good build man and excellent documentation.

some advice, you mentioned hacksawing your aluminum parts free. Why not use a table saw to do that job, much faster and accurate. A jig saw and straight edge at the least.

as far as tapping goes, it can be done from beginnings to end in a matter of seconds. There is a very good set of high quality taps from greenlee for a little over $25. Its a tool you will use alot in your life. Save up and Get some when you can.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Greenlee-DTAPKIT-6-Piece-Combination-Drill/dp/B0041FIR1E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345780903&sr=8-1&keywords=greenlee+tap]Amazon.com: Greenlee DTAPKIT 6-32 to 1/4-20 6-Piece Combination Drill and Tap Set: Home Improvement[/ame]