Replies

1. 
   FastEddie1 | Jul 19, 2003 01:46am | #1

   Put the lookouts far enough apart to see the Indians when they come over the hill.  For more info, refer to General Custers battle plan...

   Do it right, or do it twice.

1. 
   Boxduh | Jul 19, 2003 02:52am | #2

   The pic attached shows lookouts spaced at 48" on the near side, and 24" on the far side.  Which is the better way to keep out the Indians?  The barge rafter top ends are picked up by the bracket shown.  24" seems like overkill to me.

   
1. 
   Luka | Jul 19, 2003 03:30am | #3

   I am going with 48 inches. With filler blocks on the outside at 24 inches.

   But I will never have the snow load that you do.

   A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

   Quittin' Time

2. 
   Qtrmeg | Jul 19, 2003 03:31am | #4

   This a house to be? I'd order the gable truss different, fly over it, change the 4' spacing to run off the wall blocking, and block out to the rake rafter @ 2'.

   How are your framers loving you, MM? You still on site helping every day?

1. 
   xMikeSmith | Jul 19, 2003 03:39am | #5

   i'd be framing a 20" overhang at 2' OC  fer sure, and i'd drop the gable truss just as matt said

   Mike Smith   Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

   Edited 7/18/2003 8:39:51 PM ET by Mike Smith

1. 
   Qtrmeg | Jul 19, 2003 04:29am | #6

   You didn't like that 4' thing either?

2. 
   xMikeSmith | Jul 19, 2003 04:59am | #9

   no.. neither for the framing , nor for the plywood roof sheathing.... also.. Mike Smith   Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

2. 
   Boxduh | Jul 19, 2003 02:54pm | #11

   I'm OK with the framers.  There every day, read 'em the prints when we are laying out, do all the odd jobs like jigsawing arc-shaped wallplates and cutting decorative rafter tails, make up the funky wall corners where the archy wants minimum posts.

   The project has 53 exterior window and door openings, and I helped out by making them the cut list and schedule for all the kings, jacks, headers, sills, cripples, etc., so all the frames could be production-cut and assembled.  They do that as a practice, but they liked the way I did it and sorted out the cutting for optimization. 

   I'm old enough to be their dad, so I work strictly on the deck or on the ground.

   These guys hate trusses, absolutely hate them.  The garage went without a hitch, it was simple, but they are skeptical of the high roof coming soon with its dormer section and laydown truss.  At the gable ends, they talked me out of gable trusses, so we are sticking it as I show in my earlier sketch.  For the garage, they used one common truss as a pattern, and built the gable wall on top of it on the floor, then raised it.

   The wall's top plate is dropped so the ladder rung lookouts fly over it as you can see.  Is this what you mean by "fly?"

   Rain shut us out at that point, and we are going to build and hang the lookout ladders Monday, weather permitting.  A 2x8 barge at 4/0 span, picking up only a 10" x 48" tributary area of load, is seeing only 250 pounds of loading at 75 psf combined total load, so I think we will try the 48" lookout pattern on the garage.  Rakes and eaves are exposed, and I don't want a lot of clutter.

   Oh, I forgot to mention.  My exposed eaves and rakes are sheathed in 3/4" t&g pine, which transitions to 5/8" OSB in from the stud lines, so my lookouts aren't picking up any OSB edges, thus the locations can be really anywhere.  Barges and rafter tails are dropped a fraction from plane of roof, so that the sheathings flush up at top surfaces.  At the rakes, a double row of fillers between lookout rungs are laid in, top surfaces offset by the small fraction, the outer row picks up the t&g boards, the inner row the OSB.  I'll post a pic in a day or two.

   Edited 7/19/2003 9:59:47 AM ET by Mr. Micro

1. 
   Qtrmeg | Jul 19, 2003 08:41pm | #12

   I'm glad you get along with the framing crew, it sounds like you have a good mix, it really does. Truth be told, you are off the map and I hope you are upfront with people about what you expect. Hey, you aren't Mr Micro for no reason, and although your quotes will be higher with full disclosure, your happy factor will higher if you can get a group together that shares your standards without leaving their food money on the table.

   I saw your pic as the gable went full ht, hard to tell. I hate trusses too, and I should have picked up on the stick built gable. I was going to ask about the details, thanks. So your rafter tails and wings have t&g, (all pre-primed of course, right?), so what is your gable wall rake trim? I would ledger your inside rafter, run the t&g from there, and ladder frame the whole rake eave, finished, side up to the inside 2x. That whole thing is a stand up, finished detail, with proper planning. And I still can't go 4' oc, not for a 2x, at least go 32", that works out with your something like 16' rafters.

2. 
   Boxduh | Jul 20, 2003 04:54am | #13

   Here are some pics of the last one I completed.  No problems with anyone.  I trimmed out the inside with the help of one guy.  This one will be different, but with some of the complexities.  The one you see here, I didn't want to do it myself as GC, but couldn't get anyone to bid it firm priced.  Brought it in at $80K and $150K under the two cost plus "estimates" I was able to get.

   
2. 
   MisterT | Jul 19, 2003 01:58pm | #10

   Lookouts should be stationed at the guard towers at every corner of the prison.

   We had an escape from the Elmira correctional facility last week.

   Two murderers remained at large for two days.

   Mainly because they went over the FRONT wall and there was no one in the gaurd tower!!!

   One scumbag lost his grip on the rope they made and fell 3-1/2 stories and broke his ankle and shoulder.

   He apparently lay there for over an hour before he was able to hobble away!

   Our tax dollars hard at work!!Mr T

   Do not try this at home!

   I am an Experienced Professional!

2. 
   BossHog | Jul 19, 2003 04:33am | #7

   I like to lay 'em out 2' O.C. I start the layout from the edge of the subfascia and have the odd space at the peak. That way the edge of the plywood breaks on every other one.

   As others have said, you can drop the top chord of the gables. You can specify that they be dropped virtually ANY dimension. (Within reason)

   Some companies charge a few bucks for dropping 'em, some don't.

   Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
   Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

1. 
   Qtrmeg | Jul 19, 2003 04:57am | #8

   Yeps, layout ply up, I had a braincramp. It won't be the last.