Question about keeping things square when welding

[Eric M.]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but there seems to be a few posts ragarding welding, so, I'll give it a try.

I'm just learning how to weld. I'm trying to make a square metal frame. I'm clamping it and even tacking it to the work surface before welding. After I'm done, I pull the clamps and grind the tacks and that's where things go bad. It's no longer square.

How can I prevent this or compensate for it? Do I hammer the welds before letting the clamps loose? Should I wait longer before pulling the clamps? Should I do short welds and wait between them instead of running a complete bead?

Any ideas?

By the way, this is 16 guage, 1" square tube.


Thanks,

Eric M.

[dumblucky]

cause Im a good mood

Should I do short welds and wait between them instead of running a complete bead?

somethin like that
try
tack welding the corners with small welds
then go back and and finsh up the welds\

ohh and do yourself a favor

check with yoiu local community college
and see if they offer a welding class

I my self would learn stick first

[Goat]

There are a number of things that you can do:

-Tune your arc to give you minimum heat yet still a solid weld.
-Skip weld. (google this if you don't know what I mean)
-Preheat the part a little bit before you start welding.
-Anneal the part after welding.
-Jig the part so that it is out of square during fitup but gets pulled square after your done welding.
-Use a cooling block...like a block of copper to pull heat away from the material.

1" 16ga. tube should not be warping bad on you...seems to me like your arc is too hot.

[Aces'n'8s]

I think every beginning welder has this problem. My problem was that I was working too fast. I couldn't wait to get something fitted and clamped so I could weld it. Well, I have since learned to take it slow and check for square/plumb and make many tack welds.

You didn't mention what type of welder you are using...stick, Mig, etc.? You may wish to check your amperage/heat setting. When I began to weld with my Mig, I had the heat way to high. To compensate, I turned the wire speed up, which was wrong.

Also, how are you constructing your square metal frame? At the corners, are you mitering them at 45 degree angles or are you butt-welding them?

[Brandon]

clamps keep tension on the steel, whenever possible I simpy use the triangle magnets, whatever they are called. Nothing distorts when you remove those..

[Eric M.]

Thanks,

I'll try some of the suggestions today, I'll post up tonight what worked. I have a Miller 255, I do have the magnetic square and my corners are 45 degree mitres.

Thanks again,

Eric M.

[chumly2071]

try www.shopfloortalk.com ... decent website about welding. there are others to choose from as well for good advice.

HTH
Chad-

[Brandon]

damn, learing on a 255?? Lucky bastid..

[PAToyota]

MM255? Current one is a MM251. There was a MM155...

[Eric M.]

MM255? Current one is a MM251. There was a MM155...

Woops, my memory is about as good as my welding. I was considering either a Lincoln 255 and Millermatic 251 .... went with the MM 251.

Eric M.

[JeepAddict]

I've had the best luck with preheating when maintaining shape is important, especially on long welds. I just don't know what I would do without a torch. When possible, make shorter welds and wait or weld on a different section of the project. Yes, I have turned a nice straight piece of metal into a wonderful sausage shape!

[Eric M.]

Soo, I lowered my voltage a bit and played with the wire speed. I tacked the inside and outside of the mitres first, then went back and welded a side at a time, but never one after the other on the same mitre, I just kept moving around the frame. I stiched the points of all the mitres. It held it's shape perfectly. I was gonna try preheating if that didn't work, but, no need to.

As for the first frame that was out of square. I clamped it square on the work surface and heated up the corners with an oxy / act. torch. I let it cool about 30 min., pulled the clamps and it kept it's shape.

I had a terrible time trying to figure out how to tack in a set of hinges while fitting a door in a frame ... I kept welding the hinge halfs together!

Thanks for the advice,

Eric M.