By Terry Cusack, EAA Lifetime 213150
A couple of our chapter members recently collaborated on a new metal project for our annual summer campers. We were seeking something with the same simplicity and cost as the current workshop cell phone holder, but more relevant and memorable. EAA Chapter 976 member Mark Weinstein came up with the idea of a 5×7 picture frame, and I drew up some plans and templates. Things really started to fall into place when member Dick Holtz refined the plans for easy kit production using a shear metal cutter. Dick had access to a shear metal press and was able to produce the kit pieces very easily.
The kit contents are shown in the parts photo and are listed below. Assembly steps teach all the basic metal working skills: use of templates and plans, cutting, drilling, riveting, bending, and filing/finishing. Close supervision of Young Eagles is necessary for both safety and accurate alignment, but the tasks are easy to master. I hope your workshop attendees love this project as much as our participants did.
Find the printable PDF plans here.
Kit Contents:
- 6 each 1/8-inch solid round head rivets
- 6 each 1/8-inch pop rivets
- EAA logo gold wings
- 1 each base plate 0.025 aluminum per pattern
- 4 each 1×5-inch 0.040 aluminum per pattern
- (0.025 aluminum may be substituted)
Required Tools:
- Bending brake (or vise)
- Shear cutter (for kit production only)
- Tin/aluminum snips
- Drill or drill press and 1/8-inch bit
- Debur tool or oversized drill bit
- Cleco pliers
- 1/8-inch Clecos (8 each minimum)
- Flat file
- Square or right-angle tool
- Blue painters tape
- Sharpie marker
Young Eagles Instructions:
- Using the square tool, mark left and right bend lines on the base plate. (NOTE: this will be the back side of base plate.) Then mark left and right cut lines using a template.
- Using tin snips, cut the left and right cut lines.
- On front side of the base plate, center one frame plate flush along the bottom edge. Drill three 1/8-inch holes while inserting Clecos after each hole.
- Using a square, install right vertical frame plate. Drill three 1/8-inch holes while inserting Clecos after each hole. (TIP: Temporarily insert left and top frame plates to keep vertical plates butted flush to top and bottom horizontal plates. NOTE: Top and side plates will not be flush to base plate.)
- Repeat step 3 for the left frame plate.
- Mark FRT on all pieces and number frame pieces. (TIP: use painter tape as a writing surface to reduce cleaning effort.)
- Remove all Clecos.
- Debur all holes and edges on both sides of all aluminum pieces.
- File all corners to a small smooth radius.
- Insert base plate into bending brake and bend each diagonal to approximately 90 degrees. (NOTE: Upon release of bend, metal will actually rest at approximately 80 degrees which is desirable.)
- Trim photograph to fit within rivet holes and place photo on base plate. (Ensure picture edges are under frame pieces.)
- Using at least two Clecos per frame piece, reassemble the frame pieces to the base plate.
- One at a time, remove Clecos and replace with desired rivet. Press rivet. Repeat until frame is complete.
- Attach EAA logo wings. These can be drilled and riveted, glued, or attached with double-sided foam tape. (NOTE: If riveting, start drilling from back side of wings.)