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I suspect whoever is making these preformed stair nose planks has to have an efficient set up. You know they’re not sitting on the floor in their shed monkeying around with a router and a heat gun. If you had a shop and the right equipment it would be a piece of cake. Rather than using a heat gun you might have a 4’ long heat source or an oven? To heat the entire piece evenly. Then a modified sheet metal press break or something of the sorts would bend the entire thing as one uniform piece. For a bullnose you would want a mold or something to form the radius after making multiple kerf cuts on the back side.
 
I don't have one handy to show the underside but it's definitely just run down a regular table saw. Just a bunch of cuts about an eighth inch apart to just under the pattern layer.
 
I suspect whoever is making these preformed stair nose planks has to have an efficient set up. You know they’re not sitting on the floor in their shed monkeying around with a router and a heat gun. If you had a shop and the right equipment it would be a piece of cake. Rather than using a heat gun you might have a 4’ long heat source or an oven? To heat the entire piece evenly. Then a modified sheet metal press break or something of the sorts would bend the entire thing as one uniform piece. For a bullnose you would want a mold or something to form the radius after making multiple kerf cuts on the back side.
Exactly like that. With a heating tube like you mentioned, once you figured out the heating time you'd have a timer set for let's say 37 seconds and you'd never even have to check to see how hot it got. It will be the same on every piece.
Hell why not go all out and have a water-cooled press break so that the pieces could be released from the break quickly..... yeah, that's the ticket. 😉
 
And I'm just getting into making sawdust for a past time.
I have seen your work, you are good. Wood is just so high, I can't get enough out of stuff to bother. I have a small shop. A very nice table saw, miter saw, 3 scroll saws, two band saws, jointer, planer, stand up belt sander, 2 drill presses, a spindle sander, and gobs of hand tools. Don't have room for a lathe.
 
I don't have one handy to show the underside but it's definitely just run down a regular table saw. Just a bunch of cuts about an eighth inch apart to just under the pattern layer.

Is there any adhesive or epoxy filling the kerf cuts? Or does simply heating, shaping and cooling the planks hold the shape? And if no adhesive/ filler is used, is the bullnose strong enough to take the repeated beatings they will endure?
 
Is there any adhesive or epoxy filling the kerf cuts? Or does simply heating, shaping and cooling the planks hold the shape? And if no adhesive/ filler is used, is the bullnose strong enough to take the repeated beatings they will endure?
I don't recall there being anything in there from the factory. I want to say I filled them with whatever adhesive I was using for installation.
I'll look around at the shop. I'm sure I left some scraps around to show customers.
 
I charge 45 bucks for vinyl plank steps each. If it has an exposed outside corner I charge 75 each.

That’s just for installation? I would think that custom forming them would be more? I also know labor rates vary widely based on one’s location as well.

Let’s look at this from a fabrication point of view. If you had a shop and the jigs n such to crank these out, what would one charge to efficiently fab these up. $15 each? $20? Am I leaving money on the table? If those are realistic numbers then field forming them on site has got to pay more.

The shop I work for has someone they send material out to and has them formed but I’ll likely not see a set of stairs any time soon since most of my clients are retired and living in single story homes. I’ll ask the ol man what he pays to have them formed up on Monday.
 
That’s just for installation? I would think that custom forming them would be more? I also know labor rates vary widely based on one’s location as well.

Let’s look at this from a fabrication point of view. If you had a shop and the jigs n such to crank these out, what would one charge to efficiently fab these up. $15 each? $20? Am I leaving money on the table? If those are realistic numbers then field forming them on site has got to pay more.

The shop I work for has someone they send material out to and has them formed but I’ll likely not see a set of stairs any time soon since most of my clients are retired and living in single story homes. I’ll ask the ol man what he pays to have them formed up on Monday.
I charge those numbers for using stock goods with stock stairnose and no alterations (except for having to skim off the tongue or groove on external corners)
If I have to alter the foundation for steps like cutting down or building up (with the latter being preferable) those are on a case by case basis and I usually make that so expensive it is sent back to a carpenter.

I’ve loosely followed “southern boys” on YouTube up until that platform went full commie, Southern boys leader just discovered a *row finder* in one of his early videos as a new tool that is when I realized I would make myself dumber by watching their videos even if it was for fun. He seems to fancy himself a teacher of flooring installation and he’s usually teaching didactic... teaching himself as he is *showing* others.

When I started installing, they hadn’t invented silicone treated seaming tape. ALL carpet was jute back except for woven goods etc. so listening to the guy gives me a headache lol even if he does claim to be Southern.
 
That’s what I’m talkin about. Upping your game is great but if you’re giving away custom work for free you’re actually hurting yourself and the industry by devaluing your skill.
 
I charge those numbers for using stock goods with stock stairnose and no alterations (except for having to skim off the tongue or groove on external corners)
If I have to alter the foundation for steps like cutting down or building up (with the latter being preferable) those are on a case by case basis and I usually make that so expensive it is sent back to a carpenter.

I’ve loosely followed “southern boys” on YouTube up until that platform went full commie, Southern boys leader just discovered a *row finder* in one of his early videos as a new tool that is when I realized I would make myself dumber by watching their videos even if it was for fun. He seems to fancy himself a teacher of flooring installation and he’s usually teaching didactic... teaching himself as he is *showing* others.

When I started installing, they hadn’t invented silicone treated seaming tape. ALL carpet was jute back except for woven goods etc. so listening to the guy gives me a headache lol even if he does claim to be Southern.
What year did he "just discover" row finders?
I've always thought of him as teaching the trade. If he learned about row finders 15 years ago, he's teaching it and informing new people to the trade about using row finders non video now. I don't know what the big deal is. He's not a new guy to this trade, he simply helping others by showing them his methods.
He shows sealing seams and he shows putting latex in the gullies of carpet next to tile edges. The guy is fast as hell and I couldn't keep up with him but he emphasizes things that are important and educates others that may be newer to this trade than we are. My methods in a lot of instances are different than his, but he's certainly no hack and he cares about his work.
 
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