Hey Boss, found a super deal for you.
60′ free spanTrusses (Henrico)
Reply to: [email protected] [?]
Date: 2008-10-29, 11:32AM EDT
60′ clear span wooded trusses. 47 total, need to be removed from building.
- Location: Henrico
- it’s NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
“Put your creed in your deed.” Emerson
“When asked if you can do something, tell’em “Why certainly I can”, then get busy and find a way to do it.” T. Roosevelt
Replies
Sounds to me like someone who needs to demo a building. If he can con someone into taking the trusses (And removing the roof in the process) it would save him a lot of money.
Take a message. [From "Field of Dreams"]
Care to comment on whether used trusses are apt to be sound enough for reuse? (Not picking an argument, just wondering.)
Corporation: n. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility. --Ambrose Bierce
YAY, a Boss-Hog-answers-truss-questions thread!Ron, i need you...How to attach scissor truss to top plate when the heel (?) isn't skived off horizontal? Aux top plate ripped at corresponding angle? Simpson connector? I haven't found the right answer on Google, just a feeling i shouldn't use 8d nails to fasten 'em to the plate. Something else i read about them spreading? These are 20' heel-to-hell...will they really do that?One of the gable trusses is about 2' deeper than the other trusses, including the other gable end. I was wondering if this obviates the header over the garage door? I can build a pony wall under it and use it anyway, but i can't figger it out. I've got a line on 12 trusses in the truss boneyard at the plant where i've been scoring on the firewood. (I got the tour today...radiant-heated floor!) They were never picked up; my cost would be $200. Good deal or no?
"How to attach scissor truss to top plate when the heel (?) isn't skived off horizontal?"
I've never seen trusses built like that. Is there enough room to cut a small seat cut yourself? You would only need a couple of inches.
A beveled plate would work. But you'd need to fasten it well to deal with the horizontal forces.
"Something else i read about them spreading? These are 20' heel-to-hell...will they really do that?"
All scissor trusses spread under load. But trusses that small won't spread a noticeable amount. I wouldn't be at all concerned about it.
"One of the gable trusses is about 2' deeper than the other trusses, including the other gable end. I was wondering if this obviates the header over the garage door?"
I have no idea. I doubt it would eliminate the need for a header unless the bottom chord was really beefed up.
"I've got a line on 12 trusses in the truss boneyard at the plant .....They were never picked up; my cost would be $200. Good deal or no?"
I'd guess they were worth about $350 new. (But it depends on the pitch) So I'd say no - Not really.
Honestly - I wonder if they just didn't get screwed up - Cut and built without a seat cut put on the bottom chords. That would explain why they're in the boneyard.
My general opinion on "boneyard" trusses is they they're not worth it. (Although there are exceptions)
I get people in here about once a week who think we have a bunch of common trusses with a 4/12 sitting around that someone "didn't pick up". But that's almost never the case.
We only do business with people we know, so the idea that people just don't bother to pick up a nice set of trusses is off base.
There certainly are mistakes - God knows we have plenty of those. But the trusses that are typically mistakes aren't 28' commons - They're a 37' 4 1/2" coffered dual sloped hip system that's cantilevered on one end.
I don't quite get why people are so obsessed with building a building to fit a set of trusses that they think they got a good deal on. You're really gonna build a building that sized to fit a set of trusses that you saved $200 on ???
I'm not picking on you specifically, Colleen - This is just a sore spot with me.
You can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted
I get people in here about once a week who think we have a bunch of common trusses with a 4/12 sitting around that someone "didn't pick up".
They are probably reading in some alternative lifestyle magazine ... or more probably a blog ... about someone building a "green' cabin in the backwoods, and one of the suggesstions for saving "lots of money" is to get unclaimed trusses."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
"They are probably reading in some alternative lifestyle magazine ...... and one of the suggesstions for saving "lots of money" is to get unclaimed trusses."
No - I think in general they're just tight asses.
"Not my ad. I just found it an posted it for fun."
