Originally Posted by
soyabean
Yup.
Folks that don't do any MIG/TIG weld just never get it.
The thicker and more weld there is, the stronger. That's why it's so apparent at the tube butts.
When you can't see any welds, it may as well been glued there with epoxy.
Basically yes although there is no point in excessive build-up. The joint should be a bit stronger than the rest of the tube. A good TIG weld will achieve that, with a fillet width about the same as the wall-thickness of the tube, or thereabouts (it should be a bit thicker on a steel frame as the rod is usually mild steel not Cromoly). And for something like a cap on the end of a tube you can sand it all smooth because it's mainly cosmetic anyway.
But aesthetically speaking not welding all the way around those rack mounts would look a bit Walmart to me.