Installing custom cherry wood cabin steps from diggin2day1 (Keith)

[Deleted User]

My sons bought me some of Keith's custom wood steps for Father's Day. They arrived yesterday and are a fantastic upgrade. Here is how the install process went on my 06 FV250.

Keith packaged the shipment so well, first step took a while, removing the bubble wrap!

Here are the old shabby carpet steps "before."

The old nylock nuts and threaded studs installed at the factory were damaged when they trimmed off the excess length of the bolt threads with an angle grinder. This made two nuts on each step very difficult to remove because of the buggered threads which caused the stud to turn with the nut. I was able to lock the stud in place by applying upward leverage to the step. Here's how the old threads looked:

Once both steps were out I installed the lower step first. Initially I thought the cutout for the step post was too small, but it was just a very snug fit. A dab of Vaseline on each side eased it in place nicely with light force using the palm of my hand. Quite an amazing piece of precision wood cutting! All the threaded studs on the new step lined up perfectly. The new nuts and washers went on easily, quite a contrast to removing the old ones! Here is a close up of how PERFECTLY the lower step fit onto the step post.

Here is the project completed:

Thanks Keith, I'm in awe of your workmanship. I can't say enough about how this is really an amazing improvement to the look of the cabin.

Andy

aero3113

Very nice, great improvement!

bella-vita

Yep the steps were a great improvement.

LaRea

And thanks for the informative write-up and pix.  Well done.

reneechris14

Love my steps its a great upgrade

rasbury

Now you have to do the floor...created another project with a project!

reneechris14

floor is easy and cheap but looks good

[Deleted User]

@reneechris14 Where did you get the flooring material? It looks terrific. Thanks for all the comments, I hope this helps anyone making this upgrade. Other than the nut removal, a fun and rewarding project.

Andy

reneechris14

the high gloss is a better match to the cabinets. The stuff had to get was not a shiney but I'm happy with it. The steps are great had them for 3 years now and still as good as the day I put them in.

[Deleted User]

@reneechris14 Thanks. Did you remove the underlying carpet? I need all the headroom I can get.

Andy

diggin2day1

    Awesome, thanks again Andy!! Give those steps a few months and they’ll get a little darker/richer in color. Appreciate the great write-up! That bottom step is tricky on the FV250... I have to get the studs installed at the perfect distance from the back of the step or else it hits the pedestal and they won’t fit(ask me how I know this... lol). 

    Be safe out there and enjoy that beautiful Rinker... I’m off for a dinner cruise with the admiral and to pick up my son at Watch Hill, Fire Island(15yrs old and he landed a job as a dock hand... so jealous!!). 

[Deleted User]

Thanks! My son lives not too far from you in Manhattan. I told him to call you if he needs any custom woodworking. He's not a boat owner yet, I'm trying to get him to buy a Nordhaven 63 which is more affordable than a New York apartment.

Andy

reneechris14

Yup

aero3113

That’s awesome @diggin2day1 ! Hope to see him over there one day.

diggin2day1

aero3113 said:

That’s awesome @diggin2day1 ! Hope to see him over there one day.

Yeah, he’s only 15yrs old but he’s extremely responsible and can handle himself quite well. We’re still nervous about letting our “baby boy” go across the bay and work at the docks a few times a week, but we’re very proud of him. Thinking about giving him some business cards that he could “accidentally” drop around all the Rinkers that show up. Lol

aero3113

That’s a great idea! Soon he will have his own center console!

Ian

Create some flyers Keith from our photos. 

dperri

Just put my steps in from Keith. Love them! Also redid the TV and Bar. Next year I may tackle the floor. Dave