Help with part distortion after welding

[freedom_in_4low]

The last bit I have to do is to finish boxing in the bottom with these pieces. I still have it clamped to the hitch in hopes that these, if carefully welded, will help push some of the crown out and leave me with less heating to do on the top.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Success!

The propane torch topped out around 400 so I pulled the welder over and laid some fat beads into the top flange. That took care of the crown but it still had some serious bow inward, so I laid a bunch of filler in a wedge shape right on the middle and that straightened out the bow. I've got a bunch of grinding to do but it beats spending $250 on an acetylene torch setup right now.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Success!

The propane torch topped out around 400 so I pulled the welder over and laid some fat beads into the top flange. That took care of the crown but it still had some serious bow inward, so I laid a bunch of filler in a wedge shape right on the middle and that straightened out the bow. I've got a bunch of grinding to do but it beats spending $250 on an acetylene torch setup right now.

View attachment 317531

That worked???? Geeze…..whoda thought?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

That worked???? Geeze…..whoda thought?

Obviously your post was instrumental. I (and a handful of people I considered more knowledgeable than me) just about had me talked out of this idea before you posted that it had worked for you. You gave me the guts to try it, and a helpful pdf on the fundamentals of flame straightening gave me the knowledge of locations and shapes to heat up to make it do exactly what I wanted.

Here's the final test fitup before I clean it and paint it.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

That awesome. In that picture it looks dead straight. Great work.

 

[NskLJ]

I really like the way it turned out!