Using metal Festool fasteners for connecting a hand rail to a knewl post?

[Creativemike]

I am remaking a railing system for an early 1900s home and need to connect the handrail to the newel post, with the railing being on an angle in relationship to the newel, using the festool metal fasteners?

 

[Gregor]

I guess you're refering to the D8 domino connectors: Should work as long as you have enough material to fit the connector, the drill jig likely won't work so you would have to drill the hole for the lock free hand. But the 8mm ones are somewhat tiny and I wouldn't use them for structural things, while one (possibly supported by a normal domino to increase shear strength) might hold it together... I'm not sure if I would trust it eg. in case someone kicks the post away from the rail.

Should you want stability and the size of your newel post (both diameter and height above the connection point) and hand rail (material thickness) allows it... maybe use a 14mm connector, spread anchor in the rail and cross anchor in the post, then hide the access hole (toward the top) in the post with some decoration?

For example here:

the nature wood topping of the post would hide an access hole to the cross anchor.
Image lifted from the preview of

 

[demographic]

Whenever I put handrails into newell posts I mortice and tenon them with a drawpeg.
Thats usually at the assembly of the whole staircase stage though.

 

[tomp]

I think that this is probably a stronger connection

 

[curt boyer]

Creative
I just finished a handrail job where ear had to switch a painted oak rail for a stained rail. We used rail bolts which leave a 1" plug hole under the rail. It's pretty easy to do and get a tight and strong connection. I just bought the 700 connector set and played around with a scrap piece of rail and a piece of plywood that represented
a newel post. It works but it leaves a 14mm domino size hole under the rail that you would have to plug. It would be a little tricky to try to grain match the homemade plug with the rail especially if stain grade. Also the 14mm domino connection was on the lower third of a the rail and although it made a tight joint when you pull back on it as you go up I was able to get the top to pull away from the newel post. You could add a screw from the top and plug and that would make for a long lasting joint. It would be nice if the connector was longer so you had more of a chance to move the slot closer to the middle of the rail. The rail I was working on was a 44 degree angle which was steep and limited my options. Just make your you have plenty of scrap to practice on and take copious notes because there is a lot of fence, height, and angle adjustments that have to be made!
Cheers
Curt

 

[Gregor]

It would be nice if the connector was longer so you had more of a chance to move the slot closer to the middle of the rail.

On the 14mm connectors you're quite free regarding the depth to put the connector in, you just have to make the access hole deeper (XL700 has 70mm maximum depth). That dosn't work with the 8mm ones as the drill jig limits the depth you can put the mortice for the connector in.

Or I misunderstand completely what you tried to say, if so: a picture or drawing would help me get it.