History: What's caught your attention?

[sparkydave]

When working on older homes, what's surprised you compared to modern methods?

There are a lot of century homes in our area, and I've done some rewiring from knob and tube, still lots left. It must drive fire inspectors crazy, but the practice sometimes known as "balloon Framing" with no fire breaks sometimes lets me fish wiring from the basement to the attic, maybe back down an interior wall. That way, using more wire, I can avoid doing what that idiot Mike Holmes does, which is have his genius electrician make a foot wide slot across walls and ceilings. Maybe I'm just bitter because customers don't give me full body hugs after I'm done in front of their husbands..

[loneframer]

One thing that surprised me recently was some trusses that were in a 103 year old building that I'm doing some work in.

[sparkydave]

Any idea why bracing only in one direction, and how recent (threaded rod) might have been added. I often catch myself being surprised by engineering at that time, which is ridiculous, when engineering principles are centuries and millennia old.

[loneframer]

Any idea why bracing only in one direction, and how recent (threaded rod) might have been added. I often catch myself being surprised by engineering at that time, which is ridiculous, when engineering principles are centuries and millennia old.

Unless the building was damaged by fire, it's original as far as I can tell. The entire job is fastened together with cut nails and there is no evidence that would lead me to believe the trusses are not original. The rods are actually square headed bolts that appear to be about 1" in diameter.

[sparkydave]

Those pics open a lot of questions. How much snow load, any? fairly low pitch, no sign of rotting for that age. Will structure stay exposed? Wonder if uniformity today excludes some of the unique solutions you see there. Are the cross pieces morticed into the top chords of the trusses? Be interesting to have an engineer comment on the direction of bracing.. now there's a thought I never expected to have. Wonder if an architectural historian would be able to trace the design back to a technical school in NY.

Sorry, bud, just find stuff like this fascinating.

[loneframer]

Those pics open a lot of questions. How much snow load, any? fairly low pitch, no sign of rotting for that age. Will structure stay exposed? Wonder if uniformity today excludes some of the unique solutions you see there. Are the cross pieces morticed into the top chords of the trusses? Be interesting to have an engineer comment on the direction of bracing.. now there's a thought I never expected to have. Wonder if an architectural historian would be able to trace the design back to a technical school in NY.

Sorry, bud, just find stuff like this fascinating.

These trusses freespan 40' and when sighted from end to end, they have a slight crown up on the bottom chord. The top chord is jointed into the bottom chord at the plateline. The fit of all the joints is remarkable.
As for snow load, In the 70s we had over two feet of snow in one storm. I realize that may not be much by some standards, but for here it is a huge amount of snow.

[sparkydave]

Thanks, bud, It doesn't look as though any replacement was needed. A hundred more q. come to mind, but I'll spare you.

I think it would be amazing at some point if someone dedicated a site to trade history. There are still veterans around, my dad's 86 but didn't get into carpentry until 1950.
I found a union of carpenters site (NYC) that talked about the set of tools that a master carpenter in 1890 would have carried with him, a sizable chest above what a normal carpenter would have been expected to bring to the job every day; how many today can read a square- I remember Dad scorning others who couldn't use a square to layout stairs.

When I look at those pictures, i am staggered by the builder's tools, knowledge, hands. Back then, architects weren't a profession; how much difference might there have been at that time between architects and master builders? (Last q.)

[Mike(VA)]

What's interesting is watching the progression of methods. Start with wood lathe and plaster, change to wire lathe and plaster, change to 3/8" drywall and plaster by late 50's then all drywall early 60's. At least in our area. Couple that with roof decking and subflooring from 1x6 diagonals to plywood to OSB.

[loneframer]

What's interesting is watching the progression of methods. Start with wood lathe and plaster, change to wire lathe and plaster, change to 3/8" drywall and plaster by late 50's then all drywall early 60's. At least in our area. Couple that with roof decking and subflooring from 1x6 diagonals to plywood to OSB.

I hope it shows in these pics. The sheathing on this appears to be whatever misc. wood that may have been available at the time. Some of it is beaded wainscoting, some is painted, other planks have wallpaper on them. Kinda glad to know they were thinking with a recycling mindset 100+ years ago.:2thumbsup:

[WarnerConstInc.]

A lot of times you find roof sheeting that was used for form boards on the house.
They never threw anything away.

[TulsaRemodeler]

Redecked and roofed one old house, entire 3 ridge roof was framed out of scabbed together roughsawn 2x4 millends with square nails. I guess tough times didnt stop the oldtimers from getting things done.

[Blue]

Went on a plantation tour outside of New Orleans. The main home you could walk underneath it and it had some massive beams like that and some interesting joinery. The tour guide claimed that the slaves built it, but what was odd was that all the beams had numbers carved into them and the numbers were Roman Numerals. They also explained that the husband had one side of the house and wife and children would use the other side of the home. Ah, the good ole days.

[Blue]

Here is a photo of one of those floor joists. Laura Plantation outside New Orleans.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/brockpatterson/3538564-Build-by-numbers-0.jpg

[WarnerConstInc.]

Redecked and roofed one old house, entire 3 ridge roof was framed out of scabbed together roughsawn 2x4 millends with square nails. I guess tough times didnt stop the oldtimers from getting things done.

The last 2 or 3 roof's I tore off had big rough sawn 1" material. Most were
12"+ wide. It was a biotch getting those old roof nails pulled out of that stuff.

[sparkydave]

Appreciate all the postings, skilled work has an amazing history, can still teach us a lot.
Dave