I knew the ad wasn't yours. It would be interesting to see what the guy tells you if he responds.
There are two ways of meeting difficulties: You alter the difficulties, or you alter yourself to meet them.
hey now! I designed and built a building to fit under a set of trusses that had been mis-ordered.
Saved me a bunch of money on my own barn. I guess honesty makes me admit i was the one who mis-ordered the trusses and had to design my barn to fit under them while I paid for the correct sized ones be built and delivered to my job.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Believe it or not - I've done the same thing. I talked my boss into donating a set of 30' pole barn trusses for an addition to a building owned by our local Lion's club. I measured the existing building, and determined that the trusses were a 3/12 pitch. In my rush to get the paperwork to the plant to be built, I mistakenly sent them out as 4/12 trusses. I didn't realize the mistake until about 12 members of the club were there one day ready to set the trusses. It became rather apparent when we set the first truss that something was terribly wrong. God, talk about embarrassed. It's bad enough when you make a mistake. but when you make it in front of 12 of your friends it's that much worse. That happened in 1995, and I still get krap for it. .I felt bad, so I offered to pay for the 2nd set of trusses if I could keep the ones that were wrong. So now out at the farm my Uncle's shop is built with those 30' trusses at 4/12. He's never let me forget it either.(-:
If I save the whales, where do I keep them?
If I save the whales, where do I keep them?
On a really big bun, with a semi-load of tartar sauce. :)
Thanks, that helped a lot. I found one picture online showing the beveled auxiliary top plate, but that seems like a lot of work. I saw a few mentions of metal connectors, but nothing specific enough. One site mentioned fastening scissor trusses with adjustable connectors on alternate ends and i suddenly thought "Whoa! I'm out of my depth!"The seat cuts would be really easy to make on these trusses; a saw would clear the plates just fine for a 3-1/2" or even 5-1/2" seat cut. You're right about no BIs to deal with, though i wouldn't dream of cutting a chord otherwise. I read an anecdote last night about a guy who notched the top chord of his gable-end trusses for the outlook framing. <!> And the other thing is that i AM a tightass, LOL! These trusses are just what i would ask for if i were to have them made. In addition to the 20' span, they have ~6' extensions to either side that would make great shed roofs to cover firewood and fencing material, stuff i don't want to dedicate inside storage space to. I'll see if i can get delivery included in the price, as i thought these would be much more expensive than that. I'm going over there today to pick up a couple barrels of sawdust for my garden, so i'll ask the head guy why the deeper truss on one end.Thanks again...oodles! I was getting nowhere with google on this search, which was darned disconcerting.
Edited 10/30/2008 12:15 pm by splintergroupie
Would this work? They sell it as a truss connector.
View Image
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Those things are made of allowing trusses to float over interior walls. They aren't made for what she's doing.
I think, therefore I am.
I think.
That's interesting. I read some stuff about a "sliding" connector that was meant to allow for the scissor truss to spread. It was maddening that the articles and blogs didn't have accompanying pix of what they were talking about.I'm trusting Boss on this and accepting that that's not the appropriate connector, though. Thanks for the effort, though; much appreciated.
I assume this is what you're referring to:http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/TC_PT.aspI'm all too familiar with those things. They're another hot button issue for me - I think they're the most ridiculous thing that Simpson ever came up with..At a trade show I asked some of the Simpson guys how they were supposed to work. Like if the scissor truss moves, what's supposedly there that will prevent the wall from moving? A 2X4 framed wall that's 8' tall isn't rigid at the top.They didn't know. If you allow the truss to move, what happens to the drywall on the interior at the ceiling-wall joint?They didn't know. What happens to the soffit and fascia?They didn't know. But they took my name and number, promised they would research the issue and call me. But I never heard from them. (Not that I expected to)They're basically worthless for what you want anyway.
