Thread: Top Hat Installation Info

Hi Guys
I am a member of woodworkforums to mostly watch and learn on the wooden boat side of things but have ventured to the "dark side" of metalwork to ask for some advice.

I am building a freestanding 6m x5m Dutch Gable steel carport which I bought as a kit from a Gold Coast supplier whose advertising blurb said would include a full set of building instructions when they really meant here is a meagre set of engineering drawings and good luck. Nevertheless I completed the steel frame by myself to a pretty good standard and, as was always my intention, I contacted a professional roofer to have him hang the roof sheets and trim to get the best possible finish.

Long story short is that I can save some more money if I install the metal top hats (Topspan61) myself. My immediate problems are positioning (which I can probably work out from the plans even though no dimensions are given) and cutting mitres on the battens where the hips meet.

Is it just the same as woodwork - cut the 45 mitre and secure both ends independantly (two perpendicular sds) on the steel purlin ?

Thanks
bagman

index.jpg
...note the hip battens, usually 150mm centre of hip to outside batten.
Just substitute metal for the timber ones

Hi Wolften
I should have included this plan to show what I am dealing with - the frame is bracketed so that a diagonal purlin sits at each hip and the top hat mitres over these purlins.
It is a nifty design.
Cheers
bagmanIMG.pdf

Originally Posted by bagman

.............Is it just the same as woodwork - cut the 45 mitre and secure both ends independantly (two perpendicular sds) on the steel purlin ?

Thanks
bagman

Your mitre won't be bang on 45°. Depending on how good a fit you are after I would be tempted to do a trial with scrap timber to determine the angle. Easier than doing the trig.

Other than that, put 2 screws at the end of each batten.

Thanks Bob - sounds like good advice to me.