Tonight I worked with the thickest sheet steel I'll use in my project: .125" 4130N steel. After working so long with aluminum, I am truly spoiled. Cutting steel is just so much more time consuming and difficult. The chop saw method works great for straight lines, but the curves and concave portions of the canopy latches required some extra thought and creative solutions. All that remains on these parts is to weld the outside end on the bolt to the extrusion. For the record, the square tube portion of this mechanism is attached under the longeron doubler, not on top as I have it for these pictures. I've pictured it in the open position. Obviously, when the latch is engaged it pivots forward, capturing a striker stud on the canopy rail.
