The present disclosure is for a metal fabrication locator device that is a plate, or other object as described herein, that is fastened to the tangent face of a receiving tube. A mating tube may then slide over the metal fabrication locator device such that the perimeter of the metal fabricator locator device biases the inside sidewall of the mating tube to precisely align it on the receiving tube. This eliminates the use of additional weld fixtures for positioning of tube members in a metal fabrication assembly. This also allows an end user to construct and weld a product together on their own with precise assembly. Also disclosed herein are methods of manufacture and assembly of a metal fabrication assembly using a metal fabrication locator device.