Truscon "O-T" joist - catalog request

[kipfoot]

Does anyone have specific information an existing truss I need to evaluate and modify with an interior support?

From what SJI tells me, and other corroborating information, it's a type of Truscon joist, but it's a bit unusual and the catalogs I've found don't directly mention this type. The joist is 20" deep and the top chord is an 'M' shaped piece.

I'd like to find their tabulated values to compare against the analysis I'll need to do.

The type is shown in figure 20 of this document from Structure Magazine. It's identified as an "O-T" joist.

 

[phamENG]

By "what SJI tells me" do you mean the answers they gave you when you filled out the SJI Joist Investigation Form?

If not, then I strongly suggest you use the service. It's free, and it's worked for me in the past. Couldn't find the info on an obscure joist manufactured for about 8 years in the '50s. I had a PDF of that catalog in less than 2 days.

 

[kipfoot]

@phamENG Yes. I filled out the SJI investigation form and they identified the manufacturer and sent me a 1946 catalog from Truscon. They were quick and gave me a valuable lead. This basically gave me the right search terms to find that the type of truss I have was indeed a Truscon joist, but that the top chord shape is different than their typical.

I also send a note to the author of the 'structure' article. He got the images in the article from somewhere, so maybe he has the pdf I need.

 

[phamENG]

I'm guessing you already found this one. The nailer joist on page 39 is interesting. Looks like the one you have but with the top chord inverted to let a nailer nest in it.

Not sure what part of Virginia you're in, but it looks like they had a warehouse here in Norfolk. So it's certainly plausible that this manufacturer was used.

If you're in NoVA, it looks like the Smithsonian Library in DC has 205 pieces of Truscon trade literature in 5 boxes: [URL unfurl="true"]https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/SILNMAHTL_26022[/url]

 

[phamENG]

Do you know when the building was erected?

 

[kipfoot]

I think it was the 1950s. I do have the catalog you linked, but I hadn't found the citation for trade literature at the Museum of American History. That's an interesting resource. I also hadn't caught the warehouse in Norfolk. Thanks for that, though I don't think I'll get up to DC to have a look in person.

 

[phamENG]

You may try calling them. I was working on a historic structure on the Chesapeake Bay that was originally built by the federal government in 1804. A quick email to the National Archives and I had a scan of the original construction contract with a description of the building and its components (no drawings - contract was just a written description - talk about trusting the builder!). The library may be able to find what you need and send it to you without making an in person visit. Given the pandemic, they may have lowered any barriers to doing that.

 

[kipfoot]

The author of an article sent me a 1954 Truscon catalog which I think will be as good as it gets for me in this instance.

Thanks, phamENG, for your suggestions.

 

[phamENG]

Very nice. Glad you found what you were looking for. Hopefully SlideRuleEra will come along and add this to his website so others can have easy access to it in the future.