Beacon Hill second story staircase - modified

how did you cut the details from the tongue depressors?

Well, first I took 4-5 sticks and stacked them, then wrapped them with blue painters tape to keep them all together. I then drew the shape I wanted on the tape and used my Skil scroll saw to cut out the shape. After cutting it out, I sanded and refined each individual baluster to try to get them as identical as possible. Then I drew on the "triangle" and "oval" shapes inside them and those I carefully cut out with an X-acto blade. That part was the most time consuming because I had to do each one individually.

You must have the most steady hands in the universe!!

LOL! Not as steady as they used to be! If you could see them close-up, they aren't exactly "perfect", LOL!  I broke a few during this process, but just glued them back together.

 

Luckily, sanding helps a lot. I got some of those really thin, blue sanding sticks in the hobby model isle at Hobby Lobby. They worked really well for this kind of thing! Those and emery boards and those black rough nail files. I've been using those for everything in my build.

Well, now I'm gonna have to add another power tool to my wish list! 

I love that you took the time to do these the way you did. They really add that extra "oomph"... so unique and different!