Weld Bending

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I have been working on a bar stool racer project and everythng was going good untill I welded the front steering supports on.  It appears when the welds cooled they contracted and caused a pull on the frame to where I have about 1/4 bend in the frame right behind the back steering supports on the frame.Is there a way to limit or prevent this from happening?  The bend started where I had eariler welded the back steering supports and I think maybe the metal was still hot when I welded the front steering supports.I am using FCAW on my Lincoln 175.  Heat and wire settings are correct.Also I am using 1 X 1 X 1/8" square tubing for the frame design.Thank for the help!
Reply:I am not an accomplished welder, but I do have experience building various things with thinwall square tubing and have had some experiences like yours.There are two things I've done that help, actually doing both of them together seems best.I was builiding some wheeled carriers for racing karts.  To correct the warping, I designed the framing such that I could use a 90 degree jig clamp at each corner to hold the pieces RIGIDLY in place while still having access to weld all the way around the joint.  THEN I alternated my welds so that they offset each other.In other words, I would weld about half of one side, then go diagonally and weld the same area diagonally across from the previous weld.  Then come back to the other side and finish it.  Then go to the opposing side and finish that.Basically you keep crisscrossing so that the warping stresses cancel out as much as possible.  After the joint is done I would leave it clamped until cool enough to chip the slag.This did not make everything perfect, but it helped alot.I am sure that there are some welders here with MUCH more experience and savvy than myself, so maybe we can get a better suggestion.Merry Christmas,Doc"I live so far out in the boondocks, my TV runs on Propane."
Reply:MBDiagMan pretty much nailed it.Now that you seen it happen you can rest assured that it will or want to happen everytime on everything you weld. No matter how thick. Now that you know, you can account for it.  Every time you get in a hurry, warpage will sneak in and get you. Think ahead on each weld.What he said, clamping, smaller welds at a time, temp strong backs and/or cross bracing then grind those off and pretty up. Be creative."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt