Out of pure curiosity, some time ago I bought a couple of reprints of old catalogs of turn-of-the-century architectural woodwork. Among a lot of other beautiful, but fully industrialized woodwork, there are a lot of balusters for stairs, porches and any other purpose.
The ones that can be turned "normally" I can do, but how about all those twisted and axial ornamentations? Beautiful twisted balusters in hardwood were sold i Chicago by E.L.Roberts for less than 50c a piece. I know how to spiral smaller things with a round file and sandpaper, but to churn out masses of balusters at 50c a piece, (yes, I understand about money then and now, but still ...) there has to be another explanation, what with all the different profiles.
I live in a two-storey house built in 1932, and I would not mind using some of those old-fashioned ideas in my planned redo of the exterior.
Anybody?
Bjarte