Best way to section test 1" solid round to 1x3" 11ga tube?

[XMS]

I am tee-welding 1" solid bar to a 1x2" tube 11ga. There are about 30 of these joints to do, and I was tempted to cut a 1" hole in the tube and recess everything inside before the weld, but not looking forward to boring 30 holes. Want to test with MIG and/or flux-core.

So any ideas on the best way to section test this (weld, then cut and inspect) with nothing but a chop saw?

If I can weld the butts and be satisfied with outcome, I'll do it. Otherwise I'll probably drill out the tube on one side and put the bar inside, then weld to hold it and seal it.

These are monkey bars. Literally kid's stuff. But that also means I want them to hold up.

 

[dfkrug]

That's pretty thin-walled tubing, but your loads will be very low.

Why not weld up a test piece (no hole) and stress-test it? If you do not have a hydraulic
press, then jack up your tractor and lower it on the piece. Or lambaste it with an 8# sledge.

 

[2manyrocks]

Angle grinder with a cutoff blade in it would be the easy way of cutting one off to see how well it was welded.

 

[XMS]

Thanks, gents.

I was going to slam it, but was hoping to avoid the angle grinder. Will probably end up doing both.

 

[Big Barn]

XMS. I have done it both ways. The first pic shows 1" solid round stock going directly through 2x3x1/8" tubing for a pull up bar







and the same round stock used for resistance bands butt welded.
The second pic shows the 1" sheet metal cutter I used to bore holes. They are similar to annular cutters and each hole probably took under ten seconds to bore with virtually no effort.

Terry

 

[XMS]

Terry,

Thanks. I see you went Roman for the gym. Nice work.

I like those cutters. They say, "hand drill" but not sure I'd want to man-handle them myself. That would require more time in a Roman gym for me, I think.

 

[RickB]

I would bore the near side of the tube and recess it. You don't utilize the strength of the rectangular tubing by butt welding to one side of it. I would also drill a 1/2" hole opposite the 1" hole and plug weld the end of the 1" round stock stock to the back side of the tubing as well as the near side. Boring 60 holes in 11ga. really isn't a big deal if you are even moderately set up to do it. If my grandkids were going to use this I sure wouldn't be choosing a design based on ease of construction.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I would bore the near side of the tube and recess it. You don't utilize the strength of the rectangular tubing by butt welding to one side of it. I would also drill a 1/2" hole opposite the 1" hole and plug weld the end of the 1" bar stock to the back side of the tubing. I can't imaging any way to make the joint stronger without gussets.

This is good advice. While youre at it just drill the 1" hole all the way and weld both sides.
... In real life the load is trivial. A decent butt weld w/o any drilling would work fine.

 

[Big Barn]

I would bore the near side of the tube and recess it. You don't utilize the strength of the rectangular tubing by butt welding to one side of it. I would also drill a 1/2" hole opposite the 1" hole and plug weld the end of the 1" round stock stock to the back side of the tubing as well as the near side. Boring 60 holes in 11ga. really isn't a big deal if you are even moderately set up to do it. If my grandkids were going to use this I sure wouldn't be choosing a design based on ease of construction.

I like this idea too. Plug welding the end utilizing the 1/2" hole will make for a nice finished look..

Terry

 

[dragoneggs]

Solid round stock seems like way over kill unless that is what you got to work with... especially if you are paying for it aw well. Tubing to tubing with similar wall thicknesses would be easier. I definitely like the idea of boring a 1in hole on the insides of the rails. Then your weld can be prettier than strong and no one the wiser. But this is coming from a rookie welder FWIW.