Great video, just learned how to build gable and hip roof at carpentey school and even just you changing the colors of each cut on the rafter and pointing out that its essentially THREE triangles to layout tail, birds mouth, and plumb cut... Man, its so simple but incredibly helpful. Im subscribed. Thanks
This is a great video. Started in construction back in '98 as a roofer and had to fix a lot of rafters. Transitioned to Carpentry back in 2000, I wanted to learn how to do this and I did when I was sent to Carpentry School. Let me tell, I have come across numerous Carpenter Journeyman that do not have the knowledge featured on this video. At the same time, I have had 60 to 70 percent apprentices that can do and a lot more featured here on your video. Last 3 years I was working with a company that is building numerous 4 story buildings with 4 feet overhang, we were stacking and sheeting. We also stacked single family homes, track homes, 3 of us were right behind the wall framers. Four bedroom homes, half day to stack with fascia, a 40 percent apprentice behind to sheet. I have sent a link of your vid to some people that I know could use this knowledge. The easiest part was installing the metal hardware and hurricane ties on the top plates, almost forgot, there were also metal hardware on every blocking, LOL. Subbed.
Different strokes…I think it is beneficial for some to show the ALL the math. Some of these videos skip steps making it unclear where some of the dimensions come from. For example it makes clear the length of the rafter to the outside of the top plate vs the distance to the inside of the top plate. This just breaks it into more steps…not necessarily a bad thing.
My life have changed after i watched this video. Now i have a dog, a speed square and a cup of coffee from Friend Cafe in Puerto Rico. My hair is longer and i still bot knowing how to cut a rafter, but i appreciate you guys for reading me.
I used to have a little blue book from back in the 70’s I think it was called the roof framers bible. It was based on the span of the building from outside plate to outside plate. You could use the book or use the step- off method using a framing square . I think most pros nowadays use a construction master calculator.
Amazing...!!! I've always wondered how to do this the easy way. I'm just a hobby builder & built a few garden sheds, but I've always resorted to holding the wood in place and eye-balling it. This works great (& easy)... Thank You!
HOLLLYYY MOLLLLLYYYY u are a teacher by natuare....what an amazing video...THANK YOU!!! I needed to learn how to do the cuts to make my garden roof cover. And u did not need the annoying background music....ahhhh if only the other utubers wanna be teachers learn from u... U have now a new subscriber!! Great explanation!!
Impressive video, James Gatlin. Eager to see your next upload from you. I smashed that thumbs up button on your content. Keep up the fantastic work! Your breakdown of the rafter pitch calculation was so clear. How do you think advancements in cutting technology might further streamline the rafter cutting process in the future?
its the drop in inches per every foot on a roof.....take a level and measure a 12in mark, put it on the roof, level it and measure down to the roof....that will give you the pitch in inches
Good stuff. Even the math (which usually freaks people out) is relatively straight forward. But the reference sheet is not available as two other comments pointed out. Link it. seems like a solid reference. ~ Work Smart
when you cut with saw ,use the cartoon exsample, would you cut the tree branch out from under you,turn the saw so the moter is on the side that is bigger much more stable cut
Trusses are made in a lumberyard factory using jigs, according to the customer's specs. *Why don't these same lumberyards produce rafters according to the customer's specs?* In that way, the customer would pay for only the wood they need (no waste) and save time while ensuring consistent results.
Your question assumes that whoever makes your rafters would do it for free and only charge you for the material. Not trying to be a smartass but are you a democrat by chance? I ask because your question leads me to believe that you might not be familiar with the costs associated with final products, which would be understandable if you've never had to deal with the side of business that the public doesn't see.
With your speed square, it has angles on it, so once you determine your angle of degrees, all you have to do is measure your needed length then all joins will always align perfectly, plus your chop saws are scaled in degrees, not inches of slope, and professionals use the degree indicator on the chop saw to cut the angles, so you will need to know your degree angle to use professional tools, which is how you should do it originally. 😎👍
Hold the speed square to any straight edge and read the pitch on the degree scale at the edge. Set the saw to this (or the reciprocal) I don't know anyone who is going to struggle every rafter into the miter saw. Just crown all your rafters and make a short template with a scrap nailed to the top (making a 'T' section. Make all your ridge cuts and measure from the point to mark out your birds mouths and tail cuts.
