Post & Beam Style Entry "Truss"

Timuhler

The house we are framing has two of these. I drew it out in Sketchup to get a rough idea of how I want to do this. The materials will be FOHC Doug Fir. I was thinking of housing the 6x6 king post into the bottom chord 1" to prevent twising, and doing the same with the angled struts into the underside of the rafters.

Any thoughts? I haven't ordered material yet, but I need to no later than Friday.

here is a link to the SU file http://www.sendspace.com/file/dcrtw3

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Warren

Sounds like you know what your doing. It will also make it stronger and it will look nice for a long time. Just be aware of when each piece needs to be installed. If you wait till the end to install the webs, will they still go in with a tenon on both ends?

Timuhler

No, what I was planning on doing was just housing them and screwing the in from the top chord with TimberLoks.

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Warren

I didnt see the round columns the first time. If your gonna wrap around the 6x6 with a duracast or wood column, then the notch is probably not necessary. At least all of your timbers are solid. I have seen a few that are just 1x cedar wrapped around framing. Looks good when its installed, but will never hold up in the long run. I actually prefer the rustic look of the timbers anyway. After a few years you see a lot of checks, splits, etc and that enhances the look.

Timuhler

Updated SU file showing the half lap beam to rafter plate connection and also the housing for the posts.

click through the views and you can see the assembly

http://www.sendspace.com/file/nee4y6

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neolitic

You are blessed with that great lumber
to balance the cure of the rain.....
I envy the lumber.
Being wet...not so much.

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Willie T

The only thing I might consider is locking the ends of the beam something like this...
(The blue areas are all 1" layout shifts... either added to the original square-cut layout, or subtracted from it, giving that 2" beveled lock.) Actually, just about as easy to cut as the square cut would be.

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Gus Dering

I would put a 1" tenon on the ends of the king post and the top end of the struts. With a 3/4" shoulder on those parts it would look clean and still perform for you the way you want.
A router with a reverse flush cutter will do the trick for the mortises. All you need is a simple jig for the size of the hole.
Cleverly placed Timber Lock screws where the three meet up and you are home free.

I like Willy's idea, that would be a real crafty touch if you have the hours to to it properly.

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neolitic

Willie's detail sure would be cool.
I think Tim's going more for the show
with his let in joint.
Gus' mortise and tenon would be strong,
but invisible....

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Timuhler

I've done a little bit of mortise and tennon, enough to know I'm too slow at it. I wanted to go with the 1" let in to keep the wood from twising and partially to show it off.


What I'm trying to do is make it look good, stay that way and maximize time. That is why I'm relying heavily on the TimberLok screws.

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Willie T

This one is sharp looking and sturdy if you have some time to do it. Gives you the "hidden" pocket (housing) and M/T, with impressive pegging too.

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jeffatsquan

Definitely let in the king post at the base but cut it on a slope so the mortise will never hold water the slope would be undetectable. The tenion can still be timber locked through a counter bore then peg plugged.

For the braces order some extra of the 10" stock and curve them then half lap them into the rafter.

In this economy is when we should be showing our craftsmanship so when things pick up we will get the better jobs at lest that has been my approach.

Timuhler

That is a great idea. I never thought about half lapping at the strut (brace) to rafter. My question would be, how do I cut the curve? I don't have access to a bandsaw.

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KennMacMoragh

Here's what ya need



Or Willie's set up looks pretty cool

fast fred

now those are some tools that will get a guy excited. Just don't let your neck tie get to close to the chain mortiser.

neolitic

Where were you in shop class?
All proper young men will tuck
their neck ties into their shirts
between the second and third button.

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Gus Dering

Your school cut the aprons out of the budget?

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Gus Dering

Tim,
The tenon could be an inch or less in length and cut with your skill saw. Set the depth to 3/4 or so and cut all four sides. Mark the end grain at the same 3/4 in from the edge on all four sides and cut . Easy.

Then cut a scrap piece of ply with a square hole in the middle that slips over the tenon with just a little play. That is your template for the mortise. Use a top bearing flush cutter in that router of yours and cut the mortise.

I know you can't see the joinery but in the long run it will look good. A dado cut through will get sloppy after the mating part drys and shrinks up.

Just saying it ain't that hard is all.

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jlhaslip

Housing the top of the King post and the wind braces is a good idea.
For the noted reasons, I don't suggest that you house the bottom ends.
I would suggest that you drop the front beam to below the wall plates. Use full mortise and tenons at that joint.
Also, use an overlap on the post to wall plate connection, or a Mortise in the plate with a Tenon on the post. Extend the posts by an inch or so.

There is not a 'good', 'easy' method to join the post, plate and beam at the same location without the use of metal, or rather complex joinery,unfortunately.
I do not doubt that the OP is capable of cutting the connections, and if they wish to contact me directly, I could supply a diagram of a far superior method. But I'm sure the suggestions above would suffice for this Roof structure.

Willie's solution looks good, but there is a lot of weight on the front beam from the point load of the King post and the interlocking dovetail is removing a lot of wood, weakening the front beam.

As a Historical note, Timber Frames rarely included overhangs. Especially at the Truss locations.

TimelessQuality

I've really admired your work for a long time Tim.

Sorry if this is way off topic, but... What's the ridge beam for? It's a truss, right?

Wouldn't the connection at the peak be under tension? (with the ridge just hanging more weight)



sorry... back OT
I think the 'mini tenons' would keep the struts in place nicely, but I think you're gonna need some steel to hold up that king

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