mthd97

9 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

 

If the Manufacturer already has Sketchup Models that would help Chief , and perhaps internally Chief may also have a way to convert .rfa (Revit) files though Chief itself cannot (yet.)  And I am sure DWGs for Profiles etc would work too.

 

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/partners/catalog-partner-program.html

 

M.

 

 

Thank you for the tip Kbird1.

2 hours ago, mattyt12 said:

Bit of a WIP 

Dowell Windows.calibz 670.23 kB · 2 downloads

Cheers mattyt12, you must have read my mind ? Dowell Windows would have been my first go to for an imported library into CA. I will have to figure out how to import into CA now.

3 hours ago, mattyt12 said:

Do you have any particular Manufacturer that youre after?

Not really, I am happy with just a general aluminum frame profile for Chief Architect for now. I just use the timber frame windows in CA with a thinner profile to mimic the aluminum frame. I do the same for aluminum sliding doors as well.

I was just checking to see if there were any in the manufacturers catalog at present. It would sure be nice if there were some to use but I can improvise until then.

On 10/21/2023 at 12:09 PM, Kbird1 said:

I don't believe so as in most places they can't be used for residential in Nth Amer. due to not meeting energy codes for many year now, though Ali. is still used in Commercial eg Store Fronts.

 

So unfortunately, Users in Aust. / NZ in particular miss out though you could ask your local Supplier to become a Chief Catalogue Partner.....

 

M. 

That would certainly help the cause of Chief Architect where aluminum windows are being used in other parts of the world.

Is there any particular file format that a manufacturer could supply them in ?

Hi there, much of our window frames in Australia are aluminum. I am wondering if in the add on catalogs there are any aluminum window manufactures in the US that we can access in CA ?

Lots of ways to do this in CA. Also rafters will follow your roof planes when you build framing. You can change the size of a rafter to suit your ceiling beam size. You can also turn the framing layer off or on and if you like exposed ceiling beams, then you can put them on a separate layer to keep them on in your 3D view. 

Hi, I am wondering if there is an aluminium frame window catalog in Chief Architect from a USA manufacturer that could be used to represent our windows in Australia ?
 

Going back a very long time, someone did have a window library for Australia as an add on purchase. Around V10 I think ?

16 hours ago, PMMully said:

Not being a truss designer, I learned quite a bit on this thread regarding the detail involved and it all makes sense. But I think this one comment above is the key in communication between the architect, builder, and truss builder.

 

In FL, our main element is just the pitch, everything else is pretty standard so this never really comes up in new construction. Only in a few plans did I have to consult with them on the heel height on a few remodels of existing walls so the roof lined up well.

Yes when it’s all standard there usually is no issue just that we would like to know what the manufactures standard heel height is. 
 

My recent case was with a job that has a parapet joining two duplexes side by side and two box gutters either side of the parapet. I needed my box gutters to be set down in order to get enough depth for them. I needed to increase the width of the top chord from 4 inches to 5 approximately. So special cases like this and also having a truss up-stand height as shown in the diagrams above by other users do come up.
 

Sometimes the truss needs to be cantilevered so other special cases also come up and even if we don’t have the webbing specifically correct the truss designer will get that correct with his program for us. So good cross sections and details are a must for good communication with the truss builders.

It was clear to me that in X15 we need to specify the truss heel height.

Just make sure our truss manufacturer reads our cross section or in this case provide a detail of the heel height.

As long as we have it set to a default value in our template, I don’t see it as a problem.

Having designed Trusses in the late 80’s with Bostich Software the truss design program will also have a default value for the heel height when it prints out the cutting list.

It’s always good to coordinate with your truss supplier to see what their program default heel height value is set at. 
 

When you have special case Trusses, just provide specific details and drawings so they build them correctly for you. 

Are you wanting to rotate your cross section camera on the horizontal plane of the floor plan ? Yes it can. Or are you asking if you can rotate the cross section view after it has been created in the vertical plane ? Yes via view to CAD then rotate.

Nice demonstration on how to make flush mounted down lights on the rake.

Thanks Eric.

Cool ! Tips n Tricks Rabs.

Probably not ! No ridge capping. No flashings even though we don’t do them automatically just yet. Chief will usually add more detail. Anyway nice little farm house 3D render presentation.

14 hours ago, Joe_Carrick said:

This is a really bad detail from a structural standpoint.  Relying on "blocking" to resist the loads on the cantilevered gable is silly.

The last truss should be a truss with angled webbing and plates but I see this type of end roofing quite a bit. As long as the engineer can prove that it can carry the loads with vertical supports and hopefully nailing plates then it should work in theory ?

I think I first saw the term ‘Outrigger’ in the Bostich training manual on trusses. It really doesn’t matter what you call them as long as they are counted in the quantities and shown on the plan. Regardless if you have to adjust them manually or not after they are automatically produced in CA. 
 

Have Fun !

Outriggers ! Where I come from, that’s something to lookout for in CA. The outlook looks good for Outriggers around the world. Whatever floats your boat ! 

In practice if there is no protruding footing to build the new part of the wall on. Then you simply create a footing designed by an engineer that butts up against the edge of the existing slab or footing that will be doweled into with rods that are drilled and usually glued in. There are many ways to do this with Chief, a pony wall with a footing underneath will work. You will figure it out.

Edit: Building regulations vary in different parts of the world so it’s good to consult what is an acceptable method of construction in your area.

