Help keeping square square (frustrated)
Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 11:50 am
I am having issues keeping my projects square, and I have tried just about everything I have seen/read/hear/dreamed of with little luck.
I am trying to build the chassis for an off road buggy, and need to keep everything square. I am working with .065" 1.5" steel square tubing. I'm having issues with both butt joints and mitered joints. Most of my joints are good fitting, with the occasional cut that wondered off.
I have tried tacking the 4 corners of each weld, then welding from inside to out. Both jigged tightly in place, and loosely. I have tried welding the inside, then outside of the joint, then coming back to the sides. The only thing I haven't tried is to weld and then wait to cool and weld again. And I haven't tried to weld an inch and let it cool and weld more etc...
In most cases, the issue has been more of a twist in the overall piece with reasonably square corners. (imagine a ladder where people on both ends twisted in opposite directions). I was able to get one piece to come back square (within 1/4" at least) by clamping the 4 corners down tight to my bench, then taking on O/A torch and heat each joint to cherry red, and systematically working around the entire piece. It took me 3 or 4 laps around it before it was in line, and then I left it clamped over night to cool.
I'm sure that my problems are either too much heat, or welding in the wrong order, but I am beyond frustrated...
I am trying to build the chassis for an off road buggy, and need to keep everything square. I am working with .065" 1.5" steel square tubing. I'm having issues with both butt joints and mitered joints. Most of my joints are good fitting, with the occasional cut that wondered off.
I have tried tacking the 4 corners of each weld, then welding from inside to out. Both jigged tightly in place, and loosely. I have tried welding the inside, then outside of the joint, then coming back to the sides. The only thing I haven't tried is to weld and then wait to cool and weld again. And I haven't tried to weld an inch and let it cool and weld more etc...
In most cases, the issue has been more of a twist in the overall piece with reasonably square corners. (imagine a ladder where people on both ends twisted in opposite directions). I was able to get one piece to come back square (within 1/4" at least) by clamping the 4 corners down tight to my bench, then taking on O/A torch and heat each joint to cherry red, and systematically working around the entire piece. It took me 3 or 4 laps around it before it was in line, and then I left it clamped over night to cool.
I'm sure that my problems are either too much heat, or welding in the wrong order, but I am beyond frustrated...