Elevated knife plate bracket

A method of securing a vertical post to a support surface, the vertical post comprising a vertical post top, a vertical post bottom, a vertical post height extending from the vertical post top to the vertical post bottom, a vertical post thickness generally perpendicular to the vertical post height, a vertical post slot comprising a vertical post slot bottom located at the vertical post bottom, a vertical post slot top, and a vertical post slot height extending from the vertical post slot top to the vertical post slot bottom generally parallel to the vertical slot height, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing an elevated knife plate bracket comprising:
• i) a lower base plate comprising a lower base plate bottom surface configured to rest on the support surface, a lower base plate top surface located above the lower base plate bottom surface, a lower base plate height extending from the lower base plate bottom surface to the lower base plate top surface, a lower base plate length generally perpendicular to the lower base plate height, a lower base plate width generally perpendicular to the lower base plate height and length, and a lower base plate fastener hole extending through the lower base plate from the lower base plate bottom surface to the lower base plate top surface, the lower base plate fastener hole having a lower base plate fastener hole height generally parallel to the lower base plate height, a lower base plate fastener hole width generally perpendicular to the lower base plate fastener hole height and a lower base plate fastener hole length generally perpendicular to the lower base plate fastener hole height and width;
• ii) an upper base plate located above the lower base plate and comprising an upper base plate bottom surface facing the lower base plate top surface, an upper base plate top surface located above the upper base plate bottom surface and configured to receive the bottom of the vertical post, an upper base plate height extending from the upper base plate bottom surface to the upper base plate top surface and generally parallel to the lower base plate height, an upper base plate length generally perpendicular to the upper base plate height, an upper base plate width generally perpendicular to the upper base plate height and length, and an upper base plate access hole extending through the upper base plate from the upper base plate bottom surface to the upper base plate top surface, the upper base plate access hole located directly above the lower base plate fastener hole and having an upper base plate access hole height generally parallel to the upper base plate height, an upper base plate access hole width generally perpendicular to the upper base plate access hole height and an upper base plate access hole length generally perpendicular to the upper base plate access hole height and width;
• iii) a knife plate extending upward from the upper top plate surface at an angle of about 90 degrees relative to the upper base plate top surface, the knife plate comprising a knife plate top located above the upper base plate top surface, a knife plate bottom, a knife plate height generally parallel to the upper base plate height, a knife plate front, a knife plate rear, a knife plate thickness extending from the knife plate front to the knife plate rear and generally perpendicular to the knife plate height, and at least one knife plate fastener hole located above the upper base plate top surface, the at least one knife plate fastener hole having a length extending generally perpendicular to the upper base plate height, the knife plate fastener hole extending through the knife plate from the knife plate front to the knife plate rear;
• and
• iv) a support wall extending between the lower base plate and the upper base plate and at least partially supporting the upper base plate, wherein the lower base plate fastener hole comprises four circular lower base plate fastener holes, wherein the upper base plate access hole comprises four upper base plate fastener holes, wherein each lower base plate fastener hole is located directly below an upper base plate access hole, wherein the support wall comprises four semi-cylindrical support walls, wherein each of the respective four semi-cylindrical support walls partially surrounds one of the four circular lower base plate fastener hole and one of the upper base plate access holes, and further wherein each of said semi-cylindrical support walls are separated from the knife plate by a space and are not attached to the knife plate;
• b) placing the lower base plate bottom surface on the support surface;
• c) placing a lower base plate fastener through a lower base plate fastener hole and into the support surface to secure the elevated knife plate bracket to the support surface;
• d) placing the vertical post bottom directly on top of the upper base plate top surface so that the knife plate extends upwardly into the vertical post slot;
• and
• e) placing a knife plate fastener at least partially through the vertical post thickness, and through the knife plate fastener hole to secure the vertical post to the elevated knife plate bracket.