(2) I cut a slot into another piece of scrap wood approximately 0.25" wide to fit the crimped end of a strut. I made the depth of the slot to match the notch in the L-angle support, verifying this with a small level along the strut.
(3) I used my drill-press vise to make the crimp, using pieces of scrap aluminum L-angle in the jaws so that the ends of the strut would not be marred by the vice jaws.
(4) I first crimped one end of each piece in my bench-vice pretty much as Chris shows in the build manual.
(5) Then, in turn, the open-end of each strut member was filled with a small amount of Locktite epoxy; fitted into the tool as pictured. Before using the vice to crimp the end, I verified that the tube was straight in the jig using the small carpenter's level.
(6) I finished off the struts by drilling each end for the AN3 mounting bolts and sent the struts off to be powder coated.
(Attachment added by forum admin)