Hi, the general principle in drawing automatic roof planes in CA is to set the roof perimeter with walls underneath first, even if you have to delete some of those walls afterwards that’s cool. You can open the wall dialogue box with a double click on the wall and choose if the wall underneath is going build as full gable roof or as a hip in the default instance. That should get you started and you can always edit roof planes after that if need be.

13 hours ago, Joe_Carrick said:

This would be IMO a very difficult programming task.  Chief's walls are very special objects which define the vertical limits of rooms.

If a sloped window wall is what's wanted I would simply create a symbol using a post to ceiling glass panel railing, defined as a geometric shape.  I would set a z stretch plane at + 12".

 

Then I would place it in the plan and rotate about the y axis to the angle desired.  I would make the wall where I place this as a single layer transparent wall. 

 

Perhaps if Chief were to create a "Window Wall" tool with the ability to specify a slope it could work - but it would need to also define the room as other than contained simply in a vertical wall.

That’s a good idea for a “Window Wall” tool that can slope. I am not a code writer and I haven’t carried out any lengthy experiments in CA like many of you have been able to do.
 

I am wondering if a modified roof tool could be made fit for a slanting wall application ? After all you can place skylights and dormers into roof planes which are of course openings. It’s certainly would not be impossible for software engineers to accomplish.

My suggestion is that you could all ask for this feature in the suggestions part of the forum, if you do not want to do a complicated work around. Chief Architect has to grow somehow for the future so it might as well be “a slanted walls feature” and make your work much easier ? I have never needed to use slanted walls but commercial buildings use that allot these days for curtain walls. I think that Chief Architect may never have a slanted wall feature included in it because it is strictly for the low rise residential field. I hope I am wrong here ?

This is definitely where “AI” can come into effect and be useful. “VAS” Voice Activated Search. Talk to the program and let it automatically find the library part for you. The only problem with that, is that it will also pick up any cursing on the part of the frustrated user. The good side is that “AI” will also help us to keep our tongues in check lol. 

The downvote can be counter productive. It can also give a way to discourage a sincere user of Chief Architect who might have an older version like me and need some help. I like it when a forum lets you know who liked or appreciated your help and or comments.

On 9/28/2022 at 10:05 AM, Designers_Ink said:

You might give Meridian Technology Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma a call.  They have a two year Drafting program for high school and adult students.  They incorporated Chief Architect into their curriculum as part of the program a couple of years ago.  They also teach AutoCAD, Lumion and Revit to their students so they get a taste of several different programs.  We have hired some of their students, and so far all have said they liked working with the Chief software the best.  The instructor out there is Russell Frick.  405-377-3333

That’s hardly surprising because Chief Architect is very user friendly and it’s GUI is easy to follow and learn. Particularly how it is set out with it’s parent tool icons and it’s child tool icons. Once you know how they work you can get quickly up and running and designing with Chief in a short time frame.

1 hour ago, glennw said:

This is a bit messy, but .....

Make the top side of the cmu wall the Main Layer Outside.

Break the cmu wall in the centre of the concrete wall.

Place a cad line either side of the concrete wall where it passes through the cmu wall.

 

 

 

Well done Glenn and not too messy either. You have lots of great tips & tricks to share with us to get Chief to behave correctly.

On 5/2/2023 at 7:29 AM, DavidJPotter said:

The first thing my then boss asked me to figure out about our change to Chief Architect back in 1994 was to evaluate its ability to create Materials Lists. I worked for a Remodeling company then.

 

What I have found out is that if a client asks me to also create a Materials List, I tell them that what I estimated for simple 3D model or con docs. is small compared to creating a PERFECT 3 D MODEL  that can be used to create an accurate Materials list, at least 10X over and above what is required for plan sets or a rendering 3D model. The reason is that the software reads how the virtual 3D model is constructed, so if your model is not perfect from foundation to attic you will get an inaccurate Materials List and if it is perfect in all respects, you then can expect a useful  Materials List.

 

 

It requires, for me at least checking and rechecking to make sure all is true and correct, which takes more time than it does for simple con docs or a 3D model for pretty renderings.

 

DJP 

From 93 to 97 my Builder boss was not a fan of computers for quantity take off. I couldn’t convince him to get a CAD system in place back then.

Coming into that Job above from a family owned lumber yard where we were from 1986 making prefabricated wall frames and trusses. Using the Bostich system from the USA with the old DOS system of numerical input.

from 99 I decided to use CA for that purpose as I was on my own after 97. But because CA wasn’t developed enough back then I just used it draw my framing plans and took things off manually.

Now if I was doing that sort of work I would be confident in using CA ML but I would still use basic checking methods to ensure the quantities are in the correct range. Those checking formulas could be placed in the excel spread sheet for comparison.

With CA you can very quickly build a 3D model with framing that you can edit. When you are a building estimator you know what percentage to allow for each of the framing and other building elements. So a perfect 3D model is not essential when you are at the estimating stage. Many changes will occur along the way.

I thoroughly recommend using CA for this purpose and as you become more skilled at using it to build a 3D model, you will become more accurate in your quantity take offs as well.

When you are taking off concrete slabs and reinforcement you usually have to get that info from an engineer. For more accurate trusses and wall bracing and anchoring you would need to use a system and engineering application to finalize the process. Nothing is perfectly accurate in estimating to get the cost correct so that you do not loose money, that usually comes with much experience.

Have fun !