Replies

1. 
   stevent1 | Oct 05, 2006 05:35am | #1

   wv,

   Great Question.

   The framer probably sistered curved segments to the rafters.
   'Sears' had a catalogue but I think it was residential.

   Chuck

   live, work, build, ...better with wood

2. 
   rez | Oct 05, 2006 05:37am | #2

   bump

   "When we build, let us think that we build forever.  Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin
   Andrew Clifford of Clifford Renovations, who serves as a steward of our history for future generations
   We can imagine something that only exists in our heads, in a form that has no measurable, tangible reality, and make it actually occur in the real world.  Where there was nothing, now there is something.
   Forrest - makin' magic every day

1. 
   DavidxDoud | Oct 06, 2006 03:51am | #5

   hi rez -

   curved rafters,  eh? haven't looked at the FHB article yet,  it's in a stack during the busy season -

   the main orchard has a building with a curved roof - I'll see if I can locate a pict - 1930's,  I think -

   the rafters are laminated strips - obviously commercially built - next time I'm there I'll take note of specifics -

   I've seen others from a distance -

    "there's enough for everyone"

1. 
   DavidxDoud | Oct 06, 2006 04:57am | #6

   here's a pict with 4 generations of buildings in evidence - not a great pict of the curved rafters,  but you can tell the shape -

    View Image"there's enough for everyone"

2. 
   rez | Oct 06, 2006 06:53am | #7

   thanks, not having seen the article my initial thought was a rounded building as the subject of discussion until the Lamella Roof topiuc came into mention and I realized I was wrong.

   Got to wondering how they would have done the base and top plate in a round building then figgered it was probably as long a curved piece as they could get out of a wide 2x then layered to cover the seam.

    

   be guessing

   "When we build, let us think that we build forever.  Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John RuskinAndrew Clifford of Clifford Renovations, who serves as a steward of our history for future generationsWe can imagine something that only exists in our heads, in a form that has no measurable, tangible reality, and make it actually occur in the real world.  Where there was nothing, now there is something.Forrest - makin' magic every day

3. 
   MrJalapeno | Oct 05, 2006 06:14am | #3

   I think you are referring to a Lamella roof.  Google Lamella Roof.  Commonly used on large roofs, barns, stadiums, theaters, hangars, etc.  Very arty-architectural.

    

   This is a good  site about them.

    

   http://www.newcomen.com/excerpts/lamella/index.htm

    

1. 
   wvHoward | Oct 05, 2006 07:45pm | #4

   Thanks for the link! I took a quick look and it made for some fascinating reading - definitly going to do some further research. I'm not sure this is the technique used in the barn shown in the Finehomebuilding article (the picture in the article didn't show a lot of detail but I didn't notice the telltale triangles that a lamella roof shows) still, there is a good chance it is the technique used in many of the other curved structures I've seen.

   The thing that started this fascination with curved roofs was when I stumbled upon a picture of a bow roof cape house and I started wondering how the style could be built today. I know there are a couple companies that offer curved laminated rafters designed for use in bow roof construction but when I drive along and see a 90 year old barn with a curved roof I gotta wonder how they approached the problem.  Perhaps the lamella style design is the answer - I see some barn climbing in my future :-)

   Thanks!  

    

1. 
   TomMGTC | Oct 06, 2006 03:41pm | #8

   The Winter Panel Company makes a bow cape house using structural insulated panels.Tom

   Douglasville, GA