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Sorry this is backwards, but here it is .I call the bottom block the "Hike up " ( it is equal to the amount yuo desire to leave above the top plate) I am tweaking the plumb mark in this photo to compensate for an off level top plate.Use the same size stock as your rafter to scribe the seat line and let it follow the top plate it will give you a good fit... in the same position mark your top plumb line and you have a good template,I made one hip and one common template, and handed the job off to my helpers.
Scribe once, cut once!
I like it if it gets the job done.
Do you also scribe hip and valley jacks?
Jon Blakemore
Certainly, rest the top on the ridge and don't let her slip till all of your important marks are done,(seat ,toe or birds mouth, top plumb line and cheek angle if you hold the rafter true to your lay-out lines...Scribe once, cut once!
On a valley jack you would treat it as if it were the same as fitting in a scrap for any kind of hammered to fit framing, use no hike-up ,grab a scrap and set it on the two offending members ,(hip and valley rafters)on your lay out lines and mark plumb and cheek marks.what I like to do to save a lot of time is when I cut one I make an opposite, and make what ever multiple I need for all corners of the roof.Here it is, to dictate depth of a birds mouth take off that much from a scrap of your rafter matl.( if i'm using 2x6 and I want a 1 1/2 birds mouth I cut my 2x6 scrap down in width by 1 1/2 that is my hike-up board I have a full width piece to mark the seat bottom,and a torpedo level for the plumb line on the mouth.)
In my photo I dictated the thickness of 3/4 +1 1/2 to get a little beef over my top plate,for a neat short reveal on pitching a hip over a mansard.(and for a continuous vent)
On a tail-less rafter with no seat one uses a full width scrap of rafter for the hike-up.
Scribe once, cut once!
Edited 7/31/2004 11:18 pm ET by mapache