What is the best way to weld 2x2x2' aluminum box with 1x1"x16gauge AL square tube?

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I'm borrowing the image below from this threadhttp://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...ghlight=cornerWhich discusses welding steel square tube together.I'm going to be using the righ hand method of cutting the tube. My specific question is if you were making a 2x2x2' cube that held say a load of 70 pounds what welding technique would you use?I was thinking of 3 inside fillett welds and two outside butt welds for each corner. Also when you weld the 3 corner pieces together do you weld the x, y  & z all at once or do you do x-y butt weld first? then weld on the z?I've tried the x-y butt weld first but when one goes to weld on the z, the butt weld needs to be ground down for a nice fit. lastly what types of clamps would you use to hold all 3 pieces together?http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...2945_200342945 is a 3 axis vice but it seems like there is not much room to actually weld once all pieces are held together!I did do a search on this and did not see it specifically discussed before.Last edited by AluminumWelder; 12-15-2012 at 12:02 PM.
Reply:I would weld the right angle first, using miter cuts.  Bevel the material.  You'll get good penetration (probably not necessary for 70 lbs), and have less material to remove when you fit the vertical tube.  With use of the miter cut process, there is a lot less time involved.  I don't think I'd mess with the clamps at all.  Your question isn't about welding technique.......its about the fabrication and fit-up process.-AaronJet 17.5" Drill Press1942 South Bend 16x84 Lathe1980s Miller 320A / BP --- 2013 Power Mig 2562012 Jet 7x12 Horizontal BandsawVictor O/A Setup
Reply:Originally Posted by AluminumWelderI'm borrowing the image below from this threadhttp://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...ghlight=cornerWhich discusses welding steel square tube together.I'm going to be using the righ hand method of cutting the tube. My specific question is if you were making a 2x2x2' cube that held say a load of 70 pounds what welding technique would you use?I was thinking of 3 inside fillett welds and two outside butt welds for each corner. Also when you weld the 3 corner pieces together do you weld the x, y  & z all at once or do you do x-y butt weld first? then weld on the z?I've tried the x-y butt weld first but when one goes to weld on the z, the butt weld needs to be ground down for a nice fit. lastly what types of clamps would you use to hold all 3 pieces together?http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...2945_200342945 is a 3 axis vice but it seems like there is not much room to actually weld once all pieces are held together!I did do a search on this and did not see it specifically discussed before.
Reply:http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/...ion-tools.htmlis the video but it's kind of pointless the way he does it. He's already welded the x-y table top, and only needs to add the Z leg which would only require a 2 axis vise. Seems to be me the whole point of a 3 axis vise is to actually use all 3 axis at once. Other wise You can just use a 2 axis vise?
Reply:Originally Posted by AluminumWelderhttp://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/...ion-tools.htmlis the video but it's kind of pointless the way he does it. He's already welded the x-y table top, and only needs to add the Z leg which would only require a 2 axis vise. Seems to be me the whole point of a 3 axis vise is to actually use all 3 axis at once. Other wise You can just use a 2 axis vise?
Reply:Thanks for the reply. Once you have the xy miter plane done and you are ready to attatch the z tube, do you weld all 4 sides? I'm thinking a fillete weld and a butt weld on opposite side will suffice?Let me clarify what I mean.  In the video he does not show how he welds the table top, for all I know he could of eyeballed it and made an untrue rectangle. All his 3 way vise is doing it holding the table top in place since it was ALREADY welded before he put it in the vise , there is no way the vise can correct any error since he has already welded it. He could of just as easily used a right angle vise and put the piece  Perpendicular to the welding table and put the Z axis parallel to welding table top and gotten same results is what I am saying. If you're already weleded on axis that only leaves 2 axis, which can be handled by a 2 axis corner vise. I'm not going to be using caps. on the tube ends.I'll try it both way. Miters are a pain. I'll need to make a stop fence on my circular saw to get any sort of consistent results.
Reply:Let me repeat : That clamp uses all 3 axis to establish perpendicularity to each other, then tack up--which a 2 axis clamp won't do-by itself....one will need to do that by checking with square, tapping, etc.Go ahead &  fitup with a 2 axis clamp or no clamps, suggest lots of square and tapechecks before tacking, after tacking, before welding, after welding. (Maybe there's a reason 'why? repetitive' checks are being mentioned, repeatedly???)On doing only a butt weld and fillet weld on opposite sides.....Ahem.....suggest only tacking out the upper and lower frames to the 4 verticals--first;then doing the dance of all these silly checks, square and tape,then weld out to whatever management dictates....and then do more silly checks. The time spent in checking will be very educational.I support management 150 %.Blackbird