Some of you guys know I’ve been working on an on-line roof framing calculator for awhile now ;-). Well I’ve made some more “improvements” to it and would appreciate any feedback you might have. Here is the link: http://www.josephfusco.org/Calculators/Simple%20Roof%20Calculator.html
Thanks.
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Replies
When I looked at the page you linked to, the left 1/2" or so of the calculator frame was chopped off.... From a glance at the page you are far more advanced that I on this web page stuff, but I have always found it best to look at the page on several different computers just to check that it shows up properly....
BTW - I know you are a really smart guy, but for some reason I pictured you as having hair. :-) BTW - I don't have much either - too much time "in the wind".... :-)
BTW - I know you are a really smart guy, but for some reason I pictured you as having hair. :-)
He does have hair.........
View ImageJoe Carola
You are still a goon lol,lol.
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
You are still a goon lol,lol
You can get away with only because you have little Joey to protect you :-)http://www.pioneerbuildersonline.com
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From Lot 30 Muirkirk
http://picasaweb.google.com/TimothyUhler
Ur too funny. Looks like his "hair piece" is crooked.
Matt,Thanks for the feedback. You might need to increase your screen resolution a bit to see the whole calculator. It's setup to view on at least 17" screen with 1024 x768.As far as my hair goes, I just figured one to shave it off. The up side is it's easy to maintain ;-)
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
19", 1024x768.
Sorry - I'm not changing my screen settings for just one web site.
I used to have hair myslef. It got so thin that I was blad when long hair kinda went out. Now it's just a "#3 all over: Please" - when I get around to it.
Edited 9/1/2009 9:31 pm ET by Matt
Matt,Didn't mean to imply you should. Just that that's the way it's setup. with your screen and resolution you should be able to see it just fine, maybe ;-). Anyway if you could maybe increase your res one click I'd like to know if that helps, if not, no problem.
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
I upped the resolution a coupla notches to 1280x960. Same thing. Here is your clue: The calculator is displayed properly when the page first comes up but then when the adds, etc on the left side of the page are filled in it clips the left side of the calculator frame.
Afterwards, I set the resolution back to 1024x768 as those fonts and icons are too small for me to see comfortably.
Attached is a screen shot of what I'm seeing.
Matt,Thanks once again. I test the page in IE 8 and I don't seem to have that issue. What version of IE are you using?
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
6 SP2
Matt,Thanks again.
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
Works fine for meSometimes display problems vary according to which browser you are using so page makers need to try it on different browsers to test compatibility.Also you can hold down your Crtl key while turning your mouse wheel to zoom in and out.Joe, I am on mozilla 3.5.2
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Thanks Piffin,I test the page on a few "up to date" browsers, FIREFOX 3, IE8, FLOCK2, OPERA (great browser) and SAFARI 4. About 80% of the viewers to my site are on IE and I don't know why, although IE8 is a pretty good browser.
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
I dislike IE from past history, but I have to use it to access a couple of financial sites, and have seen that it is a far better browser than it used to be.BTW, I think my res is 1260x920?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
>> Also you can hold down your Crtl key while turning your mouse wheel to zoom in and out. <<
Wow - I didn't know that... Thanks
Joe, I looked at it and I think it's a wonderful tool. I'd probably use it myself if I was framing.
I did try to change the "NO" to a "YeS" in the square fascia section but nothing happened. I probably had to do something else but since I was just testing, I really didn't try too hard. I can only remember doing one house, maybe two, in my thirty years of framing.
I quickly browsed some of the terms. I notice you've included sections of "fixed ridge" heights and "fixed sloped" ridge heights. It kinda made me laugh thinking about how the two of us went round and round about that....maybe five or more years ago?
Just a techical note about the use of the word "heel". First, the disclaimer: I know you can't include language for every tiny segment of the world, and I don't expect, nor ask for any changes in your work. With that said....in Michigan (Metro Detroit), we never used the term HAP or any variation of that. We always referred to the HAP as the "heel". We also never referred to the birdsmouth as a "heel cut". That just doesn't add up. We did, however, teach the young bucks to NOT CUT INTO THE HEEL! lol.
My hats are off to you for putting up a wonderful resource. If I was framing, I'd insist that any apprentices that wanted me to teach them anything about roofs, would have to go to your site and thoroughly study and review all the terms and instructions there. You have put together a very interesting collection of information and the trade is better off for you effort.
Milkbones to you!
Jim,Yes we did go round a few times ;-). Thanks for the feedback it helps make it a bit better. When you click "yes", the script updated the numbers immediately, you just needed to scroll down to see the change (I hope) ;-).I also think about updating the nomenclature as well to make it a bit more "region" friendly. There is a fairly large javascript running doing all the calculations, it's like a spreadsheet in away.
