Getting back in the groove...

Spent several days before and after Christmas continuing work. Did more shop cleanup and organization. Finished making and fitting the second 1" x 049" thick cross tube between station 3 and station 2. Spent some quality time with the OA welder getting back in the welding groove. I can tell I took several years off - the skills aren't quite back up to snuff yet.

The Cross tubes meeting in the middle...

Time this last week: 7 Hours
Total Time: 128 Hours

Starting up the build again...

After surgery on my wrist, working on and flying my primary aircraft (Sonex/Waiex) -  and working on a friend of mines PA-16, I'm finally getting back to this after almost a two year hiatus. Yes!!!

Today I cleaned the shop including the build table, and put everything that had accumulated on the table away.  Then spent the next 6 hours cutting and welding in the pilot seat back and the first of the 1" diameter cross tubes between station 3 and station 2. In the process of this, I found that the two tubes I had cut for them originally - were the wrong size. I had cut 7/8" diameter tubes... Good thing I took some time off and then checked everything over before starting again!
Time Today: 6 Hours
Total Time: 121 Hours

Pilot Seat Tube

I decided to go with the SuperCub style instead of a bowed J-3 type. Easier to work with, and since I'm building a quasi-cub, more appropriate... Nice tight fitting!

Pilot seat tube

Again, a picture of the pilot seat tube tack welded in.

Cross Brace

The 1" x .049" cross brace that goes from station 3 to 2. You are looking at station 2 in the above picture. It's a very large tube with a liner in the middle required because I'm using a 125hp engine. It took a 205 welding tip for the Smith torch to get enough heat into it to tack it up.

Cross Brace

Again, the cross brace at station 3. Pretty complex fitting to get it snug. It took about 3.5 hours to fit this one as I didn't want to do it again and slowly snuck up on the fitment. This is looking down at station 3. Big 6 tube cluster to weld here later on!