with the birdcage in place now its time to work on the top and side stringers. I am using 1/2" AL tube for the stringers. It will be attached to the arches with a 1 inch long section of 1/2 round steel tube (sized to the OD of the AL tube) The 1/2 round bracket is tig brazed to the side and top arches and tig welded to the side of the fuse where there is more substantial tube to tig weld to. The AL tube will be attached to each bracket with a pulled rivit from the inside of the fuse. The arches were inplace when I got the fuse but some of them were less than perfectly aligned. I spent a lot of time trying to get things to line up and had to cut and adjust in a few places. One arch was completely re-made as it was beyond adjusting. In the end I was satified with the alignment overall, it should be acceptable with the fabric in place. The cut and fit method doesn't look very pretty but most of it is covered so I will live with it.