How do you weld tubing without it warping?

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HI all,  Ok, got a new problem , I am trying to weld square tubing together but, when I do this, it is warping and not staying level...  it it 2x 6ft 2x2x1/8in. square tubing that is spaced 2in apart and has 2x1x1/8in. tubing as cross supports, 4 in total... now, first I tried to weld a full bead and it warped the main rails, then i tried to just tack a few welds and it still warped it....  I made sure that it was lying flat and the welded pieces were clamped and I waited for it to cool good before checking it.... WARPED,WARPED,WARPED What it the secret????? "If you are wondering what I am trying to make , it is a motorcycle frame jig..."thanks guys!!!!! GOOD DAY!!!!!Last edited by dave1273; 08-10-2006 at 04:25 AM.
Reply:you can lessen the warp age by welding all the in side corners firstare you tacking on the corners or the middle of the tube?ChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:Tack it all up then before welding break its back or pre-load it in the oppisite direction of the pull by using a shim under the weld. when clamped down it should be bent away from the weld.
Reply:I have used TEK's method when welding channel end-to-end and with a little practice it works like a charm.  Tacking is always a good idea when you are welding multiple surfaces or long distances...I had never thought about welding the corners, though...I'll try that one myself...thanks chopper.  That's my "new one" for the day.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:hope you're clamping both the long sections and the cross pieces all to some heavy plate/angle/etc and not just to each other...that'll help, make sure you're not "overwelding" it too
Reply:ok, thanks for the help guys.... I guess my next question is, do any of you know about frame jigs?If so, I am makeing a fully adjustable jig... The only thing that is not level, has warpage is the 2 main frame rails. Is it ok to shim my uprights(neck post,rear post,ect.) and the rail plate to make them level and square? just wondering because I read an article on chopperweb that says no jig is gunna be perfectly square... just make sure that the neck and main components are square and that the tubing is cut and mating perfect. Do you believe this to be true? thanks guys for the help.... also, are there any specific bike fabricators on here that i can look for for future questions? thanks again...GOOD DAY!!!!
Reply:In my experience(or lack there of) I have shimmed many frames that I've built to make them square.Obviously the less you have to shim, the better (due to the time it takes) but I would rather have a perfect chassis/frame by spending a little more time on it than not.I'm a chassis builder (mainly automotive) but I did design and build a Mini Chopper a few years back (when they were all the rage). I built a fixture table for the frame and built a few frames for people.The one in the pic is/was my personal one. It has a fully functional billet springer front-end, 18hp V-Twin, 205-50-10 rear tire, disc brake rear, drum brake front and had what I believe was an old BSA or Norton gas tank that I bought off of E-bay. I never finished this bike  ...I got too busy running my shop. Attached Imageshttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:thats gotta be one of the best looking mini's I have seen....NICE!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by dave1273HI all,  Ok, got a new problem , I am trying to weld square tubing together but, when I do this, it is warping and not staying level...  it it 2x 6ft 2x2x1/8in. square tubing that is spaced 2in apart and has 2x1x1/8in. tubing as cross supports, 4 in total... now, first I tried to weld a full bead and it warped the main rails, then i tried to just tack a few welds and it still warped it....  I made sure that it was lying flat and the welded pieces were clamped and I waited for it to cool good before checking it.... WARPED,WARPED,WARPED What it the secret????? "If you are wondering what I am trying to make , it is a motorcycle frame jig..."thanks guys!!!!! GOOD DAY!!!!!
Reply:thanks ZAP, I took the time to square them pretty damn close, are they within a .001 of an inch...no. but , they are pretty square. why would that matter? what makes that do that?thanks...GOOD DAY!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by dave1273thats gotta be one of the best looking mini's I have seen....NICE!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by dave1273thanks ZAP, I took the time to square them pretty damn close, are they within a .001 of an inch...no. but , they are pretty square. why would that matter? what makes that do that?thanks...GOOD DAY!!!