How bad will this weld distort the piece?

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I need to weld a 1/4" thick, 1x2" tab to a piece of 1.5" x .125 wall tube.It is a 36" piece of square tube and the tab is going right in the middle of the overall length.the black cross member you see the end of, is butting up to the tab in question. (It will not be welded to it)The tap will be weldes on 3 sides. It supports no real load and could be welded only top and bottom if it would greatly benefit my concerns. Obviously my goal is keeping the tubing straight as possible. If preheating would help I have a plumbing acetylene torch as my only means.Attachment 941541www.FirehouseFabricators.comZachLincoln 210mpLincoln SW200Hypertherm Powermax 45xp2x4 CNC Plasma Table.
Reply:I wouldnt sweat welding the whole thing one bit, but since its not load baring you can just wrap the corners around each side. I do it with pad eyes all the time when lifting bulky stuff where the pad eyes need a tweak more for safety sake and then get cut off not smacked off with a hammer on the lighter stuff.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Mike is right, I can't believe I said that. Anyway , welding parallel to the tube will be no issues. Just tack it up  and weld . If the clip was going to be welded ninety degrees to the long axis that would be different.
Reply:Well the 1" top and bottom weld are 90* to the tubes axis. For aesthetics I prefer to make a full 3 side weld.www.FirehouseFabricators.comZachLincoln 210mpLincoln SW200Hypertherm Powermax 45xp2x4 CNC Plasma Table.
Reply:What process will you be welding it with?
Reply:just be really really fast, to do that you need to be hot.Constant Current Weldor.
Reply:It's being mig welded.www.FirehouseFabricators.comZachLincoln 210mpLincoln SW200Hypertherm Powermax 45xp2x4 CNC Plasma Table.
Reply:Keep an eye on it with a square. You can pull it where you want it by welding in the right places
Reply:Or just clamp it down with a bunch of clamps and you won't have to worry.
Reply:Pre-bend the part. Read through the info in the link provided, and you'll understand what I mean.http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us...on-detail.aspxESAB Migmaster 250 Hobart Ironman 230Multimatic 215TWECO Fabricator 181i & 211iHH125EZ - nice little fluxcore only unitMaxstar 150 STH - very nice
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313Or just clamp it down with a bunch of clamps and you won't have to worry.