If you want to fit a square peg (any size of square bar baluster) into a round hole, try Custom Iron's baluster pin-topping option. Custom Iron calls this baluster option “Pin Top,” but round pins can be added to either the top or the bottom of square baluster or newel ends. Due to job site tolerances and conditions, we recommend that a pin be added to only one end of the baluster. Pins can be added to 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 9/16 or 1" square balusters in pin lengths of 1/2 to 1" (you specify the length appropriate for your installation). Fit a square peg in a round hole with Custom Iron's Pin Top option.

The Custom Iron Top Bar Panel is a revolutionary concept in panel design and installation. You can “Top Bar” ANY selection of balusters. This process welds a bar to the top of the balusters and will make the balusters a “panel” installation, which can significantly reduce the installation time – sometimes by more than half. Custom Iron was asked by Michael Holigan's Your New House to build the stair railing for the project house in a May 2003 episode. Watch the video on the Panel installation CD at the back of your new Custom Iron catalog. It explains the installation process and you can see it in action, from the templates provided, to the tools necessary for the job. The possibilities are endless. The time and cost-savings are significant.

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According to multiple sources, prices for steel have risen anywhere from 30% to 70% over the last 6 to 12 months. (See links to articles below.) According to our freight carriers and the gas station down the street in Zumbrota, fuel and transportation costs have also risen dramatically. Custom Iron has not increased prices since the year 2000. In fact, we reduced some product prices in December of 2003. Our investments in our new manufacturing facility, new equipment, and our increased productivity have allowed us to keep our pricing stable for four years. We have weathered several sharp price increases from our raw material and freight vendors during that time. Unfortunately, the continuing increases in our costs now force us to pass a portion of those increases on to our customers.

At this time, we won’t be increasing prices on standard metal balusters, panels, etc. because our manufacturing methods for these standards allow us to absorb some increased material cost with the reduction in labor expenditures. We will be increasing prices for custom spiral stairs and spiral freight. Effective June 30, spiral stair and railing base prices will increase by 7.75% and spiral freight prices will incur an additional freight/fuel surcharge of 16%. We hope these necessary increases will suffice and that you, our customers, will not be overly affected.

For articles and info about steel pricing:
http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/steel2_20040402.htm
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/04046/273262.stm
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040602/NEWS/406020379/1039