I am getting ready to install the gear fittings and I am trying to figure out how the three pieces for the rear fitting/lift strut support go together.  I have posted a sequence of pictures and need some guidance on how these go together.  The plans are making little sense to me.  Any ideas?

Below are the three parts I have for each side.

This is the sequence I think I need to follow, please correct me if I am wrong.  First, the green is welded in place.  Not sure of the angle yet, can't seem to find that in the plans.

Second, the pink is welded on to the tack welded green.

Next, the blue is welded in place.  If this is correct, how is the tang on the blue piece made to fit the cross tube?

Should I maybe first weld the green and pink together then tack weld to fuselage before welding on the green?  As you can see I have not figured this out.  I am off seeking help at Supercub.org, the masters!!!!!

Progress, Progress, Progress!  Below are a series of pictures covering the past couple of weeks since I got back at it.  First is the single piece tail brace wire attach bracket from Air Frames, Inc.  This replaced the two piece and round tube from the Wag kit and from the AD for PA18's to replace at next cover.

Here I am welding in a tail reinforcement of four tubes.  Again, additional to the 2+2, this is being done by most PA14 rebuilders so I chose to do the same.

Finished reinforcement of tail area. 

This step was simple, welded on the fuselage handles provided by Wag Aero with the kit.

Next, I set up a jig to tack weld three of the tubes for the elevator bellcrank attach assembly.  This took a lot of time to get right.  My first attempt was to tach weld first to fuselage.  I removed that mess and used jig below the second time around. Much better results.

Here you can see the finished assembly before I cut the attachment tube for the bellcrank.

Finished assembly!  Next step, the landing gear attachment.  That will take some study, I need to get it right first time as messing up the fittings would get expensive. 

It's been a while since my last post and I have made a lot of
progress.  I have all the welds finished and most of the bird cage
done.  The finish welding has taken a lot of time but it is is just
about finished.  My first picture below show's the current status of the fuselage followed by more construction photos.

Upper structure ready to jig in place

Upper structure in jig

Another shot of jig set up

Front support tubes in place

Rear support tubes in place

Front upper welded

Front and rear support welded

Front structure measurement and strung jig

First tubes for front

Remaining front tubes

Current photo of bird cage

Well, it’s been a long while since the last update.  That is because the most recent steps took a lot of time.  I thought the firewall would take a couple of days or a week at most.  WRONG!!!!  It took me about a month to get it right.  I made the corner gussets twice, had to remove and re-weld a couple of the tubes at the fire wall.  My measurements were about 1/16” off in width and I was afraid the engine mount would not fit.  Then, I found out the bolt through the mount tube would not accept a nut on the back because a tube was in the way.  So, another tube was removed and a new one re-welded.  I was very unsure of how the final mounting corner should look until I received a picture from Wag Aero showing the corner in detail.  You will see that I used a tube longer than the plans called for.  I have it sticking out both front and back of the gusset.  The front will need to be trimmed later.  Once the fire wall was complete, I began welding the clusters.  This was very time consuming.  I started the process with the fuselage mounted on an engine stand so I could rotate it.  I quickly decided that using two saw horses was much easier.  It took me about 40 hours to complete the welding of the lower structure, fire wall to tail post.  With the welding finished, I started on the upper structure.  I had a miss start as I first cut the tubes for the upper structure at 45 degree angles.  Test fitting the spar attach fittings showed me this would not work.  So, I asked some questions of other builders and with their help, I understood the proper method for joining the tubes.  I currently have the upper structure tack welded, and two of the corners are finish welded.  It sure is easy welding with the tubes in the vise.  Now for new pictures…………….

Firewall tubes welded in place

Engine mount gussets ready to install

Test fit of corner gussets

Engine mount gussets welded in place

Installation bracket for engine mount

Lower inside corner

Finish welding of lower structure complete

Side view, welding complete

Side from rear

Tail post, welding complete

Upper structure cut and fitted, ready for tack welding

Ready for tack welding

Tack welding complete

Test fit of front spar fitting

Test fit of rear spar fitting

Corner weld of upper structure complete

Well, I got the fuselage out of the shop for the first time today and into the sun!  Below are pictures of the current status.  Next step:  finish welding the firewall fittings and mount in rotary jig and weld, weld, weld...............................

Well, all the tubes in the main fuselage are fitted and tack welded.  Next is a lot of welding.  Below are the pictures of the tail post and final tubes.  The last picture is with the wood jig bulkheads removed.

Here I have tack welded the tail post into position.

Next, the longerons are fitted and shaped with heat and tracked.

Here is the last long diagonals ready to tack weld

Final tack welding with the short support tubes attached and tack welded to tail post.

Last, the bulkheads are removed and we are ready for final welding of all the tubes I have previously tack welded.  Lots of welding ahead!

I put in an additional 12 hours or so since the last entry.  Today I cut and fitted the tail post in place.  This was a lot of work but not a frustrating job.  I had to walk through the process step by step to make sure I got it correct.  I will be able to weld the tail post in place with what I have done up to today, but the jack screw tower will need to wait until I have the tail feathers built.  I could probably weld first, but again, I want it correct.  The pictures below are step by step from the last inside diagonal tube through checking the fit and alignment of the tail post.  I have included a bunch of pictures to make this process clear.  I know there are lots of ways to do this, this is just the way that made sence to me.

This is the last cross brace before the tail post is ready to be tack welded.  Note I had to remove the bulkhead from this location to fit the tube.  I put the bulkhead back in place after tack welding before I changed the bulkhead at the tail post location.

I have installed a secondary support to keep the upper and lower longerons in place before I remove the rear most bulkhead.

Here the last bulkhead is removed and the upper and lower longerons are ready to be notched for the tail post.

The notching is finished and the tail post is set in place and measurements are taken to check for position and alignment.

I set the jack screw tower in place to check for location relative to tail post.

Here I am using a plum bob from the centerline to check the alignment of the tail post.  This is why I took so much time a year ago to get my table level.

Another view of the plum bob.  Note the rear stabilizer support is being held in place to check measurements. I have a few more adjustments to make then I can tack weld the tail post in place and add the final side tubes supporting the post.

It has been a busy week.  I took some time out of the fitting and welding on Tuesday and Wednesday to see my first Grand Child born!  My daughter gave birth on Wednesday to Nayeli, a very healthy and beautiful baby girl.  I came home on Thursday and got a lot of work done between Thursday and Friday evenings.  I have all the side tubes tack welded in place!  The next step is the tail post and associated tubes.  I will be working on that area next week.  I have included a few pictures showing the current state of the fuselage.

It is starting to look like something!

Tail post and associated tubes are next.

Tonight I finished fitting the lower door bracing tubes.  I have posted some pictures after cleaning up the work area a bit.  These pictures should show the detail of the bracing pretty well.  These tubes still need to be tack welded in place.  All the pictures are of the same area, just slightly different views.