Compression Tubes

The compression tubes are one of the easiest things I've made so far. I simply cut them a little long on my chop saw—carbide slices through aluminum like hot butter—then shorten them a little at a time on the oscillating belt sander using a miter fence to keep the end square. When I assemble the wings, I may need to take a tiny bit more off. You want the ribs not to bind after you tighten down the drag wires. If the compression tubes are either too long or too short, they will.