Tradition is a guide, and not a jailer. [W. Somerset Maugham]
I wondered all those same things as you, but figured i just was missing something critical. I'm glad to hear it's not just my brain that rebelled. I do like the idea of adding some metal for uplift, though. If i go through with this, i'll stack the trusses on the studs and put in hurricane ties since it's so windy here. Not sure if that helps with snow loading, though. If something goes really wonky with that, i'll just put in some metal rods and turnbuckles. Sorry to bother you with the really simple questions, but is there a preferred nailing schedule for attacking a scissor truss with a seat cut to a 2x6 top plate? I read one guy talking like attaching them with 8d toenails was the stupidest thing going. I don't want to be blonde about this; i want to do it right or even righter.
Your questions aren't stupid at all - They're completely relevant to the board. Hell, I don't get all that many questions. so I happy to feel useful. (-:As for tying them down - Around here the general practice is three hand driven 16D CC sinkers. IIRC, that's good for 180# of uplift. Around here all the lumberyards carry what are commonly called "hurricane clips". Something like a Simpson H2.5. They're only about $.50 each last I checked.If you're gonna stack the trusses with the studs, a Simpson H2 would work well. you can see both products about half way down this page:http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/H.asp
Money does buy happiness – give me $20 and I'll smile.
Yup, those clips are what i had in mind. Come to think of it, i have a dozen or so H1's left over from the last time i made my own trusses for a porch roof that's still standing. <G>Do the 16's have to be hand-driven? I bought air tools after getting tennis elbow from hammerin'. They're full-round heads...okay to use?
Oh my God - You built your own trusses ???And to think - I used to LIKE you.(-:.O.K. - Seriously - I prefer the hand driven nails - Larger shanks and more length. But if you're gonna use the clips the nails just hold the truss until you put them on, so it doesn't make any difference.
I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love. [Mother Teresa]
I built those mini-trusses out of old, darkened 2x4s, held together with plywood gussets and lotsa glue and nails. I built one extra and ended up using it to pile firewood on. It wouldn't die even after several years on the ground. It was only an 8'-wide entryway. I used crushed beer bottles for the post footers, based on something i read in FHB or JLC, no doubt. Man, that stunk...PLUS i had to drink so much before i judged the quantity of crushed glass adequate for the load!I know i'll have body problems if i hand-nail all that, so i'll air-drive them and use clips, too. Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.You've been an enormous lot of help, darlin'!
Collen, we use trusses most of the time and use air nails as the heals don't split as much as hand drives. Like Ron saud you are fine as lonng as you use clips!
I do air nails when siding, but for some reason the siding keeps falling off.
Corporation: n. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility. --Ambrose Bierce
Where's the >G<?
Thanks, frammer, i'm convinced that's the route i'll choose. Before i got the framing gun i used to whack the 16d nails in with a two-pound sledge to make them knuckle under. I'm not looking forward to that at my advanced age! I think this might be an excuse to ask Santa for a palm nailer for Christmas.I probably won't get to this until April next year when building weather improves, but i don't want to buy something if it would just be a PITA to deal with down the line.
Palm nailors have come down in price nicely!
I'm trusting Boss on this
I could get my feelings hurt, but in this case I would trust Boss over me, too."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I read some stuff about a "sliding" connector that was meant to allow for the scissor truss to spread
Blue mentioned those a few years ago, sounded like an impossible idea, trusses move but everything else doesn't? Or does?
Joe H
And then there was the mention of attaching them only on one side, at opposite ends of every other truss. That seems truly loony, like you're be providing a guarantee of drywall cracks at a minimum. I was even wondering if the roof decking could be wiggled loose by the differential attachments of each pair of trusses.
Framer is right, palm nailers are handy tools & cheap.
Joe H
Do palm nailers use the regular Teco nails [that i have buckets of] or do i have to buy a special nail for them?There's no attachment for an PC power jointer that will work? <G> I'm still finding that the right tool for the job every so often...
Any nail!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Edited 10/30/2008 7:24 pm ET by frammer52
I'm off to Northern tool...
buy the cheapest, they all are the same!
