"J. Clarke" writes:
Robert Allison wrote:
blueman wrote:
I just replaced the decking on our covered entrance porch with T&G
ipe decking.

Now I need to find a way to re-anchor the porch columns and railing
posts back to the decking or joists below. The posts which I am
re-using were previously just toenailed to the decking (and maybe
the
joists below) with 16d or 20d galvinized finish nails.

If the new deck were regular wood, I could have either toenailed in
finish nails again or toenailed in trimhead deck screws.

The challenge with Ipe is that it needs predrilling to prevent
splitting or breaking of the fastener.

However, for toenailing a post, I would need a drill bit that is
about 4 inches long in order to go through the post and then into
the
decking and beyond. But, they don't seem to make thin drill bits in
that length (or at least I couldn't find them in the Big Box
store).

The only alternative I can think of is to use something like a 1/4"
lag bolt but that would require some serious countersinking of the
head and seems a bit of overkill.

So any other ideas on how to fasten suports to the deck surface
(note
since I am using the existing design with the existing posts and
since I have already applied the deck, I don't have the luxury to
redesign the post system)

Sounds like just the place for a simpson post base. Select
one that matches your application. Much stronger than
toenailing and conforms to code for uplift if you get the
right one.

http://www.strongtie.com/products/co...A-ABE-ABU.html

I'm not seeing the original post, so responding here.

First, I agree that a Strongtie is a good way to go.

But with regard to the drill bit, Sears normally stocks long bits down
to 1/8 inch diameter, in diameter increments of 1/16. If you need
smaller than that or an "in between" size, McMaster
http://www.mcmaster.com/ has 6" and 12" bits in diameters down to 3/64
and go up from there by 64ths. Grainger http://www.grainger.com/ has
them from 1/16 in increments of 1/32, Fastenal
http://www.fastenal.com/ lists a wide range of them. Grainger and
Fastenal may have them in stock locally.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

I'll check out Grainger - I actually have an account there but never
thought of them for this (small) item.