Fitting Stair Spindles To Base Rail

[khaleesi]

Hey, i brought the below baserail from wickes along with their 32mm spindles, but the spindles are about one and a half mm too big, so they don't fit into the groove of the base rail. I've tried hammering them in with a mallet hammer, twisting them in but they just won't go. Am i doing something wrong? i've had a look at how to guides on the internet but they just say to insert them into the baseboard. I'm debating whether to take them back, but they were such a good price and i've cut them all to size so i'm not sure if they will.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Hemlock-Baserail-For-32mm-Spindles-2400mm/p/120404

[Old_Geezer]

You could take them back for advice on how they fit together.

But for the future, one should have a dry run at seeing things fit together before modifying them.

[Togo]

Have you measured the spindles? I suspect that you may actually have 35mm spindles with 32mm base rail. Do they fit the handrail, or have you not got that. Or are you using an existing handrail?

[The Builder]

I don't know why they have to mess around with sizes like this.
Anyway ... 35mm spindles are often used on "open string" type staircases. i.e. the spindles don't fit into a baserail, but sit directly onto the treads.
I guess you could run a sander over both sides to take 1.5mm off each. You would only need to do this at the very bottom of the spindle of course.
Not the best solution, having slightly tapered spindles, but it's the only thing I can think of.
If they're the type that have a square bit at each end and a fancy turned bit in the middle, then the whole sides of the square part could be sanded. That wouldn't look bad at all.

[khaleesi]

Thank you so much for all your help, I have now measured them and I think the problem is the base rail as the grove for the spindles is only 30.5mm but the grove for the handrail is the correct 32mm so I will be taking the base rail back.
@old geezer, lol i know i shouldn't have rushed into it, but i was just really excited to get my stairs done.
@the builder, I didn't even think of that, i might come back to that idea if all the base boards are too narrow - i am hoping that it may just be a faulty one as they do fit really nicely into the matching handrail.