Hello I am a new member and appreciate this forum. I tried searching for picnic shelter but couldn't find any topics. In the advanced search I put in Newer than 1 year, but nothing came up.

Anyways. I know how to do traditional stick build, and I want to make a picnic shelter in my back yard. A very big one 24x50 or so. I went to a local lumber mill carter lumber and while I could buy a pole barn type kit, the look of dozens of 24' trusses just looks ugly.

I guess my first question is where do I get those huge steel plates I see in public picnic shelters?
I know some think they are ugly, but I do not mind how they look. I saw this product http://www.timberlinx.com/article.php
has anyone used it? How does it compare cost wise to the steel plates? thanks!