I messed up, how to fix?

[Preserved]

My first mistake (that I know of) on my first bent. I miss measured the brace pockets on a tie beam so each pocket is too far from the center point by a half inch.  I took my 36 inch measurement starting one half inch back from the shoulder end instead of the shoulder.  I was following an example that showed a large tie beam with a one inch housing. I've got all half inch housings.

Lesson learned, so now how to fix??

Cut two new longer braces for a hypotenuse of 51.27? The pockets on the post are correct. Since this is my first bent, should I make this 36x36.5 brace for the other two now?

Somehow shim the .5 inch??

Or, make a new tie beam, then use this miss cut tie beam in the next bent and put the brace pockets on the posts 36.5 inches down from the center starting point and a brace 51.62 inches long? At least this way I'll keep my right triangles intact. I'll have three bents total. Think one bent with slightly longer braces would look odd?

A better idea??



I'd kind of like to keep my tie beam as I don't exactly have a pile of 12 foot 8x8s.

[Jim_Rogers]

shim the .5 inch??

put in a spacer block if you can....

[Preserved]

Really?

Instead of cutting two new braces? The two braces I've already cut can be used elsewhere.  I fear that a shim-block would look unprofessional (which I am but I'm trying to make this look good).

-Jeff

[routestep]

I think I would just cut a new brace.

I make a pocket on a post that was three inches low once. That distance changed the angles on the braces about 2 degrees from the nominal 45 (at the post the angle was 43 and at the cross tie the angle was 47 degrees) and made the brace's length about 2 inches longer. I learned a little from that mistake.

[Preserved]

I was hoping to get away with just making two new braces. I've not done the math, but if I cut two new longer braces for a hypotenuse of 51.27 instead of the 50.91 inch the angles shouldn't be too far off of 45deg.?...based on your experience.

[laffs]

you could cut them all longer and cut a spacer for each from say like oak. then you could say you did it intentionally.
on my first tie beam i cut a mirror image to what i was supposed to cut so i just saved it for the other end.
Brent

[witterbound]

Either make the post pocket 1" deep, or if that will make the brace look odd because of how much is left showing, cut a new brace.

[Jim_Rogers]

You can do whatever you want.
What is easiest is to put in a shim block.
You can decorate the shim block by making it fancy and call it a decoration.

At Fox Maple in Maine when a student does this type of thing a large piece is put in and it is then carved and called a decoration.

One such thing was called "the one eyed timber god..." so that he's keeping an eye on you so you don't do it again:



Good luck with your project.