How to weld this cart without turning it into a propeller

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Hi everyone. I'm building my first welding cart out of aluminum and I don't want to warp it. I already tacked the top and bottom frame. But not sure how I should weld the two together and keep it straight. 1/8th inch aluminum x 1.5 wide.  Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Reply:How do I post a pic?
Reply:The third button from the right above where you type your text is a portrait of a tree...click on that to upload a pic.  would have to see it to be able to help, i think.Millermatic 211 Miller Blue Fire 140@swiftwelding on Instagram
Reply:I don't see any tree. It only says reply to thread. Then black rectangle says post quick replay. I'm new to forums
Reply:There's a triangle on the left then a pencil arrow and quotation marks and that's all I see. What am I missing?
Reply:Click (go advanced), scroll down and click (manage attachments), there you can upload your pics to the post.Real welders know how to penetrate!(Equipment)Whatever can be used to beat my opponent into submission!
Reply:Click on the icon that the red arrow is pointing at.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Thanks for all the help so fast guys but when I go advanced I can't find manage post. And gravel I don't see that setup anywhere. I will have to go in town and try it there. Maybe it is my pos wifi. Looking forward to this forum
Reply:Gravel where do I find that page at?
Reply:Found it
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Reply:Finally. I hate computers!!!!!
Reply:The piece of metal I'm hiding will be longer and there will be 1 on the other side to. The water cooler with go in the bottom in the future. And a 280 bottle will go in the back by the vise.
Reply:Do u guys think I need to clamp it down on the bottom and top frame when welding the leggs on? How much would it warp if I didn't clamp it and I would only weld 1.5 inches at at time then let it cool down for a few minutes. This is my first time clamping something down go weld it. I'm pretty green! Also when preheating do you only brush the metal before or after preheating to?
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313The piece of metal I'm hiding will be longer and there will be 1 on the other side to.
Reply:Ok will do! How about some tips? On holding the piece down
Reply:I'm confused.Millermatic 211 Miller Blue Fire 140@swiftwelding on Instagram
Reply:Is the piece your holding going to be a brace?I have found that tacking a lot helps.  More than that is welding in opposite directions on either side of the piece.....but I deal with mainly stainless steel so hopefully someone with mor Al experiance will chime in
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313Hi everyone. I'm building my first welding cart out of aluminum and I don't want to warp it. I already tacked the top and bottom frame. But not sure how I should weld the two together and keep it straight. 1/8th inch aluminum x 1.5 wide.  Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313Ok will do! How about some tips? On holding the piece down
Reply:Precision tig 225 I bought new about 2 months ago. Best money I ever spent to. It is so much fun!!! Ya I was thing about throwing a pipe over the top and pull it down some how. I was thinking about drilling holes in my table to and welding a nut on the back side. Has anyone tried that?my table is 3/8 thick
Reply:Tack the upright pieces to the bottm piece first and make sure they are square, then tack the top piece on. Make a lot of tacks, then recheck for square. Try to weld equal and opposite welds, or welds that are going to have the opposite pull of the prior weld, recheck for square and continue. Really shouldnt have that much of an issue once it is well tacked together and clamped like it is.
Reply:What Bistineau and Walker saidMillermatic 211 Miller Blue Fire 140@swiftwelding on Instagram
Reply:As far as drilling and welding on a nut, you could do that. You just have to watch you don't distort the nut when you weld it.  Remember you don't need a ton of weld on that nut, just enough so it stays in place and doesn't spin. Many people also simply drill and tap the holes in their table. You just have to watch out you don't get mig spatter in the threaded holes if you go that route. Anti spatter is your friend.Clamping large  or odd sized items requires a bit of thought. Straps ( keep in mind nylon straps and hot alum don't play well together, you'll probably need some sort of "buffer" like a piece of wood), bars and wedges, all thread  and nuts, heavy objects like you have already used are all options. I saw one guy use chain and a hydraulic jack once to help "clamp" down the center of a large plate. He wrapped the chain around the work, then put the jack under the chain where he wanted to apply pressure and jacked it up. I've often used long bar or pipe clamps on each side and crossed the center with a 2x4 stood on edge to clamp odd shapes. Great thing about pipe clamps is you can always make them longer simply by going out and getting longer pipe. You can also stiffen them somewhat by using adapters and wider pipe in the center where they tend to bow and use the smaller pipe only on the ends..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald ReaganOk I'm gona get som pipe clamps froms my grandpas.
