Untwisting Angle Steel using Heat

We are using some 8" x 6" x .5" angle steel and used it to weld a bracket. After some welding we have noticed some significant twist in a number of the sections. The sections are about 6' long. Does anyone have any experience or pointers in using heat to untwist angle? We are familiar with the process to straighten beams and other forms but the twist and the form being angle has us scratching our heads.

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks.

Serious suggestion: Get advise on where to stretch or shrink from a frame/body shop technician. Use your own expertise with beams to figure how to stretch or shrink with the torch.

Huey19 said:

We are using some 8" x 6" x .5" angle steel and used it to weld a bracket. After some welding we have noticed some significant twist in a number of the sections. The sections are about 6' long. Does anyone have any experience or pointers in using heat to untwist angle? We are familiar with the process to straighten beams and other forms but the twist and the form being angle has us scratching our heads.

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

In general you will need to apply some heat opposite the welds. We do a considerable amount of heat straightening and find that without exception less is better. Use a smaller cutting tip rather than a rosebud and only hot shot spots opposite your welds until you see a change of color starting on the surface of the steel. If the heat penetrates too far you will not get movement.

Heat a few places and walk away until it cools naturally. You have to be real patient when doing this and try not to rush the process. If you go too far remember that adding heat to the weld side will cause a drastic change.

The twist is caused by the heat from the welds shrinking the outer surface of the steel. By adding heat opposite that weld you are matching side for side. When doing this to angles with weld only on one leg you may still have to add heat in the same manner to the unwelded leg.

I really have come to believe that using heat to move metal is as much of an art as a skill. For what it's worth I can move almost any steel 1/2" and thicker but moving sheet metal has always been a mystery for me.

Walter

In my experience. Heat the peak.