Day 1

Prepared the building board ready for construction, made a large quantity of 3/4" tall wooden blocks each drilled for two screws that will be used to located the tubing for the fuselage side. Welded the 3/4" OD * 0.049" front section of the lower longeron to the 3/4" OD * 0.028" rear section using a 30 degree splice joint at station 78 and then started laying out the fuselage side, screwing the blocks to the table as each piece was fitted. These will then act as a jig for tack welding and as a jig for the second side to ensure it is identical. The notcher makes a superb job of the joints between the tubing but is limited to 45 degrees minimum angle so the very narrow angle joints (down to 15 degrees) need cutting and filing by hand.