Here's an example of the design that prompted me to create this site. I had to create a design and manufacture the parts for the stair railing in my new house. We had a great general contractor that insisted that job be done on time. Of course the rules also applied to me the owner builder so when I realized that commercially available stair parts just wouldn't do. So my only defense was that I was under the gun to get the railing designed and built. The part I didn't like ist the newel post cap. Figure 1 is my design drawing that I followed pretty faithfully. Figure 2 is the newel post cap that I grew to despise. (Well that's a little strong. But I really didn't like it. The design is blocky because the pieces that make up the cap are the same thickness). And Figure 3 is my redesign that I created after a couple of years living with the original.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3