Joe
You mentioned that the bottom chord tends to bend at the kingpost.
I assume this is because as the truss settles the kingpost moves down relative to the bottom chord and so the shoulder of the kingpost at the post bottom tenon presses down causing the chord to bend downward.
If this is the case it would seem that this shoulder serves no useful purpose and is in fact a detriment. Would it make sense then to either move the location of the shoulder upward in anticipation of the movement or alternately eliminate it by moving it well upward and making it a reduction to a tenon that can then move downward whatever distance necessary?
Of course this would mean you would have to either do a thru tenon with wedges at the chord bottom or create slots for your pegs.
J.E.B.
