Attached, I hope, is a frame I've been working on. Trying to learn valley rafters. I've got one done. Can I copy and mirror it to make the other side, or do I have to start over? I'm having the devil of a time trying to flip and rotate it into place.

Not sure this image is gonna work. . .

It didn't. So much to learn . ...

[img]http://<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/DaleKRamsey/Timberframe02/photo?authkey=nEDvZ7bXjuY#5149947381321678226"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/DaleKRamsey/R3hJ25OhvZI/AAAAAAAAAfM/sLDMJ5GVv-M/s144/Valley%20Example.jpg" /></a>[/img]

Nothing like replying to your own call for help.

I figured it out. Copy ... paste in place ... flip... move into place... WOW.

Still don't know how to post pictures. Anyone help me on that??

DkR, go to the forum "Popular Old Barn Lay-outs" Page 2.

I just realized that you want to display a sketchup file.

You need to export under the file menu. Export as a jpeg. to whatever file. from there follow the instructions above.

Visuals are much better, pictures are good.

Hooray, that did the trick. Now I'm trying to figure out how to delete all the rafter ends that I don't need.

Nice work, Dale!

DKR, That is nice. I wish I could figure out the valleys on Sketchup, although I am sure there is plenty of resources around here already posted. Do you need a brace below the small plate that is holding the rafters on the minor gable? I noticed that is does not run through the entire structure.

Mo, This is my first valley. Took me forever, but I learned a ton doing it. Mostly about components, and what you can and can't do in them. Also learned some hard lessons about layers, as some lines in some of my components ended up in different layers. Arrrhh. To delete the trash rafter "tails," I had to explode each of these rafters, delete the edges I didn't need, then resave them as new components. There might be a better way, but I don't know it. It took me about 5 hours to draw the first valley, and about 3 to clean it up. The second time (after I deleted the mess I'd made in the first valley which looked good but had lines going everywhere when you looked hard at it) it only took me about 3 hours to do everything. Still a long time, but faster. Here is the next version, with the braces you mentioned. The rest of the frame would also need some more bracing.

Is this model in the 3D warehouse?

No. I drew it from the Guild Plan Book. I'm not done with it yet.

Can't resist adding a plug for the upcoming Guild conference in Coeur D'Alene in April. We've added a breakout session for using Sketchup for designing compound joinery. I'll definately be drawing some valley rafters! CB.