I replaced them with hot dipped galvanized bolts. What a pain in the ass that was..

Nice work Jim! I've only done stairs a few times, the first being in my house, so I end up rethinking it each time. I've been using Japanese saws for years and would never go back.

Japanese saw. now I know what to get dad for Christmas.

Japanese saws are the shizzle. I have several western saws that I never use. I always reach for the Japanese saw.

As far as the splitting wood when you nail near the edge in end grain, I've heard that tipping the nail upside down and pounding on it flattens the point. When the point of the nail is flat, it breaks the wood fibers when you pound it into the wood. If it's sharp and pointy, it would try to go between the fibers, pushing them apart. Near the end of a board, this makes a split likely. So what you are doing is doubly good, since you are dulling the tip of the nail so it tears the fibers, but you are pre-tearing some of the fibers with the head of the nail too.

Isn't that called a back saw - because it cuts on the backstroke (pull)?

Edit: I'm wrong - that's something else.

Looks real good Jim. You're doin a heck of a job.
Oh and I love my Japanese saw. Do you have the flexible one as well?

that one is real flexible. makes that wokka wokka sound if you wiggle it.... and rings like a sword coming free of a scabbard when you pull it out of a cut.

Yeh they are pretty similar. This is like the "flexible" one I have. Its even more than the one you have pictured. I love them both. They're great when installing flooring and stuff. I like that this one only has the blade on one side too.

Nice work, Jim. Where's you learn to do all this stuff?

Prison.

I told him to be careful

He can even do a tattoo of a deck for you...

Actually, I framed houses between high school and college ...for like 2 months...learned a good bit doing that.... and the rest I kind of just picked up as I went. Mostly just by doing it. I usually just assume I can figure it out, start with a loose plan and adjust as I go..... Used to piss jinx off. (shocker) This deck, I planned pretty carefully first.

I always have loved working with wood, and used to watch those New Yankee workshop shows... I built my own deck, my sister's, a few pieces of basic furniture, etc.

Wrong hole.

And that's how he ended up in ...