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by: John Carroll
Topics include: rafter jig, king common rafters, decimalized foot, stair jig, right bond line, decimalized feet, your rafter square, flat brickwork, upper floor system, octagon scale, rafter manuals, gauged roofing hammer, brick spacing rules, mark the stringline, primary rectangle, exposed starter, first jack rafter, common rafter table, measuring triangle, plumb cut, regular hip, secondary rectangle, brace table, standard modular bricks, roofing units
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Review -- The common and sensible dictum among carpenters--"Measure twice, cut once"--is only the beginning for Carroll, who manages to take some very complex information and distill it into readable and understandable form. There are chapters devoted to laying out foundations, frames, roofs, stairs, masonry units, and finishing materials, and many little-known tricks of the trade and shortcuts. Carroll covers all the basics of tools and techniques, shows how to measure larger dimensions on projects while working alone, and shows that one needn't be a master mathematician to assure accuracy in projects, nor use space-age, high-tech equipment to achieve near-perfect results in a building project. From the simplest how-to project for a home handyperson to constructing an entire house, proper, accurate measurements are the very foundation of a successful result. Using common sense and care in measuring can save time, materials, and money on any home repair or construction plan. This is the book to tell you everything you need to know before you get started. --Mark A. Hetts
Very helpful for learning or reference -- I am a project manager for a commercial / industrial contractor. So many times I am changing gears, direction . . . in coordinating the project. Calls from other contractors and or the field keeps you busy and frequently having more to do immediately than you feel you can do in days. But this book is useful. While much of it relates to residential construction, simple layouts and thought processes do not change. While so many times I am challenged with laser layouts and trades that swear their layout is on the money, a few time proven methods and understanding can prove the " sure money " wrong. This book is well organized, clearly written and the compilation of formulas and calculations is helpful. This book will prove to be very useful for a do it yourselfer or anyone working within the trades or offices alike. I certainly recommend this book.
Must Have -- If you're planning on building any of the hard parts of a house like footings, foundation, floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, stairs, masonry or shingles, you will want this book so you can figure out how to make them plumb, square, level, and evenly distributed. (I think that covers most of the carpentry sections)
He shows a few options for arriving at each layout, typically mathematically, from charts, and from pictures, so if you have trouble with one of them you can try another.
Octagons aren't very popular in my neighborhood, but if those (or other polygons) appear in yours, you'll find he has good information on them too.
I'd recommend a read through the book for suggestions when you first get it, (I did that in a long evening) and if you're a really good student you can follow along with all the examples. (I wasn't). But keep it by your side and read the chapter you need as you build. It will pay for itself in saved time and straigher work on the first job.
Reviews:
This is a keeper -- This book is well thoughtout and covers all the details a builder needs to do accurate layouts. I would recommend it for both those learning and the professionals in the building trades as a reference source. I have seen and purchased some of the authors other books and would not recommend them to building professionals.
I liked that this book is hard covered. The diagrams used to explain the concepts are accurate and concise. It is not "exotic" in the types of layouts it covers but covers the basics well. Lead carpenters and journeyman layout carpenters won't find much new here. But for apprentice and carpenters and builders still learning there trade it has merit.
Measuring, Marking & Layout
John Carroll
A builder's guide
You don't have to invest a fortune in space-age gadgetry to make accurate measurements, and you don't need advanced training in math to build complex houses. Author John Carroll provides dozens of beautifully simple techniques for highly accurate measuring, marking, and layout using a number of basic tools.
Good habits of measuring and marking not only ensure high quality but also save materials and money and increase productivity. Measuring, Marking & Layout shows how to do the job right the first time.
If you find it more enjoyable to end up with clean, professional-looking work than with sloppy work, Measuring, Marking & Layout gives you what you want.
Measuring, Marking & Layout
John Carroll
A builder's guide
Introduction
1 THE TEN RULES OF MEASURING AND MARKING
See It Before You Build It
Work from Critical to Noncritical Dimensions
Avoid Cumulative Error
Work within Practical Tolerances
Readjust and Straighten Out Periodically
Think Modularly
Look for Simple Solutions
Work in a Logical Sequence
Be Consistent
Learn from Your Mistakes
2 PLUMBING, LEVELING, AND MEASURING
Tools for Making the Job Plumb and Level
Tools for Taking and Transferring Linear Measurements
Measuring and Marking Techniques
3 SQUARING UP THE JOB
Tools for Squaring Up the Job
Squaring Up Large Projects
Measuring and Transferring Angles
Measuring and Transferring Curves and Shapes
Laying Out Large Angles and Shapes
4 LAYING OUT FOUNDATIONS
Siting the House
Laying Out a Simple Foundation
Laying Out Complex Foundations
Laying Out Slab-on-Grade and Crawl-Space Foundations
5 LAYING OUT FLOORS, WALLS, AND CEILINGS
Preparing the Foundation
Laying Out and Installing the Floor System
Framing Walls and Ceilings
Thinking Ahead During Framing
6 LAYING OUT BASIC ROOFS
Laying Out Simple Gable Roofs
Laying Out Regular Hip Roofs
Laying Out Irregular Hip Roofs
Laying Out Traditional Valleys
Laying Out Blind Valleys
7 BASIC STAIR LAYOUT
Designing Stairs
Laying Out Stairs
Laying Out Landings
Laying Out Balustrades
8 LAYING OUT MASONRY UNITS
Principles of Masonry Layout
Laying Out Brick Veneer
Laying Out Brick Stairs
Laying Out Fireplaces and Chimneys
Laying Out Flat Brickwork
9 LAYING OUT ROOFING
Principles of Laying Out Unit Roofing
Laying Out Three-Tab Shingles
Laying Out Shingles on Complex Roofs
Appendices
Index