Reply:I was think somthing like this to.
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Reply:Has any tried stuff like this?
Reply:I got some nuts today. I got 1/2 fine thread  it's has 20 tpi. Is this to fine? It is already though to thread them in by hand
Reply:What is the thread on the rods/bolts? 1/2-20 sounds like fine pitch threads. 1/2 - 13 is national course threads that's "standard" on most nuts and bolts you typically buy at the store. Most all thread is 1/2"- 13 unless you buy specialty rods.I occasionally end up with a few fine thread nuts/bolts when I buy bulk fasteners. The idiots at the store never bother to look at what they have when they toss stuff in the bins. If I'm buying small quantities I usually double check my stuff by threading the nuts on the bolts, but if I need a bunch and they don't have bulk boxes, I usually end up with 1 or 2 that slip thru in the mix. Most of the time the problem is highest when I'm getting something like class 8 fasteners, as most places stock both NF and NC nuts and bolts in those little drawers and they get mixed up frequently..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:It would be the same at the nut I choose. I'm gona weld a bolt to a rod then that will go to the clamp. But It would be tough to make the rod adjustable. I'm thinking weld a rod to the clamp. Have  few holes in the rod for adjustable. And just slide the rode in the hole in the bench with no threads and put a pin in the rod. I think I'm gona make one tomorrow and show u guys what I mean. I don't really wanna have a bunch of rods with different lengths. So I'm thinking no nuts anymore
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Reply:Has anyone tried to make there on clamps? If so can u post up what you got. Stole this from mikegyver bulco clamp. The tube under the bench got welded on upside down bc I'm a noob. Seems to work pretty good but the long .5 solid bar starts bending a little the longer u pull it out of the table
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Reply:The aluminum is a heatsink.
Reply:Come on guys I thought were here to talk about welding. Ideas for clamps?
Reply:Where's the pipe clamps I mentioned to you and you said you would get. No need to be trying to engineer your own for this.
Reply:I haven't got over there yet to get the pipe clamps. This only took me about an hour to make and about 6 bucks. And very adjustable. And I can used it for a bunch of stuff. Clamps are to expensive to buy good ones for my budget right now. And I usually think I can make somthing better then u can buy anyway. Im gona put full suspension on this cart to. Pry a 2 link in front and back.
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Reply:Finally got got welder hooked up to a 60 amp breaker. I was on the dryer. This is only 1/8 inch and its needing like 185 + amps and it keeps popping. Is that normal? Ac balance set to about 75% penetration. Is popping from only having 3/32 red?
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313Finally got got welder hooked up to a 60 amp breaker. I was on the dryer. This is only 1/8 inch and its needing like 185 + amps and it keeps popping. Is that normal? Ac balance set to about 75% penetration. Is popping from only having 3/32 red?
Reply:I'm gona go get an 1/8 tungsten today.  Could it be from the aragon tank is 45 degrees? I think the heat is going through the aluminum very fast. I heard it works good to ball ur electrode on a piece of tungsten. Has anyone tried this?
Reply:No, like I said this is normal for your welder.You need an 85 amp breaker to even run that machine at full output power (on 230vac input) because it's power factor is complete garbage (.62).http://www.lincolnelectric.com/asset...oln3/im895.pdfWelding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Ya I think I was pushing the torch. It was hard to hold on to even at the bottom of the torch with out a glove on. Of course I was wearing a glove on the torch hand while welding. What do u ball ur tungsten on? I have never balled my tungsten I always sharpen it. And it usually crystal balls pretty fast. The e3 balls pretty nice and seems to weld AL really good. But doesn't seem that good at low amps (75-85) on DC