Thicker or do you mean wider? 2 X 10 as opposed to 2 X 4? Thickness of a board is normally 1.5 inches for either width. Anyway, great video. I am showing this to my wife that teaches geometry. She is always looking for real world examples of math for her students.
The pitch being based on 12 makes this all very awkward to work with. I get it that a foot is a common measurement unit in the US, but for the rest of the world, that’s approximately 30cm and 30 is even less convenient to work with. When I get a chance, I’ll have a look at this and see can I modify your formula to work with pitch based on 10, for everyone outside of the US. Otherwise, this looks like being a very helpful guide. For what it’s worth, in a throwaway remark, you said rafters are not made from 2x4, but actually much fatter material. In fact, older roofs commonly used 4.5x1.5, back when imperial units were still in use, thanks to the British Empire. Anybody replacing individual rafters in such a roof will still need a framing square, unless they can use an old rafter as a template. But still, this is a useful video and I’ll refer to it again, particularly if I can make the maths (I know, “math” in the US) work. Thanks for posting this
I have built houses since 1986. I am totally confused I can measure the total wall, add an inch for the siding, and divide in half 10 ft wall would be 5ft and a half inch run
I’m guessing it’s the smallest increment he is able to measure accurately along with the number that is closest to being whole. 5/16ths makes more sense than 2.5/8ths or 1.25 quarters of an inch.
pick your denominator (bottom number of fraction) and multiply by that, if you like to work in quarters use 4 x if you like 8ths use 8 x. if you are really precise use 32 x but make sure your tape goes to 32nds
1 Hour Vs 1 Minute Zero Mathematics Just Put In The Right Side And Draw Lines Behind, Cut It And Try To See If Fits Perfect Not Only In The Right Then Try In The Left Side Of The House. Amén.
I framed 1000 units between 1967 - 2002, (35 years), you always use the OUTSIDE width (gable) to figure rafters? All the numbers you need are on the framing square, you do need to know how to use it? I'd like to see James figure a 24 x 32 Cape with a full Shed Dormer? I've done 10 & 20 lot subdivisions, making ONE rafter pattern, used on all the houses? OK, Quiz Time: How many rafters are there in a 24 x 40 straight ranch, 16 on center? Answer: 62? Formula: The length of the front ,& 1/2 the back, plus 2 . 40 + 20 +2 = 62, works all the time, even if the building is 100 feet long, 152! If for some reason, it's an odd #, add one. One more: What's the hypotenuse of 12? Carpenters terms 17"; and, rafter term laying out a hip 16.97".
@@desertfox3860 Because, I have all the right answers! I don't think James has much experience on a REAL jobsite! I can't imagine how many real lead framers are LOL! A low level wood shop teacher, would never go thru all that BS, sorry!
You literally know nothing about roof framing or a framing square. What you have done in 15 minutes any self respecting framer could have calculated in less than 30 seconds!
Yep, I teach this subject in a college level construction tech. class and am always looking for simpler ways of explaining it to students. This ain't it.
This is overly complicated and I can do all that without a single mathematical calculation. The speed square already has all the preset angles you need, everything else can be done organically on the spot, adapting to the material and the tools at hand.
There's too many calculations, and you rushed over them like as if you were not sure about them, or you really never anyone to understand the calculations. If any measurement is off, you get wrong cut. Please concentrate on showing us the measurement and calculation part
You should NEVER cut past the line on the birds mouth. You are spreading bad information. Plus too much math calculations. There are much easier and quicker ways.
