I need to have someone make about 50 custom-profile balusters. I have Sketchup and DXF files for the turnings. However, the difficult part seems to be the Solomonic Twist  between the turned base and top…

In the top third of the twist, I’d like it to both taper (i.e. diameter decreases from 1″ to 7/8″) and “tighten” (i.e. 3 inches per twist to 2 inches per twist). The one CNC guy I’ve talked to gave up on it. This twist does not have a crease like you see in a rope; It’s a single strand in a loose helix, sometimes called a “barley twist.”

I don’t mind a little hand work, if necessary: rasping out a ridge left by the tooling passes, or turning a bead that’s too small. Right now, I’m faced with turning and carving all of ’em by hand. 🙁

Here’s the basic idea:

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I came across them in some old millwork catalogs and in The Elements of Style.

Suggestions, anyone?

TIA!