I finally got the vertical door thresholds done and what a PITA. Next time I do this, if there is a next time, I'll make mock-ups before I cut so much metal. The .032 isn't so bad, but the .040 is beyond the limits of the box and pan brake.
The brake just won’t do it. I adjusted the clamp bar so tight I had to use a hammer to lock the fingers in place. Still the sill slipped back when trying to bend it. I even got steel blocks and clamped them behind the sill piece in an effort to keep it from moving and it STILL slid back. Fortunately, I took a clue from Wayne Massey’s build log and I used my 36in brake as a form block and hammered over the edge. I then was able to take it over to the brake and finish the second bend to form the “J” shape for the piece. The long part was just over the limit of what it can do. I was lifting the brake off the ground to make the bend and the brake is heavy.
Once both top and bottom sections were bent, I clamped them together using the copper chill bar and welded it together like the last piece. The weld looks really good and I finessed the cutouts for the fuselage tubing and fit it in place. I love the fit. It has that feel when you put a part in its place and it just sits perfectly…no slop, no squeezing…just right.
Now I can concentrate on all the horizontal pieces…while I still have sheet stock! The good news is I was able to use one of the crappy pieces and reuse it on the aft cargo door sill. So, the wreckage isn’t so bad.