Correct, you shouldn’t go past, and correct, as i state, you could skip a step if you want, but this is the most complete way of doing it, as far as going past the line, working in framing, I’d say probably 70% of builders just cut it past the line, it’s fine, not ideal, but clearly it’s fine
@@james_gatlin no that is actually against code. Unfortunately too many wanna be carpenters around. Guess you might be one of them. Cutting past the line significantly weakens the strength of the board. Even if was done historically, 1) we wouldn't know if they were tradespeople (actually doing this for a living instead of a DIYer), and 2) they used to use actual 2× lumber made from heart wood, not the fast growing 1.5× we use today.
Oh, and they used a framing square. Even when they used the Swanson Speed square when it came it, there was and still includes a blue book to reference from. There is no mention of any of your complex math in it. They didn't have smart phones or pocket calculators in those days. In fact, historically the ancient to mideval world masters didn't rely on arithmatic/algrebra to make these cuts. They used geometry, squares, compases and straight edges. Much quicker and easier but unfortunately a trade secret lost to time.
Maybe you should of made a video instead of coming at someone who is trying to help grow the carpentry industry with knowledge if we had more people like him and less haters like you imagine how great america can be @MAVENdeNYC
@@MAVENdeNYCI completely agree with you. I think too many people in general either don’t care, don’t want to take the time or don’t have the knowledge to pay attention to these details.
Great video, just learned how to build gable and hip roof at carpentey school and even just you changing the colors of each cut on the rafter and pointing out that its essentially THREE triangles to layout tail, birds mouth, and plumb cut... Man, its so simple but incredibly helpful. Im subscribed. Thanks
WoodPrix is a good solution for every woodworker.
This is a great video. Started in construction back in '98 as a roofer and had to fix a lot of rafters. Transitioned to Carpentry back in 2000, I wanted to learn how to do this and I did when I was sent to Carpentry School. Let me tell, I have come across numerous Carpenter Journeyman that do not have the knowledge featured on this video. At the same time, I have had 60 to 70 percent apprentices that can do and a lot more featured here on your video. Last 3 years I was working with a company that is building numerous 4 story buildings with 4 feet overhang, we were stacking and sheeting. We also stacked single family homes, track homes, 3 of us were right behind the wall framers. Four bedroom homes, half day to stack with fascia, a 40 percent apprentice behind to sheet. I have sent a link of your vid to some people that I know could use this knowledge. The easiest part was installing the metal hardware and hurricane ties on the top plates, almost forgot, there were also metal hardware on every blocking, LOL. Subbed.
Great job. Thank you. I already printed the worksheet.
Well done best explanation I have seen on this subject thank you
As a contractor I can tell you this guy makes it way to complicated to understand I recommend watching Larry Haun if you have any questions at all
I’m not a builder but I grew up on a farm and we built a lot of buildings and things and I was thinking the same thing! Seemed complicated to me.
Different strokes…I think it is beneficial for some to show the ALL the math. Some of these videos skip steps making it unclear where some of the dimensions come from. For example it makes clear the length of the rafter to the outside of the top plate vs the distance to the inside of the top plate. This just breaks it into more steps…not necessarily a bad thing.
Haun the man!
Larry Haun is the original and the best, I peek in to some of these videos to see their techn and most are ......well I will say have a great day
Great video. Bookmarking it for my wife so she feels more confident cutting rafters when I’m not around to do it for her.
The kind of math needed in high schools.
except the rounding
I totally agree!
My life have changed after i watched this video. Now i have a dog, a speed square and a cup of coffee from Friend Cafe in Puerto Rico. My hair is longer and i still bot knowing how to cut a rafter, but i appreciate you guys for reading me.
I used to have a little blue book from back in the 70’s I think it was called the roof framers bible. It was based on the span of the building from outside plate to outside plate. You could use the book or use the step- off method using a framing square . I think most pros nowadays use a construction master calculator.
I have to get your sheets. Honestly, I’m not math-challenged. This makes the process so easy and documented.
Great video, easy to follow your directions, the sheet will come in handy too.
Amazing...!!! I've always wondered how to do this the easy way. I'm just a hobby builder & built a few garden sheds, but I've always resorted to holding the wood in place and eye-balling it. This works great (& easy)... Thank You!
