The Original Blue Book
The original reference, modernized for the screen.
The Original Blue Book, kept as a curated chapter sequence. Six chapters drawn from the pages of the early print, in their original sequence and voice. The math has not moved since; the cadence is older. For the per-page print facsimile, see the archive index below.
Table of contents
The chapters, in reading order.
- Chapter
01
Reading the Speed® Square
Identify every scale on the Speed® Square, know which scale to use for which cut, and understand why one number on the COMMON scale anchors every cut on a roof at that pitch.
- Chapter
02
Cutting a Common Rafter
Lay out a common rafter from rise + run + length, with the right plumb cut at the ridge and the right tail cut at the eave.
- Chapter
03
Cutting a Hip or Valley Rafter
Lay out a hip or valley rafter from the same rise + run as a common rafter, with the right plumb cut at the ridge, the right cheek cut at the corner, and the bird's mouth that lets it sit on the corner of the wall plate.
- Chapter
04
Cutting Jack Rafters
Cut a series of jack rafters off one piece of stock, with the right length increment per 16, 18, 20, or 24 inch spacing, and the right plumb + cheek cut where the jack meets the hip.
- Chapter
05
Cutting Plywood Roof Sheathing
Cut a sheet of 4x8 plywood roof sheathing to match your roof pitch using nothing but a Speed® Square and a tape measure. One sheet, every pitch.
- Chapter
06
Roof Pitch Reference
Convert between rise / run, pitch fraction (1/4, 1/3, 1/2, full), angle in degrees, and rafter length per foot of run for any pitch from 1/12 to 24/12.
Or jump to a task
Browse by what you're cutting.
The same chapters indexed by task instead of reading order. Useful when you know the cut you need but not where in the book it lives.