Truss Joints

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Simon - much appreciate the reply and links. Ive downloaded Jack Soben's book and will be going thru that.

Wish I'd come across it sooner. When I'd "designed" the truss - almost all the stuff I across was by Nicholas Tredgold, or referred to his work and made extensive use of his "Tables of Scantling Sizes", which gave sizes for the members in Queen and King post trusses for various spans at 10' apart.

The sizes I used were adequate for 20' spans - so mine at around 16' should be more than ok. The sizes of the tennons resulted from the resultant angles in Cad. The tennons you see for the Kingpost connections were done so that the mortises on both sides did not meet in the middle, but were separated by around 1.5". At the longest part the tennon is around 2.5" - I'm hoping a single pin of around 18mm should fit and not be too close to the shoulder - yet leave enough relish. The tennons are around 35mm thick - so I'm hoping that offsetting the holes by around 3mm and draw-boring them should destroy the tennon\relish.

The timber is softwood. The tennons shown in the 1st example would require the kingpost, in my case, to be cut from something like 12" wide - as opposed to the current 7" wide.

The kingpost tennon at the base is about 4.5" deep and my thinking was that the joint at the base of the kingpost is the one in signifcantly more tension than the rest - the others at the top of the kingpost due to the angled shoulders and tennon - should resist the forces (better) trying to pull the tennon out. Might be a load of cobblers - but abit too far gone to do anything else - at least with the current truss.

The timber analysis software - showed that for the relavant wind\snow loads the timbers themselves should cope with the strains\deflections.

If it starts to go weird - plan B might be to use steel straps and bolts to reinforce the connections. I'm in the process of going thru Jack Sobens book so will digest it overnight and then formulate a plan. Having said that - it's only a workshop roof - in a very sheltered spot (I appreciate that the direct wind load may not be huge but other things like suction, etc. can't be ignored). Even if the roof is built - i could fit the straps afterwoods.

An alternative plan could be to cut a slot in the end of the members with tennons (I suspect those that are at the top of the Kingpost) running thru and epoxy a 5mm steel plate - effectively turn it into a mini flitch beam type connection, and perhaps use metal pins\bolts instead of wooden pegs.

As an aside I did wonder whether one should use a strong glue in the joints as well. Or is that a big no no?

Cheers for the PM - may well give you a ring later on (or tomorrow).
 
My first truss is finished - apart from the pegs\pins and more importantly getting it in situ. Piccies tomorrow in the other thread.

The question that has been bouncing around in my mind - should one or should one not use any type of glue? If not why not?

The trusses are made from some sort of Redwood that seems fairly dry - I'll have to find my moisture meter and be a bit more specific.

Cheers

Dibs
 
Hi Dibs-h,

Read through your fantastic workshop build thread :D for ideas and information, I have a few questions re: your kingpost trusses.
My workshop is a similar size, though the roof pitch is lower and lighter roof covering. So may downsize some of the timbers.

1. Would you do anything differently with regard to the trusses?
2. How did the stainless steel pins work out?
3. What were your conclusions on the use of glue?

Cheers
 
A bump on the last three questions posed if you are still around Dibs-H.
I am about to embark on a big king post truss to replace an existing more primative truss in a barn conversion and have found your thread really helpful so thanks.
I have more questions if youre out there !
Kind regards,
LB.
 
Don't use steel tapered pins you will just blow out the relish on the tenon. Oak pegs are used for a reason they bend, instead of blowing out the tenon.
Stainless pins would work if you are using dried wood, you could clamp the joint to its final position and then bore both pieces of the joint together and insert the pin. Lots of good books out there now I would highly recommend Rupert Newman's Oak Framed Buildings if you are planning on doing any framing.

hth Simon
 
Back
Top