They'll hammer in anything. If the head will fit in the end, big barn spikes probably not, but anything smaller. Real handy for nailing on standing seam clips without mashing fingers like I do.
There's no attachment for an PC power jointer that will work
Oh, but there is! Guess I forgot to throw that accessory in with it, sorry..........
Joe H
Actually, the worst things to get in are those Simpson nails with the big lump logo on the head. They won't sit flat in on the magnet, have to get it started and them blast it.
Edited 10/30/2008 7:30 pm by JoeH
LOL!I took pics of these damn trusses and can't figure out the software on this !#%$^&*(+ Mac. Never trust a Scot!
I don't really consider you to be what I would call a tightass. To me, a tightass is someone who basically wants something for nothing. Some of these people come in here thinking that they're doing us a favor by allowing us to give them trusses for basically nothing. You don't really fit that mold. As for sloped connectors - Simpson does make something that would work:http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/vpa.aspBut I don't know how expensive they are. If you have enough "meat" in the bottom chord to make a seat cut I'd say you're a lot better off doing that.Any chance you could get a picture of the trusses? I'm kinda curious what you're looking at.
If you want to say it with flowers, a single rose says: "I'm cheap!" [Delta Burke]
Thanks for the picture; i hadn't seen that and i wouldn't have known if it only works on stick-built rafters as well as trusses. These are raised-heel trusses (i think), so the bottom chord doesn't continue through. I'll see if i can find my camera and get my feet dirty using this Mac's image-managing program today. I've got a PC for backup, if all else fails!
FWIW .
Last winery building had scissors trusses from TJI. Required beveled top plates and 2-"L" style hurricane ties.
http://www.strongtie.com/products/categories/angles-clips.html Also had these on each truss
http://www.strongtie.com/products/categories/seismic_hurricane.html
Used the same system of ties on parallel chord trusses in another part of the building. Don't have the plans with me, so can't swear I am right as to the Simpson ties just remembering the details as best I can.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
"Is there enough room to cut a small seat cut yourself? You would only need a couple of inches."DON'T DO IT! ...Without talking to your inspector first. Our local Boy Scout told us we had to replace a truss because the electrician had drilled a 1/2" hole in the bottom chord. It was all worked out in the end with a sign-off from the truss company, but, Sheesh!The basic rule is, NEVER MODIFY A TRUSS. Having said that, now let me tell you about this skylight install I did...AitchKay
I think she's out in the middle of nowhere - I don't think she has a building inspector to deal with. Adding a seat cut doesn't modify the structure of a truss like drilling a hole would. (Unless you wacked off a whole bunch of the plate) She's intelligent enough to know better than that.
I'm so old they've cancelled my blood type. [Bob Hope]
"Care to comment on whether used trusses are apt to be sound enough for reuse?"
They should be, if they aren't damaged when they're taken out. And if they were damaged from something like a leaky roof.
A man does not have to be an angel in order to be saint. [Albert Schweitzer]
Didn't say they were actually installed in the building. Semantics. Implied I suppose. Maybe just stored there? Might be worthwhile if he didn't charge you ... his benefit is no effort and the warm fuzzy feeling that they get recycled instead of thrown away ... that is a big plus in my book. No effort, you help out someone else, and you reduce the waste stream ... win win. May require no money transaction.
On TOH they had an existing building that they had Habitat ReStore take down and "reuse".It was all taken down piece by piece so that all of the dimensional lumber could be reused. IIRC correctly they recovered some of the sheathing.And everything possible was recycled in one form or another. Such as nails for steel, and the concrete foundation and chimney brick where crushed on site and used for fill.Of course that amount of work was far from ofset by the value of the materials. But I have no idea of what the cost was.
My bid is $1800.
That is, you pay me $1800 for demoing the top of your building and taking some of the "debris" with me.
That might be low. Think of the truck you'll need to move them. Can't imagine SYP truss chords giving up their fasteners w/out one he!! of a fight either!The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
Not my ad. I just found it an posted it for fun. I'm going to respond and ask if he can post a picture."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt