The spread of this frame was a little over thirty-six feet, and, despite Andy’s fortunate find of spruce, the four horizontal beams were of pine, each cleverly spliced in three places with one-quarter inch stove bolts to a short, thinned under piece. But the stanchions holding the two planes together, and the struts connecting and bracing the front and back beams were of spruce, as were all the rib pieces. Pine weighs as much as spruce, but it is only five-eighths as strong.
Captain Anderson, having acquainted himself thoroughly with the plans, set about the actual work of construction in his own manner.
The four car beams were each 36 feet, 4 inches long. They were to be the basis of a car 6 feet deep and 5 feet high. After two of the light, slender beams had been laid on the floor, and the eight struts had been laid across them, the latter were made fast to the beams by liberal coats of glue and close winding with the waxed seine thread. The other beams were treated in the same manner. This required a full day’s time, and the big, fragile-looking frames were set aside to dry.
The next morning, Andy’s impatience to test the engine could be no longer restrained.
“What’s the use of an aeroplane, if that don’t work?” he argued.
The engine responded slowly when started, stopped after a few revolutions, and then fell to work with an exhaust of thick, black smoke.
“What’s the trouble?” exclaimed the captain.
“No trouble,” answered the boy. “It’s only oil in the cylinders—it’ll be out in a short time. She’s fine and dandy.”
With regret, Andy shut off the engine to help with the other work. The task of connecting the upper and lower frames was then undertaken. Sixteen stanchions had been rounded and sandpapered until the wind-friction-corners had been removed. The ends of each of these had been slightly slotted. They were then set upright between the upper and lower frames, and, after being liberally painted with glue, screwed to the beams opposite each stanchion end. The attached ends were carefully wrapped with the seine thread, which was also glued, and another day’s work was at an end.