13.810 Slipfix Railbolt

Quality product- got the job done!

This made my installation so much easier that it would have been otherwise. I was installing a handrail between two immovable objects. So, there was zero wiggle room to work with. This product allowed me to install the handrail with minimum fuss and the result is rock solid. I strongly recommend doing a dry run first (3rd photo) so you can get the feel of things before the actual installation and get familiar with how everything works together. Based on some videos I watched, I took my handrail and cut off two small wafers of handrail and a third chunk of handrail that was about 3 inches long. One wafer was a template for marking the location of the center of the 1 inch forstner bit on your newel (middle photo right wafer). One wafer was a template for marking the location of the 3/8 inch hole one the end of your hand rail (middle photo left wafer) And I used the drill press on the 3 inch chunk to make a perfectly plumb 3/8 inch hole to guide my hand drill when I was making the 3/8 inch hole in the ends of the hand rail (left photo, top of middle photo). The key for me was making the templates and practicing (3rd photo) before doing it for real.

Great product. Easy to install and the result looks fantastic.

Hold tight. I have had issue with these things binding up but I spray the nut side when a little dry silicone and I can assemble and reassemble on site without worrying about getting stuck. Installation is simple enough. If you think you can install a handrail you should be able to follow the directions on the package.

These work as advertized. I recommend ordering the ZipBolt Railbolt Drill Guide which helps mark the 1" hole on bottom of the rail. It also is a life saver when drilling the 3/8" hole in the end of the rail. I opted to clamp the drill guide to the bottom of the rail so it wouldn't move when drilling. I found that there is a little bit of wiggle room if all the drilled holes and the parts aren't perfectly square. When installing the gear in the 1" hole, hold it in place with the hex bit against the the side of the hole where the bolt comes in, then slide the bolt into the 3/8" hole and screw the bolt counter clockwise into the gear so it sticks out of the end about a 1/4". Then slide the gear so the bolt is flush with the end of the rail. Then put all of the balusters in the holes in the rail, stand it up in place, line up and extend both bolts into the key hole plate in the post and push everything down. Tighten the bolts with the hex bolt bit turning clockwise. I have big strong hands so I tightened all the connections by hand. I am an experienced carpenter and it still took a fair amount of time, but the finished product was worth it.

Excellent product

3 of 4 screws sheared above the threads when installing by hand into pre drilled holes....I know oak end grain on the newel post can be tough but this is unacceptable. All screws started to strip out their head & the only thing worse than a niche fastener is one that breaks in its install & is a nightmare to fix. Great concept / use for a product but unacceptably poor quality control.

Tricky to use and lay-out for the boring and machineing. Definitely want to make practice pieces and use wd-40 on the hardware till you get the system figured out. Once you have working connections use these as jigs for the real railings.

Quick, simple and easy to use. Be careful not to over tighten the catchbolt though, easily done! I know from previous experience!

Clear instructions and easy to install with common tools available at the hardware store if you don't have them already. Rail looks great and is solid. Also used Zip Bolt product to anchor newel post to floor, same experience with that too.

The idea seems sound enough, but the product was not up to the job. It all seemed very straight forward, however, when it came to tightening the screw thread up to ensure a snugg tight fit, it didn't. Therefore, having waited for the product to do the best job I thought I could, I'm afraid it was back to good old screws. Disappointing.

Great product

They may not be the only way to attach handrails, but they definitely made the job easier and more precise. Installation was straightforward, and the alignment was spot on with minimal effort. Once everything was tightened up, the finished connection is sturdy