Had to pick up a countersinking bit and some hardware at Lowes on Friday, and while I was there, I bought a ton of hardware and tools in addition to the paint. I now have dept stops, countersinks, detail files, and more. In the coming months, I'll have plenty of opportunities to use them.
After a few hours of work, the frame is almost complete. The only thing left is the skirt ring that goes on the bottom and the aluminum threaded rods for support. Follow the instructions that can be downloaded here. I found it helpful to do a "dry fit" first, without any screws and glue. There are some minute differences between some of the parts, so if you ever come to a point where you are forcing something into place, it probably doesn't go there. Look and see if there is a similar part and try again. I'd bet it slides right in place.
Instead of threaded rods to hold the skirt on, I will be using some three inch screws. Just a little easier to do that way.