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
Jim,Sorry, you have to click on the rafter tail type and change it from "plumb" to "square" to get the calc ;-)
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
That worked.
Nice work!
I forgot to ask you.
Is that a basic spreadsheet running in the background giving you the data?
Joe,
My first run was for a reciently completed "L" floor plan with gable roofs with the wing of the house narrower so ridge was lower.
What do you use to get jacks & valleys from that?
What do use for dormers etc?
Jim,I wish this calculator was at the stage where you could enter your floor plan data and press a button ;-) But, it's not. You'd need to enter your roof as sections to get, well each section.Like entering the run and width of the first section of gable, get the calcs and then the next or "L" with the smaller run/width and then that those calcs.Whenever the calculator generates a gable it doesn't produce jacks because there are not suppose to be any ;-). The program assumes a "straight" run so, in your case with an ell you'd need a work around to get the valley and jacks that connect the ell.Give me a bit to think about that. . . And thanks for the input.
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
Et al,
Since we got into a good conversation on square cut rafter tails it prompt me
to make yet another improvement to my Roof
Framing Calculator. I've add the inch
values for the conversion of the angles for the square cut tails. So now you'd
be able to just use them to set your square to, to scribe the angles needed.
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
Joe, Firefox, and the top left is cut off by the google ad box.It's cool and quick. Am I missing the 1x in the fascia drop down? All I see is 2x I've never even seen that for fascia.The hip/val members, are there any numbers for LVLs?I just saw an iPhone app construction master calculator, only it seemed even easier. Don't know if they've got a rafter deal, and those apps are pretty popular. May be a market for you?And, that piece doesn't help you one bit LOLhttp://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Ever thought about getting the program to do a materials take-off?http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Bill,The fascia has a 3/4" option (its default) and the "sub" fascia only has the options for 2x material as that's all I've ever used. Is that what you are referring to?
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
It was the fascia depth listed as 2x... but if 3/4 is the default that probably takes care of it?http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Thanks Bill,You were right. I'll change it.
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
Edited 9/25/2009 6:43 pm ET by Joe
B-Snort,It might be your screen res. I've designed it on a big screen so. . .
I've got some more ideas for it but it takes some time to implement them.
Thanks for the input and I'll look at the options for the fascia and hips.
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
Thats what I'm talkin' about! We don't need no stinkin' degrees or speedsquares now!
Jim,I already had that option on the calculator for the jack and hip side cut angles and it didn't take much to add it for the angles on a square cut hip.Oh. . . block not included ;-)
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
I know you! Well, sort of. I had spent two days with a carpentry crew building dormer roofs. I liked the lead man's method of using a string and 2x4 for getting his angle and length for the rafters, so I looked it up on-line. I've already got your "Block and String" site saved on to my favorites. When I get a minute, I'll go over the new one.
Keep up the good work! Guys like you help guys like me learn more about what they love to do!
Ex32,I spent a lot of time in my "earlier" days with that "block" lol, and string '-).It got me through some tough spots. Works great and you should never be afraid or ashamed to use it.For those who might also be interested:
http://www.josephfusco.org/Articles/Roof_Cutting/Basic_Roof_Framing/Documents/simplemethod.htmlhttp://www.josephfusco.orghttp://www.constructionforumsonline.com
Edited 9/26/2009 7:35 am ET by Joe
Edited 9/26/2009 7:35 am ET by Joe
Joe,
A whole lotta work went into that page!
BUT!
My resolution is 1024x768 and the calculator <Table> is still too narrow, even though it's width is set to 100%. See attachment.
I think it's cuz' the google form table's two <TD>'s use a combined 656 px's. I think if you change the calc-table's width to a fixed width of maybe 500px it should be OK.
This will, of course put a scroll bar on bottom, but that ain't no thang.
SamT
A Pragmatic Classical Liberal, aka Libertarian.
I'm always right!
Except when I'm not.
Hi Sam,Thanks for your feedback.The first thing I did when I clicked on your image was to go use the scroll bar lol.I designed the page at 1440p and at your res it's doing what it should be. The design center div collapses and the left and right div's remain constant to deal with different screen res. Sadly, I have to give the ads room because they help keep the lights on at my site. I'm working on. . . . a rework of that page but I don't see me implementing it very soon. I've got some more improvements to the calculator that I want to get in it and working first.The next big improvement will be to do different shaped roofs like ell's and U's and some different height stuff as well. Maybe by Xmas ;-)
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http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
SamTA Pragmatic Classical Liberal, aka Libertarian.
I'm always right! Except when I'm not.