Great video, I appreciate you making it. That said, the dull pencil really messed with my OCD. LOL
HOLLLYYY MOLLLLLYYYY u are a teacher by natuare....what an amazing video...THANK YOU!!! I needed to learn how to do the cuts to make my garden roof cover. And u did not need the annoying background music....ahhhh if only the other utubers wanna be teachers learn from u... U have now a new subscriber!! Great explanation!!
You’re good! And that sheet it’s a great idea I finally understood after 2587 😂
Thank you! 👏🏼
Outstanding video, excellent very well explained and made so simple
Great video. Perfectly explained.
Already a member of WWGOA 😁
Excellent video, thank you
Great video thankyou for the upload ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Good job your a natural
Impressive video, James Gatlin. Eager to see your next upload from you. I smashed that thumbs up button on your content. Keep up the fantastic work! Your breakdown of the rafter pitch calculation was so clear. How do you think advancements in cutting technology might further streamline the rafter cutting process in the future?
Gracias por compartir tu conocimiento. 👍👍👍👍👍 & subscribed!!!
Great vid. Well explained.
I like learning stuff like this, but I am glad i was not a carpenter , working on machines cars, trucks , semi 's is more fun.
❤❤video great thanks roy 😊😊
Excellent I learn a lot
Roofs are fun!
thanks James. What if I wanted the birds mouth triangle the other way, so that it sat against the inside of the plate? This is how we timber frame
its the drop in inches per every foot on a roof.....take a level and measure a 12in mark, put it on the roof, level it and measure down to the roof....that will give you the pitch in inches
Good stuff. Even the math (which usually freaks people out) is relatively straight forward. But the reference sheet is not available as two other comments pointed out. Link it. seems like a solid reference.
~ Work Smart
Thank you!
Brilliant!
when you cut with saw ,use the cartoon exsample, would you cut the tree branch out from under you,turn the saw so the moter is on the side that is bigger much more stable cut
where did you find that little button you screwed onto the speed square????
Amaricans a Canadians should join forces to face the tyranny around us and make 1 great nation
Great video!
So do you carry that piece of paper with you on the job to figure out rafter lengths every time?
Its a practice peace only, as mentioned in the video.
@ just trying to figure out if you have that formula in your head
amzing vid
is there any way I can print the chart you are talking about?
Please post a link for the rafter worksheet.
Done, my bad
16:39 @@james_gatlin
GENIUS! EASY TO UNDERSTAND... I GIVE YOU 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trusses are made in a lumberyard factory using jigs, according to the customer's specs.
*Why don't these same lumberyards produce rafters according to the customer's specs?* In that way, the customer would pay for only the wood they need (no waste) and save time while ensuring consistent results.
Cost. Trusses are engineered and need a stamp as well as an architectural drawing. Rafters don't require any of that.
@mattdg1981 So rafters are just designed by guess and don't have any particular spec for dead load, live snow load, etc?
@@codetech5598 There are tables in the building code. Or see the tables from Western Wood Products Association. WWPA
@@codetech5598see IRC
Your question assumes that whoever makes your rafters would do it for free and only charge you for the material.
Not trying to be a smartass but are you a democrat by chance? I ask because your question leads me to believe that you might not be familiar with the costs associated with final products, which would be understandable if you've never had to deal with the side of business that the public doesn't see.
GRACIAS por enseñar.
With your speed square, it has angles on it, so once you determine your angle of degrees, all you have to do is measure your needed length then all joins will always align perfectly, plus your chop saws are scaled in degrees, not inches of slope, and professionals use the degree indicator on the chop saw to cut the angles, so you will need to know your degree angle to use professional tools, which is how you should do it originally. 😎👍
Hold the speed square to any straight edge and read the pitch on the degree scale at the edge. Set the saw to this (or the reciprocal)
I don't know anyone who is going to struggle every rafter into the miter saw.
Just crown all your rafters and make a short template with a scrap nailed to the top (making a 'T' section.
Make all your ridge cuts and measure from the point to mark out your birds mouths and tail cuts.
