Here's a few pieces of the oak I'm milling for a handrail that will go around the balcony and the stairs. They are cut into 2.5" thick slabs for now, but I'll cut the slabs into 2.5" thick strips, and then fit them with each other in a finger joint, and connect them to oak balusters that will go around the balcony and down the stairs. We're figuring we'll use 5"x5" balusters on the stairs, and then 4"x4" around the balcony.

Anyway, baby steps for now....