve, which will complete the
ramp required. 'Y\\>i. story rod US is in the fixing of
all staircases a necessary instrument ; for in fixing
the steps and other work, by a common measuring
rule, bit by bit, the chances are that an excess or
defect will occur, to make the staircase faulty
;
which cannot be the case if the story rod is applied
to every riser, and such riser be regulated thereby.
2183. A Bracket Staircase is one which has
an opening or well, with strings and newels, and is
supported by landings and carriages. The brackets
are mitred to the end of each riser, and fixed to
the string board, which is usually moulded like an
architrave. In this sort of staircase the same me-
thods are to be observed in respect of dimensions
and laying off the plan and section as in a dog-
legged staircase. Nothing is to be done without
the story rod just described, which must be con-
stantly applied in making and setting up the stairs.
The method of forming the ramps and knees has
been touched upon in the preceding article, and the
few particulars we intend to give respecting scrolls
and handraillng will be reserved for a subsequent
page. In bracket stairs the internal angle of the Fib'.
7S2.
steps is open to the end, and not closed by the string, as in common dog-legged stairs
;
the neatness also of the workmanship is as much attended to as in geometrical stairs.
The balusters should be nicely dovetailed into the ends of the steps by twos, and the
face of each front baluster is to be in a plane with the front face of the riser, and all the
balusters being equally divided, the face of the middle one must of course stand in the
middle of the face of the riser of the preceding step. The treads and risers are previously
all glued up and blocked together, and when put in their places the under side of the
step is nailed or screwed into the under edge of the riser, and then rough bracketed to the
strings, as in a dog-legged staircase, in which the pitching pieces and rough strings are
similar.
2184. A Geometrical Staircase is one whose opening is down its centre, or, as it
is called, an open newel, in which each step is supported by one end being fixed in the wall
or part'tion, the other end of every step in the ascent having an auxiliary support froua
that immediately below it, beginning from the lowest one, which, of course, rests on the floor.
The steps of a geometrical staircase should, when fixed, have a light and clean appearance,
and, for strength's sake, the treads and risers, when placed in position, should not be less
than li inch thick, supposing the going of the stair or length of the step to be 4 feet. For
every 6 inches in length of the step an eighth of an inch should be added. The risers
should be dovetailed into the cover, and in putting up the steps, the treads are screwed up
from below to the under edges of the risers. The holes for sinking the heads of the screws
ou'^ht to be bored with a centre bit and fitted closely in with wood well matched, so that
the screws may be entirely concealed, and appear as a uniform surface without blemish.
Brackets are mitred to the risers and the nosings are continued round ;
but this practice
induces an apparent defect, from the brackets, instead of giving support, being them-
selves unsupported, and actually depending on the steps, being indeed of no other use
than merely tying together the risers and treads of the internal angles of the steps; and
from the internal angles being hollow, excejjt at the ends, which terminate by the wall at
one extremity, and by the bracket at the otlier, there is an appearance of incom])lete finish.
The cavetto or hollow is carried all round the front of the slip, returned at the end, and
again at the end of the bracket, thence along the inside of it, and then along the internal
angle at the back of the riser.
2185. The ancient mode, however, was the best, in which the wooden was an imitation
of the method of constructing geo;netrical stairs in stone, which will be found under
Masonry, in the previous Section III.; that is to say, the making of the stejjs themselves solid,
and in section of the form of a bracket throughout their length. 'J'his is a more expen-
sive method, but it is a solid and good one, and is still practised on the Continent, espe-
cially in France. (,See also par. 'J180.)