Amatuer welder help !

[Kaz]

Going to need some help. So after putting the trailer frame away for the week I decided to bring it back in and flip it over to paint the bottom side. Well when I flipped it over I noticed something was askew. Wouldn't you know it after welding the tongue on I apparently had to much heat and the process caused the front frame member to bend at the welds. Is there way to correct this ? Don't want to go cutting and grinding the thing off if I don't have to but I figure now is the time to address the problem. Help an amateur welder please! I add a picture but I don't know how to resize the picture.

[KCStudly]

If it is merely aesthetic, leave it be.

[tony.latham]

If it merely aesthetic, leave it be.

As usual, I agree with The Master of the PCE (see his build thread). Every trailer is going to have hiccups that remain hidden to all but the Jedi that created it. There's a name for these hidden emblems:

Maker's Mark: the personal mark of a goldsmith or silversmith, struck on the completed pieces.

But if it's a real problem, you can weld on the other side to suck it back inline. That's a somewhat normal solution to welding warp that needs addressed –plus once its de-warped– you can have a shot of Maker's Mark bourbon and say to hell with the hiccup.

Tony

[MtnDon]

I think a picture would help determine the seriousness of the defect.

[Dale M.]

In future, keep in mind that when welds cool they shrink in direction of where weld occurs, causing it to bend or warp.... To counter you need to do a equal amount on welding on opposite side that is why you do "some" weld, and move 180° opposite first weld and do second weld... One keeps alternating welds till project is complete, and hopefully it has not warped to much...

Dale

[Kaz]

Thank you all for the advice. I feel better knowing others say leave it alone. I was going to stress it to straight and weld an angle stock on the back side. Not so sure about that now. Wouldn't be able to see it past the scotch anyway.

[ctstaas]

Hi Kaz, I have welded professionally for over 35 years (I should be better at this by now) and let me throw out some ideas. If the bend does not affect the straight towing, leave it. Tell people you planned it that way. If you need to fix it the two simplest ways? are heat and force. On tubing and pipe heat is almost always used. Use a rosebud torch to heat a round spot on the tube until it turns cherry red and remove the heat. Let it cool completely. Suctioning water through a venturi on an air line will chill metal fast when sprayed with. When the hot spot cools it will shrink. Knowing where and how much heat to apply is where the experience factor comes into play. The other method is force. I have had things blocked up in my driveway that I've had to drive my truck over in many directions to get straight or flat. This can be dangerous. Things go BOOM go fly. While you are being careful don't over straighten and make things worse.
The good thing is, when your done you'll feel like a hero and they can't take away your junior welders badge, now can they.
Enjoy, Chris

[Kaz]

Awesome I think I just got a junior welder merit badge!