Has anyone ever framed a Bell Shaped Roof befor that’s Octagon Shaped and if so, how did you cut your common and jack rafters?
JLC had an article in this months issue(May) and the author cut all of them normal, from plate to ridge and plate to hip.
I’m framing a house in Spring Lake New Jersey and there are quite a few of these roofs.
They set all the hips first and then ran rafters horizontally. It’s very interesting and I would love to frame one. I’ve framed an octagon shaped room once running the rafters horizontally, looks like a spider web.
I’m going to post pictures of the one that they’re framing around the corner from me.
If anyone has framed one befor, how did you run the common and jack rafters?
Those framers leave earlier than I do. I felt like climbing up to the roof and cutting in the rafters for them. The scary part is, I really would like to do that. 😉
Joe Carola
Replies
Joe,
My aunt and uncle live on Vroom Avenue, probably not far from where you are. So, did they knock down another home from the 20's to make room for a beachside mega-home ? People think land in California is expensive. I have seen at least 6 homes sold and razed for the lot. Nice homes too ! It translates to about a $500,000 piece of land, 3 blocks from the beach ! The homes built to replace them are mostly similar to what you have pictured- totally custom, high end, expensive finishes and large.
About your post, when you ask, how do you run the commons and jacks, do you mean horizontally or vertically ? Are you questioning about tieing into the bell ? I would frame the bell exactly like they did, with horizontal members (basically plywood nailers) connecting the hips. We reframed a cone shaped turret years ago that had been done with all vertical rafters 26:12 pitch. It wasn't bad for the first 8 rafters or so, but then it got to be a real pain at the top making all those plumb cuts. Part of it could depend on how you want to run the sheathing and if you are going to have to sheathe the roof in more than one layer because of a tight radius.
carpenter in transition
So, did they knock down another home from the 20's to make room for a beachside mega-home ?
Yes they did. The land is very expensive. There was a small Cape Cod Home on there that was knocked down. The lot is only 50 x 150. The house we're framing is 5000sf 3 stories high. It's ocean front. That's why alot of people buy these houses and knock them down. Ocean is right across the street. Location,Location,Location...
About your post, when you ask, how do you run the commons and jacks, do you mean horizontally or vertically ?
I meant both ways because the article in JLC, the guy runs them vertically with 4 jacks, no common in the middle. (I didn't notice that when I posted this, just looked at the article again and noticed no common).
He also uses a 18" LVL and adds on three pieces to the two larger jacks and one piece to the two smaller jacks. The one in the article looks nicer the way it was frmed with all the curves top and bottom.
I'm curious as far as time to frame then either way.
The one in the article and the one I took pictures are both about the same size.
The one in the article has 4 jacks 16" o. c. in between the hip with 3 pieces added to the two larger jacks and one piece added to the two smaller jacks. If you total that up with 8 sides you have 96 pieces with curves to cut.
The one I took pictures off I counted about 25 rafters horizontally about 6"o.c. with compound miters on each end that nails into the hip. Total that up with 8 sides that's 200 pieces with compound miters on both sides to cut.
The one in the article, once you have one pattern and you tack on your little pieces to accomodate the curves onto the LVL and your small jacks are only 1/2 the size of the larger ones, it's just a matter of cutting the curves top and bottom. and then nailing 32 rafters up.
The other one is cutting the two compound miters on each end (no big deal) and then nailing 200 pieces up 6" o.c.
Which way would be faster? HMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
We reframed a cone shaped turret years ago that had been done with all vertical rafters 26:12 pitch. It wasn't bad for the first 8 rafters or so, but then it got to be a real pain at the top making all those plumb cuts. Part of it could depend on how you want to run the sheathing and if you are going to have to sheathe the roof in more than one layer because of a tight radius.
I framed one last summer 21/12 pitch 14' diameter with 32 rafters that I joined all at the top. I used my saw called Big Foot. This saw cuts up to 75°. I didn't have to do that, I could've just put blocks/horizontal pieces in and cut the plumbcut with no anglenailed into the blocks but with the Big Foot it's not a problem and it looks alot nicer. That's all the homeowner and everyone else talks about when they see the 32 rafters all joined together. That's the most important partv of it.
We sheathed it with two layers of 3/8" plywood and the roofer put copper shingles on that he made himself 9" to the weather.
I have some pictures of the Turret and the House where framing with the lousy view. ;-)
Joe Carola
Tim,
Here's a link with some pictures to the Turret Roof With Copper Shingles.
Joe Carola
http://forums.prospero.com/n/main.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=29185.1&find=Search