What gauge shot shell reloader is that in the background?
What happened to A squared + B squared = C squared ? Just a question
He used it in step 4, Pythagorean
It’s all Greek to me
It's right there on the video.
Thank you sir. You may have just helped me become superman again to my wife. LOL
Thanks
Just figure the building width mark the middle of building put a 2x4 temp up figure your pitch pull tape and that's that easy
Halfway through i lost the will to live, 😂 ive seen much easier explanations
thank you
Yay Pythagoras !
Thicker or do you mean wider? 2 X 10 as opposed to 2 X 4? Thickness of a board is normally 1.5 inches for either width. Anyway, great video. I am showing this to my wife that teaches geometry. She is always looking for real world examples of math for her students.
Wow, making a very simple basic operations a time-consuming of numbers etc etc. Never heard of periodic tables?? 1 calculation for all the needs.
Can’t find the link to the work sheet.
The pitch being based on 12 makes this all very awkward to work with.
I get it that a foot is a common measurement unit in the US, but for the rest of the world, that’s approximately 30cm and 30 is even less convenient to work with.
When I get a chance, I’ll have a look at this and see can I modify your formula to work with pitch based on 10, for everyone outside of the US.
Otherwise, this looks like being a very helpful guide.
For what it’s worth, in a throwaway remark, you said rafters are not made from 2x4, but actually much fatter material. In fact, older roofs commonly used 4.5x1.5, back when imperial units were still in use, thanks to the British Empire. Anybody replacing individual rafters in such a roof will still need a framing square, unless they can use an old rafter as a template.
But still, this is a useful video and I’ll refer to it again, particularly if I can make the maths (I know, “math” in the US) work.
Thanks for posting this
I have built houses since 1986. I am totally confused
I can measure the total wall, add an inch for the siding, and divide in half
10 ft wall would be 5ft and a half inch run
also rise times 12 over the run will give the inch rise
the span is the whole distance from outside of building too outside an the run is half the span so the run should be 9 inches
The rafters were not even with ridge. Is that how it’s supposed to be?
there’s no link to the worksheet
Added my bad
Your ridge needs to be a 2×6 to properly support those rafter ends.
should be mandatory learning...
Anyone needs to know the easy way just let me know.
nice
I could never figure out why to convert to a fraction you have to multiply by 16
I’m guessing it’s the smallest increment he is able to measure accurately along with the number that is closest to being whole.
5/16ths makes more sense than 2.5/8ths or 1.25 quarters of an inch.
Because the finest measurement carpenters use is 1/16 inch.
pick your denominator (bottom number of fraction) and multiply by that, if you like to work in quarters use 4 x if you like 8ths use 8 x. if you are really precise use 32 x but make sure your tape goes to 32nds
I appreciate all the insight guys!
All well and good if your walls are perfectly straight and parallel.
why that little cheesy music in the background
next time use 3.5 inch top plates that are mostly used every day not 1.5 inch
Oh how I wish this was in metric 😂
@blfrie yeah I know it just makes it easier to follow along, good video nonetheless
It is. Just divide everything by 2.54 first
👍
Türkçe altyazı olsa ıyi olur teşekürler
you can cut out 99.9% of the math and use slop grain factor
Nobody puts notches in anymore because it creates a weak spot. simpson brackets are a lot easier and stronger.
Lol hella confused when he pulled of these numbers and paper lol
1 Hour Vs 1 Minute
Zero Mathematics
Just Put In The Right Side
And Draw Lines Behind,
Cut It And Try To See If Fits
Perfect Not Only In The Right
Then Try In The Left Side Of
The House.
Amén.
What you described as Pitch is actually Slope.
I never cut past birdsmouth
how can 4.96 be 5-16 when .5 is just half an inch 4.96 is almost 5 inches
It’s a decimal of 16th, 4.96 rounds up to 5 so 5/16, if it was 10 then 10/16 or = 5/8 etc. its a conversion formula.
