Timber frame joint rings

It might be worth trying a 1 - 11/16 hole saw, to see if you could avoid having to split the tubing side. (But if you're only doing half a dozen or so connections and don't have that size, it might not be worth getting one, even at only $7)

It might be worth trying a 1 - 11/16 hole saw, to see if you could avoid having to split the tubing side. (But if you're only doing half a dozen or so connections and don't have that size, it might not be worth getting one, even at only $7)

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Thanks. I found the hole saws I wanted at a second hand store with lower prices and a better range of sizes than HD or Lowe's. I tried them, a

1-5/16" hole accepts 1" pipe to sleeve 1"-8 adjusting screws in wood columns, 1-11/16" accepts (snugly) the 1-1/2" (1.66") tubing for the joint rings, and I bought 2-3/8" for 2" fence posts if I can find the damaged piece to cut up. I have the Greenlee punches for conduit so I hadn't bought the hole saw sizes as well. My electrician experience is industrial (sheet metal) instead of residential (wood). 1.66" is the actual OD of 1-1/4" pipe. Thin-walled tubing has the OD of pipe but is named with a fraction nearer its measurement. I tabulated the readily available pipe, tubing and conduit by its actual measurement to clear up the nominal vs physical size confusion. It turns out that tarp shelter tubing and fence posts have the OD of pipe, EMT the ID of Sch40, and some sizes may telescope. Lamp fixture tubing is in pipe sizes with straight threads. 2"/50mm OD is also readily available in short lengths, as exhaust pipe and for DIY brewing etc. The low chromium stainless grade for exhausts does rust somewhat, "sanitary" stainless is better.

The swaged ends of 1-1/2" tubing salvaged from a collapsed tarp garage fit over the legs of the HF 10' x 20' canopy closely (after deburring), to raise it above my gantry hoist.

They also had the watch lathe, without any accessories. The watch lathe users manual I found on line suggests that they are more suited to repair than manufacturing parts or tooling from standard-sized rod stock, and I have 5C collets down to 1/32" and 1/16".

Unfortunately that store is selling off and closing.

Okay, I looked and I read. Why are they better than nailing plates? Price? Production truss plants made the nail plate popular, but trusses were built with plywood plates and and nails before that, and small pieces of plywood are pretty cheap. Even as expensive as plywood sheets are these days.

On 9/24/2024 4:27 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote: ...

Okay, I looked and I read. Why are they better than nailing plates? Price? Production truss plants made the nail plate popular, but trusses were built with plywood plates and and nails before that, and small pieces of plywood are pretty cheap. Even as expensive as plywood sheets are these days. Bob La Londe

--------------------------------- They will extend my dwindling supply of increasingly expensive long 3/8" lag screws.

I haven't found much engineering data on them, such as comparisons to other joining methods, thus my question. They are neater than splice plates if an industrial mill appearance offends your artistic sensibility. I built theatre scenery and had to consider such things, for cost sensitive non-professionals it's commonly 1x3s joined with plywood gussets so I'm familiar with their proper use. I think the main advantage of inlaid rings is in shear, such as the end joints of compressed diagonal braces. The rings won't help a joint in tension.

There will probably be metal or scrap plywood splice plates on the inside of the joints and where the rings are difficult to install. I have a strip of

1/4" x 5" steel to stiffen the center junction of the end cross braces that will depend on it for out-of-plane torsional stiffness during assembly.

Every truss used in our house has plywood plates and nails . I cheated though , I used a pneumatic nail gun . The scissor trusses for the vaulted ceiling in the kitchen/dining room were the most fun . Nothing has failed and killed anybody yet ...

Every truss used in our house has plywood plates and nails . I cheated though , I used a pneumatic nail gun . The scissor trusses for the vaulted ceiling in the kitchen/dining room were the most fun . Nothing has failed and killed anybody yet ... Snag

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The rings hold shear forces in joints in thicker timbers, as in post and beam framing. In a truss the butt joints in compression don't need them, those in tension won't benefit from them. Other steel shapes can be used to distribute and transfer the loads such as vertical ribs in saw kerfs, rings are just easy to cut and install in heavy timbers with a hand-held drill.

In this case the beams and columns are 5" wide, because I could cut 4 from a

21" wide cant (squared log) that barely fits between the uprights of my bandsaw mill. The shed is overbuilt to store the less than perfect wood somehow rather than use it efficiently. These old trees were cut down because they could fall onto my or a neighbor's house and had disappointingly little clear furniture grade wood in them.

I've been using the 2" pot collet for the first time to turn the steel blade guide rollers. It's repeatability is a considerable help for turning several parts to identical length and diameter, in this case boring the four ball bearing recesses to a hand pressure fit.