8. Durability, arising from the fact that there are no mortises in which moisture may accumulate and cause the tenons to decay.
9. The strongest possible support for the track of the hay fork or sling.
10. Ease of addition to the main building should any ever be required.
Changes and variations in plans need cause no loss of timber, as is certain to be the case where a bill of materials has already been placed on the ground. If a piece of timber is too long the piece cut off is used at some point, though perhaps not over 18 inches in length and containing only 2 or more feet of stuff. Suppose we cut off 18 inches of an 8 × 8 we have lost 8 feet of lumber, which is worthless for any purpose save for fire wood. If a given piece is too short it is spliced in a moment’s time and no loss of strength is sustained. In an old style framing if a piece was too short it required considerable labor to remedy the matter, and a loss of both timber and strength was sustained.
Fig. 1.—Interior Bent of Plain Gable Barn with Basement.
Herewith are illustrated two bents of a barn, [Fig. 1], showing a plain gable barn with basement. Referring to it, 1 1 1 are posts of basement bent, consisting of five 2 × 8 planks, two of which are 8 feet long and three of which are 7 feet 2 inches. Upon these rest the joist bearers, marked 2 2 2, which consist of three planks 2 × 10, extending lengthwise of the barn. These basement bents are thoroughly braced by a method which will be illustrated hereafter. The braces 3 3 3 are made of two 2 × 4 inch stuff the required length, with a short piece of the same material forming a clamp brace somewhat similar in shape to a clothes pin. The sill of the superstructure, marked 4, consists of two 2 × 8 inch plank, with 6-inch space between them. The posts 5 5 are made of two 2 × 8 inch plank, with intervening 2-inch space. The purlin posts, 6 6, are made of two 2 × 8 inch plank, with intervening space; 7 7 are roof supports, consisting of a 2 × 8 inch plank. The collar beams 8 are two 2 × 12 inch plank with intervening 2-inch space; 9 9 are sub-supports, made of a 2 × 6 inch plank; 10 10 are stays of two 2 × 4 inch plank, with intervening 2-inch space; 11 11 are the main ties of one 2 × 8 inch piece; 12, 13 and 14 are braces and ties of 2 × 6 inch plank; 15 15 are purlin plates, made of two 2 × 8 inch plank, with intervening 2-inch space into which couplings and braces enter.
Fig. 2.—Barn Bent, Showing Gambrel Roof Construction.
At 16 16 the main plates, made of two 2 × 8 inch plank, are placed into a V-trough and inverted over the top of the post. The rafters 17 17 may be spliced on the purlin plates. The topmost intersections are bolted, as shown by means of the dots. The upper ends of the purlin posts are cut down 4 inches, on a line parallel with the roof supports, and again at right angles with the first cut, forming a saddle, into which are placed the purlin plates.