I’ve always enjoyed building box newel posts. They give a stairway a custom look and give me a chance to showcase my woodworking skills. So I was intrigued when a client showed me a photo of the style featured here, which has a contemporary Craftsman flavor. To simplify construction, I built the newel in three sections, with moldings hiding the transitions. An interior post reinforces the assembly and provides secure attachment points.I started by determining the height of the handrail and the exact location where it meets the post, then transferred the dimensions to a story pole. I also made...