Step 4 - Prefabricate the Bars
The bottom chords, diagonals, and hip verticals specified in the Schedule of Truss Members are all 4mm- wide bars—actually strips of cardboard sliced from a manila file folder. If you are using a standard 30cm-wide file folder, you’ll need to slice 30 strips to make all of these members.
Here’s how to do it:
1) Using a ruler and a pen, carefully measure and draw 31 parallel lines exactly 4mm apart. Draw the lines parallel to the longer dimen- sion of the folder, so that each line is 30cm long. (You can draw these lines more easily and more precisely if you use a T-square and a draw- ing board. Step 4 shows how the T-square is used.)
2) Place the marked file folder on your building board, and use a sharp knife and a metal ruler to cut along each line. Don’t press too hard, or you’ll have trouble making a straight cut. It will probably take two or three passes with the knife to cut all the way through the cardboard. (You could also use a scissors for this job, but you would find it much more difficult to make straight cuts.)
Don’t cut the strips to length at this time. You’ll do this when you build the trusses.
Here’s how to do it:
1) Using a ruler and a pen, carefully measure and draw 31 parallel lines exactly 4mm apart. Draw the lines parallel to the longer dimen- sion of the folder, so that each line is 30cm long. (You can draw these lines more easily and more precisely if you use a T-square and a draw- ing board. Step 4 shows how the T-square is used.)
2) Place the marked file folder on your building board, and use a sharp knife and a metal ruler to cut along each line. Don’t press too hard, or you’ll have trouble making a straight cut. It will probably take two or three passes with the knife to cut all the way through the cardboard. (You could also use a scissors for this job, but you would find it much more difficult to make straight cuts.)
Don’t cut the strips to length at this time. You’ll do this when you build the trusses.
Note: Refer to page 1-20 of Build Guide for pictures.