Fire Escape! Before and after.. ME! ;)

very cool stairs, classy looking, adds character to the building.

-- Dan Hux,,,,Raleigh, NC http://whitdaniel.com

That is quite a statement for a fire escape! A big improvement.

-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.

Seems they “wood” burn up pretty fast in a fire. Just sayin.

-- http://www.furstwoodworks.com/

How did you get by the code of having an 1 1/2” rail ?

-- Ain't better or worse than any other woodpecker in the woods.

EzJack,

Because of the turns and different angles in them there was no viable way to get the railings inline. The rullng was, It is better than what was there.

-- There was only one perfect carpenter... It wasn't me!

Nice job!! The wooden construction is what caught my eye. I remember a documentary with firefighters saying they prefer to see wood construction. They explained it by saying that a steel one might look safe, but will collapse without warning due to heat stresses, while a wood one, even if it has caught fire in places, will still support a substantial amount of weight for a longer time.

-- I still have all my fingers

JimDaddyO,

I had forgotten about that. I do recall that an architectural drafting book I had in HS, showed a steel beam that had all but melted, it was hanging across a wooden beam after a fire!

Sides, it was wood that had been there for around 90 years. I’d think it mighta burned abit faster too.

Thanks,

ed

-- There was only one perfect carpenter... It wasn't me!

Cool stairs.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

Quite a project, Looks good ;)

-- Proverbs Ch:3 vs 5,6,7 Trust in the lord with all thine heart and lean not unto your own understanding but in all your ways aknowledge him and he shall direct your path elmerthomas81@neo.rr.com

Okay dumb question. Why would a fire escape be made with a flamable material? It’s nice work mind you, just seems goofy to me is all…

-- Manufacturer of fine quality sawdust since 1984. Comments and advice on my shop welcome. Check it out at http://lumberjocks.com/dbhost/workshop. Gladly accepting shop build donations!

Well… I will try to explain. This is a 3 story 6-plex, a wood framed building. There is a hallway and main stairs inside. The idea of a secondary stair case is, “If there were a fire in the front side of the building and the people needed another away out, they have one! The inside stairway is all wood too! In most cases if there is a fire it will be on one side/end of the building at least to start with.

-- There was only one perfect carpenter... It wasn't me!

There is another reason for the wood— in the event of a fire, wood burns on the outside – put a little water on them and they cool off. Steel and iron get hot – walking on them in bare feet or holding on with your hands, your skin will burn and stick to the hot metal – wood, not so much.

Wood doesn’t conduct electricity either – under normal circumstances, under 600 volts so as a rule it is not an active lightening rod where metal is.

You did a great job!

-- David in Damascus, MD