Well thanks for all the varying explanations, I guess that our experiences probably are a result of never having came across or seen a diminished haunch that is until I examined the barn we reproduced, and then had to reproduce it.
From what I can make out there seems to be some fitting that would need to be done at some point during the fitting up of the frame.
I really was wondering if we were following the only proceedure as I explained above or if one could prefabricate the braces ahead of time, like one can the regular cut braces that follow the framing lines
I must say that I am a bit puzzled yet as far as why one would use a diminished haunch
In my opinion the regular braces would allow more freedom for movement off the frame in very high winds, it seems to me that the dimished haunch's very tight fit along the haunch would place an exceptional amount of strain on the side of the brace, rather that being a compression strain only
I wonder what an engineer might think about this reasoning.