Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 08, 1999 07:48am | #1

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   If this isnt a building needing a permit (ag-use only barn etc) check your local extension agency. If it is you'll need someone like Ron Strohbeck to give you an answer and you may not like what you hear. I doubt you'll save much money if you put any value on your labor unless you have free materials.

   JonC

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   Guest_ | Oct 08, 1999 08:07am | #2

   *Donald,Trusses are built with mechanically graded lumber to start with. To build them you will need a large (bigger than the truss) flat area, slab or deck. A good miter saw and a lot of time. I doubt you would save 10% even if you do not count your labor. Doing it yourself you would be better stick building it.Rick Tuk

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   Mad_Dog | Oct 08, 1999 06:00pm | #3

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   You mean with rafters and a framing square?

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   Guest_ | Oct 08, 1999 07:07pm | #4

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   One of my first experiences in the trades was a blitz day for Habitat For Humanity. The guy in charge had failed to order the trusses, so it was decided that we would build them ourselves on blitz day. It was a rainy day so a tent of sorts was rigged over the first floor decking and we spent the day building the trusses. A "form" nailed to the deck, a crew cutting the lumber, and a bunch of us nailing like mad.

   In retrospect, I don't know why we didn't get more done (not many, if any, walls were put up that day). Seems like the last house only used 25 trusses. But, man, my arm was tired from nailing.

   Since reading about trusses here over the last nine months, I sometimes wonder about how long that house will last (still looks good though).

   Rich Beckman

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 09, 1999 02:25am | #5

   *Donald - I've been in the truss business for several years, and this question comes up frequently. I've responded to this type of question on this and other forums, and sometimes get flamed when I don't give the answer someone wants to hear. You ask about buying a "truss book" to help you build your own trusses, but such books no longer exist. Virtually all truss design is now done by computer, on a truss-by-truss basis. Building codes and such change so often that any book that was written would quickly become obsolete. Also, there is so little market for such a book that I'm sure no publisher would touch it. I don't recommend that anyone build their own trusses. I have never in my 14 years in the business, seen a set of homemade trusses that were anyways near the standards that a truss plant has to use. I suppose you could hire an engineer to design your trusses for you. An engineer could specify all the plywood gussett sizes and lumber grades and species. But I doubt you'll go to this extreme, if you're trying to save money. Also, where will you get the lumber ? Around where I live, you can't buy SYP lumber at lumberyards, except for larger sizes. The SPF framing lumber that's readily available doesn't have sufficient strength for trusses. (Unless they were very small, or had a ton of webs) So do I have any constructive suggestions ? Just two - call your local truss suppliers and see if they have any "dead" trusses. Occasionally, truss plants will make mistakes (just like anyone else), and sell the trusses at a discount. You may have to check back several times, as these trusses tend to move quickly.Also, if you're building a garage or something, you might check with the big chains like Lowes or Menards. They sometimes stock trusses in the 24' to 30' range. They buy them by the hundreds, so they're priced pretty low. Quality varies with these trusses, but they're probably O.K. for a garage.Whatever you do, best of luck with you project.

4. 
   Garage_Builder_#1 | Oct 09, 1999 05:35am | #6

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   Just buy the things, and save your beer drinkin'time!!

5. 
   Guest_ | Oct 09, 1999 09:03am | #7

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   Ditto, Ditto, Ditto.

   A cheap now makes for a stuffed craw later.

6. 
   DONALD | Oct 10, 1999 07:24am | #8

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   Thanks for all the input,liked the beer idea best.lols DONALD!!!!!!!!

7. 
   Guest_ | Oct 11, 1999 05:53am | #9

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   Any info available re metal framing? Seen a lot of them on small commercial, are they site built to engineering specs or manufactured elsewhere? I can't say I've seen truckloads of 'em going down the highway like I do wood, but they must come from somewhere. Aliens? Joe H

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 12, 1999 09:48pm | #10

   *According to the "Residential Steel Framing Handbook", Robert Schraff, McGraw-Hill, 1996, p. 257: "Large-volume residential builders often build their own trusses in a shop and then truck them to the job site... Smaller builders usually buy trusses from local fabricators or distributors. Steel trusses must be built to rigid specifications that have been established by national building codes."

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   Guest_ | Oct 13, 1999 04:06am | #12

   *Donald, On top of the excellent advice given to you in this forum especially from Ron Strohbeck, there is the matter of liability should disaster strike. If those site built trusses fail, you will receive a detailed explanation of truss fabrication in a court of law and the fact that you were just trying to save yourself or a client money will matter not. Don't do it. Allow those that are good at truss fabrication help you do a good job. Marshall Winn

8. 
   DONALD | Oct 13, 1999 04:06am | #11

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   Does anyone know of a book with real truss dimensions in it,I would like to build some trusses using plywood gussets but can't find a book with real dimensions,need something that an engineer has already calculated the loads.thanks.
   ps. I know I should buy them but I am to tight!!!!!!!.