Using a jigsaw with a sharp blade, I cut out the semicircle along the line. A 4-inch spread leaves 3-1/2 inches on top of the circle, and I think it makes an elegant proportion. I spread my compass to 4 inches, then pin the point on the corner of the 2 x 8 scrap and scribe the circle. Given the consistent results a CNC-milled product offers, and the labor savings (two days spent moving the job forward in other ways), for Sweenor this method outweighs site-built options for quality and cost. I use a compass to mark the round portion. Sweenor says that to have these built on-site would have taken one of his carpenters two full days using a jigsaw and circular saw because so many needed to be made (approximately 150 tails total, including some for other parts of the house not shown here). Finally, a beveled 2x sub fascia provides nailing for the fascia and ties the front of the rafter tails together. The rafter is typically a 2 x 10 or a 2 x 12. Save the hassle of figuring out the dimensions of a tail cut you want by using our preset templates, which are available for anything from 2x4 through 2x14 in size. A rafter usually follows the angle of the roof, and may be a part of a roof truss. Deep overhangs, notched rafter tails, and timber brackets are among the architectural elements that communicate this goal. Also worth noting is the beveled 2×6 ledger at the top which provides continuous nailing for the double layers of 3/8″ plywood. Adding a fancy design to the tails of the beams, rafters, and purlins of your pergola adds a finishing touch to the structure. This Greenlake area home is the result of an extensive collaboration with the owners to recapture the architectural character of the 1920’s and 30’s era craftsman homes built in the neighborhood. This provides continuous nailing surface at the back of the soffit. 1:02) that the tails were milled so that when installed onto the 2×6 cleat, the bottom edge of the cleat aligns with the bottom of the rafter tails.
The drawings specify a continuous 2×6 cleat to hold 62 rafter tails that are 14″ wide and include a soft slope. This section of the house called for 62 rafter tails, which are spec’d to be installed along the exterior to create an eave detail. The drawings for this Dutch Colonial call for a series of applied tails on several areas of the exterior, including along the sidewalls where the gambrel roof sits. During a recent trip to our Westerly project, Kevin O’Connor caught up with builder Jeff Sweenor to discuss the rafter tail detail and how Sweenor ultimately decided to approach the build.