I figured out the remedy for the unaligned joints. I’ll admit that at first I was annoyed, because after the second joint I realized this was going to be an issue. So I put it all together and began loosening the joints to get them all aligned. THIS ISN’T NECESSARY!!! Just lay them all flat on the floor fully assembled. Tighten the joints. When it looks all lopsided and unaligned, put some elbow grease into it, and use your weight to push the bars in alignment. Trust me, there is somehow enough give to easily get them all tight and aligned simply by lying them flat on the floor and working from that angle. Good luck! These are pretty sturdy once you figure that out.