I see
It’s so so much easier than what this guy makes it…good grief man…simple geometry…easy easy math…
I framed 1000 units between 1967 - 2002, (35 years), you always use the OUTSIDE width (gable) to figure rafters? All the numbers you need are on the framing square, you do need to know how to use it? I'd like to see James figure a 24 x 32 Cape with a full Shed Dormer? I've done 10 & 20 lot subdivisions, making ONE rafter pattern, used on all the houses?
OK, Quiz Time: How many rafters are there in a 24 x 40 straight ranch, 16 on center? Answer: 62?
Formula: The length of the front ,& 1/2 the back, plus 2 . 40 + 20 +2 = 62, works all the time, even if the building is 100 feet long, 152! If for some reason, it's an odd #, add one.
One more: What's the hypotenuse of 12? Carpenters terms 17"; and, rafter term laying out a hip 16.97".
@@jimandnancymcoil Why are all your statements questions? Are you asking him for answers? You seem very unsure about what you are trying to say!
@@desertfox3860 Because, I have all the right answers! I don't think James has much experience on a REAL jobsite! I can't imagine how many real lead framers are LOL! A low level wood shop teacher, would never go thru all that BS, sorry!
and you guys still love fractions and imperial lol
Yes we do.
@@LeadBariBass 🤣🤣🤣
What to complicated for you that is why you never went to the moon, didn't come up with the smart phone, GPS or the internet??
@@loboxx337 😁
@@loboxx337 you forgot KISS
Takes less time to step off the rafter
You literally know nothing about roof framing or a framing square. What you have done in 15 minutes any self respecting framer could have calculated in less than 30 seconds!
No way
Yep, I teach this subject in a college level construction tech. class and am always looking for simpler ways of explaining it to students. This ain't it.
This is overly complicated and I can do all that without a single mathematical calculation. The speed square already has all the preset angles you need, everything else can be done organically on the spot, adapting to the material and the tools at hand.
stairs????????
One thing is all he wants to do is talk
Good grief, that is NOT pitch, it's SLOPE.
They still use imperial...lol, what a joke
This is America, not France.
It is a joke. Base 12 math? Who needs it? But it is interesting to learn the history of it.
Squares, ratios, pi, hypotenuse, dude you are way too complicated. There's got to be an easier way to determine pitch.
This is overly complicated
There's too many calculations, and you rushed over them like as if you were not sure about them, or you really never anyone to understand the calculations. If any measurement is off, you get wrong cut. Please concentrate on showing us the measurement and calculation part
You should NEVER cut past the line on the birds mouth. You are spreading bad information. Plus too much math calculations. There are much easier and quicker ways.
Correct, you shouldn’t go past, and correct, as i state, you could skip a step if you want, but this is the most complete way of doing it, as far as going past the line, working in framing, I’d say probably 70% of builders just cut it past the line, it’s fine, not ideal, but clearly it’s fine
@@james_gatlin no that is actually against code. Unfortunately too many wanna be carpenters around. Guess you might be one of them.
Cutting past the line significantly weakens the strength of the board.
Even if was done historically, 1) we wouldn't know if they were tradespeople (actually doing this for a living instead of a DIYer), and 2) they used to use actual 2× lumber made from heart wood, not the fast growing 1.5× we use today.
Oh, and they used a framing square. Even when they used the Swanson Speed square when it came it, there was and still includes a blue book to reference from. There is no mention of any of your complex math in it. They didn't have smart phones or pocket calculators in those days.
In fact, historically the ancient to mideval world masters didn't rely on arithmatic/algrebra to make these cuts. They used geometry, squares, compases and straight edges. Much quicker and easier but unfortunately a trade secret lost to time.
Maybe you should of made a video instead of coming at someone who is trying to help grow the carpentry industry with knowledge if we had more people like him and less haters like you imagine how great america can be @MAVENdeNYC
@@MAVENdeNYCI completely agree with you. I think too many people in general either don’t care, don’t want to take the time or don’t have the knowledge to pay attention to these details.
Explanation is too fast for non professionals as well. Any beginners or enthusiasts cannot learn a thing. So please do this again