Not sure what they thought they were doing but that wasn't it.
If you take the total height inside and divide that be 3, those ties would be above the upper third line.
So if the height was 12 ft the ties would be higher than 8 from the ceiling joists.
Nothing like that gets built with one inch thick material or gets attached with staples.
They may have been used just to hold the rafters during construction.
Collar ties are in the upper third. every 4 ft with the idea that they hold the roof together to prevent wind uplift at the peak. They would be at least a 2x4 and with 4 3" nails into the rafters at both ends.
If you take the total height inside and divide that be 3, those ties would be above the upper third line.
So if the height was 12 ft the ties would be higher than 8 from the ceiling joists.
Nothing like that gets built with one inch thick material or gets attached with staples.
They may have been used just to hold the rafters during construction.
Collar ties are in the upper third. every 4 ft with the idea that they hold the roof together to prevent wind uplift at the peak. They would be at least a 2x4 and with 4 3" nails into the rafters at both ends.