Lumber Link

[Shamrock76]

Has anyone seen or used these?

http://www.socketsystems.com/

[MountainDon]

They've been mentioned here and there before, but I'm not aware of anyone who has actually built with them. I believe someone here used a similar product to erect a shed. That was with smaller metal pieces for 2x4 material IIRC.

1. What sort of structure are you considering them for? 

2. Are there building codes to be observed in the area where it would be built? If thetre are will these pieces be approved?

3. They seem pricey to me. $350 for one gable type frame section; metal parts only.

[Shamrock76]

I'm entertaining the notion of a pole barn with a full loft.  Leaving the barn floor as gravel (for now) and fully insulating the loft for a living space.  That would give us a place to store all of our tools and equipment, even use part of it as a garage.  Then coming off both sides for animal stalls and a chicken house.



But with a Gambrel roof



Just an idea I've been tinkering with, as it would solve a few problems and give us a place to live until we built a separate house later.
I know those kits are pricey but they say you save money by not having to use pressure treated posts and you get a nice open loft area.
They guesstimate building costs at $10/sf with a poured slab (I imagine that is without insulation).  The guy in the video built that 2 story 30x40 for $24,000.

[Don_P]

I've built the one in MD's post. Seemed like expensive hardware to make a pith poor moment frame. A local welder could do the same thing, might be worth shopping it. The frame would be considerably stiffer and stronger with the addition of a tie across the lower part of the rafters. To each his own, I'll not build another.

[Shamrock76]

Thanks Don, after looking at the costs and the issue of insulation I'm back to building the 20x30 cabin, and then later I'll build my pole barn.  I was entertaining the idea because for awhile there it looked like I could kill ALL the birds with one stone.

[Don_P]

A post only needs to be treated if it is going into the ground. A post going on a raised slab or stemwall just needs to be isolated from the concrete and can be untreated. Gambrel trusses would be an easy way to do the loft and then stick framed sheds on the sides.

[rdzone]

My cousin used the socket system and was fairly happy with them, but he wasn't sure if he would use them again.  You can see his project here

http://www.meteorforge.net/shop/index.htm

[eddiescabin]

The biggest advantage to these kits is that you need only use standard cut lumber (no angle cuts etc)

[RainDog]

My cousin used the socket system and was fairly happy with them, but he wasn't sure if he would use them again.  You can see his project here

http://www.meteorforge.net/shop/index.htm

Looks like a fine job he did. Do you have any feel for what the pros and cons of that construction method were from his experience?

[MountainDon]

The biggest advantage to these kits is that you need only use standard cut lumber (no angle cuts etc)

I'd rather spend money on buying tools that I could use to make those required angle cuts (and other things in the future) than spend money on what amount to overpriced crutches.  That's my opinion.

[rdzone]

To answer your question I think he like the system he said it worked very well.  He is an engineer and approved of the design, but it was set up more for a pole barn structure.  He said many of the fasteners made it difficult to use infill walls.  He had to make adjustments as he went along. He likes the looks, but thought he might build a true timber frame if he did it again.