not square

[andyuk697]

hey all

after a bit of pratice welding i finaly got the courage to spot weld the first 4 pieces today, they are all cut perfectly to the mm and just cannot get all 4 corners to perfect 90 degrees square i have used welders magnet a digital angle setter and a solid steel 300x600 square to check them.
what am i doing wrong?

Andy

[HandyAndy]

are you talking about the 4 main lengths in the base of the frame?
if so have you put the little blocks on your build table to hold everything still whilst you weld?

andy

[RAYLEE29]

Also check diagonals and straightness of the tubing and obviously each pair of opposites should be exactly the same lenghth when held up against each other
Ray

[andyuk697]

hi
thanks for the replys yeah its the first 4 pieces on the bottom rear part they are perfect lenth and each pair is identical lenth as theyre only tackt i can adjust slightly with my rubber mallet but everytime i adjust one angle it moves the other
also each angle diagonally across is the same somthings obviously out but i cant figure out what
if my hair was long enuff id be pulling it out lol

cheers Andy

[HandyAndy]

suggest taking the tack welds off, then clamp each piece to the build table, check for true square before putting any more tack welds on,
maybe the table is not "true"??

andy

[andyuk697]

i will try that tommorow thanks

Andy

[alga]

I'm pretty sure your problem is caused by the tack welds contracting when cooling.

[AshG]

as andy said you have to clamp the tubes down

[squbti]

i had the same problem when i started but soon found out the tools i was using where not so acurate so i went with the always reliable diagonals & very important to clamp down all the tubes.
cheers

[andyuk697]

hey guys just an update i took all advise onboard and decided to take the frame appart make sure they were all cut perfect and filed the ends flat then fixed into place with wooden blocks checked diagonals ditched the set square and the angle setter and i am now upto tackling the front frame,

i thought i had cracked it first time untill i checked the height at the front and the drivers side was 7mm higher than the other lol i will put money on it being the 2 side pieces with the bend in being wrong am i right in thinking they can be bought ready cut i dont fancy wasting even more steel

cheers Andy