Sloping Elements

[Scott D Davis]

create a ref plane at the angle you need, and name it. Then set your workplane by name to your named ref plane. now place structural elements, and they will be on the angle.

you cannot place first, then rotate into position.

[Scott D Davis]

to alter the angle of elements associated with a ref plane, change the angle of the ref plane and the elements will follow. changing one ref plane should change all that is associated with it. So not really difficult to alter the angle, actually quite elegant that one ref plane could alter the angle of hundreds of structural elements.

[Tom Weir]

Hi all,
But wouldn't it be better to create the roof sheathing or roof deck first, and then pick the bottom of the deck as the plane of attachment? Then you don't have to bother with the reference plane, and the angles can be easily adjusted later if need be with the roof slope function.

Have a great day....

Tom Weir
Los Angeles

[Scott D Davis]

Tom,

Yes, your solution would work very well.

[Tom Weir]

My one complaint about this method (and the reference plane method) is that you cannot move the beam member perpendicular to the plane, as you can with a horizontal member.
I have cases where I have steel girders with wood nailers on the top, and then wood members framing into the steel. I need to move the steel beam 2 1/2" perpendicular to the plane and it won't!

It should work like regular floor beam members do. Then we would really have a flexible tool.

Tom Weir
Los Angeles

[Scott D Davis]

need to move the steel beam 2 1/2" perpendicular to the plane and it won't!
That's where Ref Planes are better suited...move the Ref plane 2 1/2' perpendicular, all the structure associated will follow.

[Tom Weir]

< all the structure associated will follow.>

Yes, including the joist members that I want attached to the underside of the sheathing. In that scenario I could keep the joists attached to the roof sheathing and create a separate reference plane for the the steel beams....

But I'd rather just use the one sheathing plane.

Tom Weir
Los Angeles