Energy Heel Trusses for Hipped Roof

[JonathanWilliams]

Image of Roof Framing Problems 4.13.21.pdfImage of Roof Framing Problems 4.13.21.pdfI can't find any way to create roof trusses with energy heels for a hipped roof. The videos and Help content talk about how to edit individual trusses and copy them but that wouldn't work very well for a hipped roof design as there are so many unique trusses. And even though I am checking the box for trusses when I auto build the roof it always builds with rafters. An image of the latest attempt is attached. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

[JonathanWilliams]

I've attached the "Print Image" from within Chief, not sure why it doesn't show in my message. Does it need to be a jpeg?

 

I've watched videos from Chief website, consulted the X12 Help, looked on YouTube, searched the X12 Tutorial Guide and the X12 Reference Manual. Nothing found in regards to hip roofs and raised energy heels. 

 

Image of Roof Framing Problems 4.13.21.pdf

[JonathanWilliams]

Using the "Build Roof" tool, I select Trusses. (I'm fine with a framed roof but that hasn't worked with the raised heels).

Then I put 16" in the Raise Off Plate box

check the "Build Roof Planes" and then click OK

It generates a roof structure floating above the upper level ceiling.

 

 

[robdyck]

2 minutes ago, JonathanWilliams said:

Using the "Build Roof" tool, I select Trusses. (I'm fine with a framed roof but that hasn't worked with the raised heels).

Then I put 16" in the Raise Off Plate box

check the "Build Roof Planes" and then click OK

It generates a roof structure floating above the upper level ceiling.

Hi Jonathan, I assume you are aware that Chief doesn't auto-build trusses. First, make sure the roof is at the elevation that you want. 2nd, if you want to see roof framing, manually draw all your trusses. Third, build roof framing.

[JonathanWilliams]

I have read the "Creating an Energy Heel Truss" instructions but haven't attempted that approach as it looks like it would require opening each individual truss, edit it and rebuild. I can't even get the trusses to generate so that I can open and edit them.

 

[robdyck]

Just now, JonathanWilliams said:

I have read the "Creating an Energy Heel Truss" instructions but haven't attempted that approach as it looks like it would require opening each individual truss, edit it and rebuild. I can't even get the trusses to generate so that I can open and edit them.

 

For more accurate help, you will need to post the plan so that myself or someone else can see what you've done, and try to help solve it.

[robdyck]

If you have a ceiling on the 2nd floor and a roof on the 2nd floor, you should be able to create a truss on the 2nd floor.

[JonathanWilliams]

I wasn't aware that Chief doesn't auto build trusses. I assumed it was an either/or with how the roof was created.

[JonathanWilliams]

Eric, I deleted the roof framing. I wasn't aware of the "Delete Objects" function and have been trying to figure out how to do that. Very helpful.

[robdyck]

Just now, JonathanWilliams said:

I wasn't aware that Chief doesn't auto build trusses. I assumed it was an either/or with how the roof was created.

It's a fair amount of work to create all of them. And because a truss supplier provide a truss package, I'd suggest there is little benefit to modelling all of them.

[JonathanWilliams]

Eric, thanks for the article link. I've come across it before in my struggles. But it really is geared towards a simple gable roof rather than a hipped roof which will require me to build 50+ custom trusses with energy heels. By doing just steps 1, 2 and 3 I can generate the roof at the correct distance from the top plate and this will allow me to generate the elevations I need for my drawings. And leave it to my truss manufacturer to fill in the missing area.

 

Thank you very much for the help. Even though Chief can't generate the raised heels automatically it is very helpful to know that is the case rather than my continuing to struggle with it. Thank you to Robert as well.

 

[robdyck]

6 minutes ago, JonathanWilliams said:

Eric, thanks for the article link. I've come across it before in my struggles. But it really is geared towards a simple gable roof rather than a hipped roof which will require me to build 50+ custom trusses with energy heels. By doing just steps 1, 2 and 3 I can generate the roof at the correct distance from the top plate and this will allow me to generate the elevations I need for my drawings. And leave it to my truss manufacturer to fill in the missing area.

