Regular Hip Rafter and Jack Rafter with Lip Cut "par alignement"

Regular Hip Rafter and Jack Rafter with Lip Cut "par alignement"

This method is a mix of the rembarrement method and the sauterelle method.

Download pdf file: RegHipJackwLipAlignement.pdf

Video 1: intoducing the study case.

Video 2: 3D views to explain the method

Video 3: Step-by-step of the tracing process in 2D

Video 4: How to trace the piece of wood

If you have questions about this course, go to : Forum-Charpente

Regular Hip Rafter and JackRafter with Lip Cut à la sauterelle

Regular Hip Rafter and JackRafter with Lip Cut à la sauterelle

This serie of video to show you how to find the jack rafter head cuts, including the lip cut with the method called  à la sauterelle.

Download file: RegHipJackwLipSauterelle.pdf


Tip: download pdf file, print it, watch the videos following the process on the print. Once you think you understand the process: draw it ! This is the only way to be sure that you control the process.
Try to do some models, because carpentry is not only drawing but also cutting.


Video 1: introducing the study case



Video 2: the side cut



Video 3: the plumb cut



Video 4: the lip cut



Video 5: tracing the timber


If you have questions about this course, please go to Forum-Charpente (english forum) and ask them.

Regular Hip Rafter with Jack Rafter with Lip cut par rembarrement

In this course we are going to see how to find the head cut of the jack rafter when there is a lip cut.

Download file: RegHipJackwLipRembarrement.pdf

Description of the study case

How to check if there is a Lip Cut ? First method

How to check if there is a Lip Cut ? Second method.

Determining the cuts on the plan view

Tracing the cuts on the Jack Rafter Elevation

Tracing the cuts on the Timber

Questions about this course ? Please go to Forum-Charpente

Regular Hip Rafter With Jack Rafter à la sauterelle

In this course I am going to show you how to find the cuts using the method called "à la sauterelle"

Download file: HipJackSauterelle.pdf

Presentation of study case


Hip rafter head cuts 3D


Jack rafter side cut 3D


Jack rafter plumb cut 3D


Jack rafter footprint on hip rafter 3D


Hip rafter side cut 2D


Hip rafter plumb cut 2D


Jack rafter side cut 2D


Jack rafter plumb cut 2D


Jack rafter footprint on the Hip rafter 2D


Complete drawing finished

Regular Hip Rafter with Jack Rafter par rembarrement

In this course I will show you how to find the cuts using the rembarrement method.

Purpose of the course



Reminders about the rembarrement method


The Jack Rafter Head Cuts


See what happens if you are not accurate enough


The Hip Rafter Head Cuts


The Jack Rafter Footprint on the Hip


If you have questions about this course and/or need more detailled pictures of the process, go to Forum-Charpente/ English Forum/ Beginners/ Regular Hip Rafter with Jack Rafter par rembarrement.

Download: RegHipWJackRembarrement.pdf

A few concepts...

..to know, about French Timber Framing, before starting.

Since a few weeks two English people join me to help on writing this blog.

We exchanged a lot and I conclude from our discussion that one of the biggest problems is that the  English language does not have translations for French timber framing terms. This is why I decided to keep some French words. But these French words need to be explained, that the purpose of this course.

-        “La sablière”: this word has two meanings, it is the wall-plate(*) - the piece of wood lying on the wall on which carry the rafters. In le trait it is also the theoretical line which represents the lowest plane of the roof. This line is in the same plane as the base line (ligne de trave). It is located at the intersection of the base line and the "lattis". This is the meaning in which we are going to use it.

-       " Le lattis": This word also has two meanings. It is a lath or tiling-batten but in le trait, it refers to the plane of the roof at the top of the rafters to which the tiling-battens are nailed. In French we say it is where the carpenter's work finishes and the tiler's or slater's work begins. When we draw the surface development of this plane - la herse of le lattis - we draw this surface in its true dimensions and angles.

-        “la herse”: a developed view of a plane in which lines in that plane are shown in their true lengths and at their true angles. La herse - or developed surface view - is obtained by 'rotating or folding' a surface into a (usually) horizontal plane about a line sometimes referred to as a hinge-line (for a roof surface the rotation line is “la sablière”).

-     “la vue par bout” or The end view: Is the auxiliary plane developed from perpendiculars to both the elevation and plan of the line formed by the meeting of two planes. It is used to show the end view of a component in that plane. The angle formed where these two planes meet is the dihedral angle. A hip rafter lies along the line formed by the meeting of the side and the end planes of a roof. When the auxiliary plane is developed by hinging it down into the plan view, the end view of the hip rafter is shown in its true dimensions and angles.

-        “le rabattement”: Is the technique we employ to rotate a figure about a line and by which that figure is moved from one plane to another. So to draw la herse of a roof, we have to do le rabattement of the real length of the profile rafter. In this case the line of rotation (the folding line), is la sablière. Another case in which “le rabattement” is used, is to show the underside of a piece of wood by rotating it a ¼ turn.

Note: study case drawn on Concepts_01.pdf file is delimited by the a-b-c-d letters on the drawing on the Concepts_02.pdf file.

Download: Concepts_01.pdf and Concepts_02.pdf

The basics of hip

There are two ways to design a hip in traditional French timber framing:

-        “L’arêtier sur lierne”

-        “L’arêtier sur tasseaux”

I didn’t find any translation for those words.

What they have in common: the sides are plumb, backing cuts (or not) and the principal hip rafter can be thicker than the hip rafter.

“L’arêtier sur lierne”

In French, “une lierne” is an element, often of small size, set against another element. 

In this case, the hip rafter is set above the principal hip rafter. 

The jack rafters are set against the hip rafter. 

The purlins are set against the principal rafter.

Following the chosen wood sections, there can have a claw to the purlin.

Depending on the chosen wood sections of the hip jack rafters and the purlins, the rafter can be designed with one single piece of wood.

Download: AreLierne_eng.pdf

“L’arêtier sur tasseaux”

In this case, the hip rafter and the principal hip rafter are separated: the purlins come between these two elements, unlike in the previous case. 

The hip jack rafters are set against the hip rafter (and can sometimes have a claw). 

The purlins are set on the principal hip rafter, they can’t have a claw but need to be cut at the top, to give a support to the hip rafter. 

The top face of the principal hip rafter need to be notched to let the passage of the purlins. 

A cleat has to be set on the principal hip rafter to avoid the rotation of the purlins. 

Sometimes the support is not wide enough for the hip rafter, in this case the best way is to do “un chevron d’arêtier chanlatté” (translation?). 

It’s a rotated hip rafter, composed in two pieces aligned with the top of the roof and supported by the purlins. 

In this case the hip jack rafters do not have plumb cuts but square cuts.

Download: AreTasseaux_eng.pdf