Do you trim your joist ends on an angle to match the curve of the fascia or do you arrange your joists so that they are always perpendicular to the fascia? If you trim, do you have a trick that helps to keep the cuts vertical and on the right angle?
Do you use cleats at the fascia end of the joists?
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My 'joists' are cut to follow the fascia. On large curves(like an inside 90 degree one), I used scrap 1/2" plywood to make a sturdy lower support for my 1/8" Masonite fascia. Once everything is tied together, the fascia is very strong!
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
I mostly applied cleats to the ends of the joists. This provides a wider support for the fascia than the end of the joist itself and allows easy adjustment, in or out, as necessary to get the fascia to flow smoothly.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Since my joists are steel studs, I apply cleats to the ends. If the cleat is at anything but a right angle to the joist end, I put a cap stock bracket on the cleat and screw that to the top and bottom flanges of the steel stud.
In one place where there is a long run of straight fascia, I installed cap stock the length of the straight section, across four joist ends and a gap where an unneeded joist was removed.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on steel stud benchwork)
The cleats, as mentioned, work well for adjusting the facia for irregular or sweeping curves. Tight radius may need help w/ added material between joists w/ the arc cut for facia "bending"
On full 1/2 round (curving track/ facia), it is better to run your joists in a radian. Not only will help by keeping the risers closer to 90 degrees to the track but allow for nice arc of the joists for mounting facia. Drwayne has posted some great pics of this construction.
The pics show ways of adding "sub facia" to craete a sweeping arc. Overkill for most, but that's the way my club wants it.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org