 

Thank you very much for the help. Even though Chief can't generate the raised heels automatically it is very helpful to know that is the case rather than my continuing to struggle with it. Thank you to Robert as well.

 

No Problem.

If you really want to show truss framing in your section views, then you can do it the lazy way and only create a single truss just in front of each section camera. Then, it's not nearly as much truss editing.

[robdyck]

Just now, robdyck said:

Even though Chief can't generate the raised heels automatically

This it can do. It just won't create the trusses. If you really want to create a trussed roof fast, then the transform / replicate tool and the multiple copy tool will be your best friends. You should be able to draw all the trusses for that house in about 5 minutes.

[GeneDavis]

But you'll have to know how the preferred truss supplier likes to place girders and hips.  Those are key.

 

The rest is just boilerplate.  

[Chrisb222]

10 hours ago, robdyck said:

you can do it the lazy way and only create a single truss just in front of each section camera

 

Hey, I resemble that remark! 

 

 

 

[robdyck]

3 hours ago, Chrisb222 said:

 

Hey, I resemble that remark! 

 

 

 

There's also the super lazy way which is to not show any trusses at all. That's my go-to!

[Michael_Gia]

4 hours ago, robdyck said:

There's also the super lazy way which is to not show any trusses at all.

 

I just let my truss manufacturer send me back their drawings which I then forward to the city so they have them on file.

 

Isn't that what everyone does?

 

Why would you want to draw roof trusses?  

 

I understand drawing rafters for a carpenter to follow on site, but manufactured roof trusses?  They even come with assembly instructions on delivery.

 

(I'm just a builder drawing his own plans, not a draftsman, so I'm curious as to what you guys do normally)

[robdyck]

36 minutes ago, Michael_Gia said:

I just let my truss manufacturer send me back their drawings which I then forward to the city so they have them on file.

 

Isn't that what everyone does?

 

Why would you want to draw roof trusses?  

 

I understand drawing rafters for a carpenter to follow on site, but manufactured roof trusses?  They even come with assembly instructions on delivery.

Absolutely!

[JonathanWilliams]

Michael, 

I am also a builder who draws my own plans and I totally rely on truss manufacturer drawings. The issue I have is that my drawing elevations will not be accurate if the energy heels aren't accounted for in Chief. That +/- 16 inches of exposed exterior wall above the top plate needs to be forced into the model. Doing hipped roofs makes it (much) more complex, if I were to try to draw each truss individually. The copy feature wouldn't be able to be used more than a few times.

 

[joey_martin]

I'm confused with, what does actually drawing the truss have to do with raising the roof plane off the plate? You can still depict the energy heel without actually drawing all those trusses. Am I missing something?

[JonathanWilliams]

Joey, I didn't know that Chief wouldn't generate the trusses when the box next to trusses was checked. I learned that the energy heels can be depicted by other means but it does make for some inaccurate cross sections that have to be edited. 

[joey_martin]

Draw all the trusses in, hold SHIFT and select them all, open bdx and check energy heel. Take 20 seconds.

[JonathanWilliams]

10 minutes ago, joey_martin said:

Draw all the trusses in, hold SHIFT and select them all, open bdx and check energy heel. Take 20 seconds.

How do you draw all the trusses so quickly?

 

[joey_martin]

Place the girder truss(s), and multiple copy tool set to 16" o.c.

[JonathanWilliams]

3 hours ago, solver said:

 

Did you watch my video above?

I missed that response with the video, just watched it. Thanks. I didn't know Chief would create hipped trusses to match the roof plane. I had previously watched a Chief video where they did that process with a gable roof and when they used the multiple copy tool it created identical trusses. I assumed it wouldn't change each truss as I copied. 

 

So I deleted the roof framing and tried this and it works pretty well. Getting the Girders and diagonals correct is a challenge and if any are off then some of the jacks then generate as cantilevers rather than raised heels. 

 

Thanks for your help.