The Forestry Forum

I'm working on a small firewood shed.  Got a quick question regarding the rafter seats for this low pitch roof (15 degrees).  I didn't think I need to cut elaborate housings in the plates.  Instead, I was just planning to notch the rafters and secure with timberlok screws something like this...

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26833/Rafter_Seats.jpg)

Any general rules on how deep the notches should be?

Thanks,

Brian

Seems a notch in the rafter only weakens it, so the deeper you go the weaker it will become.

Appears with that design (no plate) that the horizontal ties the posts together, so the rafter doesn't do much but need to sit in place.

Brian,
I built a deer blind almost identical to that. I thought about cutting my 15° notch into the horizontal beam instead of the rafter. I was going to take just enough material out that the rafter sat flat, instead of on a corner. When I got to that point, I decided to rip a 15° board on the TS and use that to shim the rafter instead. It probably would've been fine to sit on the corner, but I felt the extra 3 or 4 inches of surface for the rafter to sit on would  give the Timberloks more wood to hold against.

I found a picture... not a good one, but if  it may give you a better idea then my text.  :D
please don't call OSHA on me for my handrail... they were temporary.  ;D






 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29968/2014-07-31_16-12-20_730-1.jpg)


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29968/rafter_.jpg)

I think the rule is to not to cut into the rafter more than 1/4 or maybe it's 1/3 the height. You should have at least 2" of bearing surface between the rafter and the plate.

Jim Rogers

Hey Brian, are you sawing your own beams? I would probably saw the top of the beam at 15 degrees .

Nice deer stand!