welding tube question

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about to tig a bunch of 1x1x1/8 AL square tube into a ladder. I'm wondering in the "T" jointsdo i need to be concerned with venting?  each rung will essentially be a totally enclosed tube.so i'm wondering as i get to the last part of the weld on a rung will i have problems with hot air trying to escape through the weld?  i suppose i could drill a 1/16 hole somewhere for a vent if i had to.
Reply:I doubt you will have an issue if done right. Chances are you will need to stop and let the unit cool between welds anyways.If I was going to drill a hole, I'd drill one in the center of the side where the step attaches.I'm thinking you might find this a bit on the lightweight side myself, especially if the ladder is of any length at all. Keep in mind alum will be dead soft in the HAZ, so you will want to minimize the amount of heat you pump into this assembly if you want to retain any strength at all..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:DSW is right. Are these ladder steps for treestands? If so I buy mine only because they're cheaper to buy than build, but anyway even the store bought ones are only welded on the two flat vertical sides of each rung. Not sure what your project is, but hope that helped a bit.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:it's only for a few steps to get on top of a vehicle..if it fails i wont fall too far!   and as far as the hole goes, that where i thought as well (putting it on the vertical riser)
Reply:My input is to watch out for distortion. When I make railings, joining square metal tube at 90 degrees in the middle of a long run of square tube, the likely result is that the long horizontal rail tube will wind up with a bend in it, lifting the middle verticals off the ground. The solution is to prewarp the long side pieces, then weld, then release. That way works. Almost had to scrap an expensive piece once due to this.metalmagpie
Reply:Did you buy the tube yet?????If so what alloy?Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.