tig two beer cans together??

[glockdoc]

Thought I might try to impress a few people and maybe stir up some business by tig welding two cans together. What is the best way to do this? When I first got the machine I tried but the edges would burn away before I could get them to join. I didn't try using any filler rod. The best I could do at the time was get a puddle started on the side of one of the cans.

[H80N]

Knowing How........................

Aye... knowing how... that is the rub.....

first rule of tigging aluminum.. make sure that it is clean... scrub those rims shiny with a piece of scotchbrite.. just before you try to weld them...(gets that invisible insulating oxide layer off the metal)
... sounds like you have way too much heat... take it down to somewhere around 20amps and start fooling around there.. you may need more or less depending on how quick you are.....
and finally... practice... practice.. practice...
takes some guys years to figure out how to do it.. (that is why it might impress folks) Knowledge is gained by study.. practice.. and more practice...
.
.
and may I not be struck by lightning for giving away the secrets of the Olde Guilde
8=)

hope this helps
Heiti

[ASKANDY]

It's more of a trick than knowledge unless you have a unit capable of very low end tig.
If you have a Dynasty or something of precision tig, Use a .040 tungsten and set your start amperage low if you can. The Dynasty can do this in the hidden microprocessor menu.
Years ago we would clean the can as H80N said but placed the polarity switch in DC electrode positive. This will place most of the arc energy on the tungsten to keep from blowing the can away. A 1/16 Zirconiated tungsten will take the heat of the reverse polarity better than a pure. Also see if you can get some 1100 series filler. It flows real easy. Welding Alum cans has gotten harder over the past few years with all the recycled poor quality aluminum.

Good luck

Andy

[H80N]

Andy
many (if not most) of the machines out there can do it "WITHOUT" a secret menu or microprocessor control... my Hobart Tigwave 250 (alias Miller Syncrowave 250) Lincoln Squarewave Tig 175 can both do it.. both without a silicon brain in their little heads... and so can so so many of the other "old technology machines"...(have not tried it on the Trailblazer yet) first did it on AC Hi-freq... on an ancient 700 lb Lincoln Idealarc Tig magamp machine many many years ago... please let us not substitute... trickery or "smart machines" for learned skills and experience... my fear is that if we rely too much on the "smart machine" we may end up dumbing down.. and making less skillful the craftsmen who use them...
sure they are convenient and fun... but what happens to these guys when they lose their little silicon mind... and the weldor is faced with using a different machine without display or buttons??? Knowledge of the basic process will serve the weldor in far more reaching ways than blind adherence to the latest gadget...
just some thoughts from a cranky old weldor..
thanks
Heiti

[H80N]

NO BS

glockdoc
part of the reason one participates in mindless excercises like welding two beer cans together... is skill building... if you can learn to do such a thing without trickery or cheating.. your skill base will be that much the richer... and the people that are impressed will be so, for honest respect of skills.. not some BS hat trick... all of the shortcuts in the world will not help you one whit when you have to perform your magic for the customer... if you do not know what you are doing... it will show in short order... and yep you can show them your beer cans... but if you cannot do the same thing for them on their problem... they will never call you again... what is worse.. they will tell others that you do not know what you are doing... and they will be right...
in my opinion... better to build skills quietly and then let the "quality" of your work advertise for you... rather than use "trickery" to dazzle them and not be able to produce what you have promised.. please take your time.. learn your craft.. and you will profit in the long run..
did not mean to get preachy.. but would hate to see you drown later because of some poor advice taken to heart... and...
BTW... I know of several more ways to cheat that problem... not one of them will help you build your personal skillbase
thanks
Heiti

[H80N]

For Heavens sake...

Guys
measured the rims of several of the cans in our recycle bin.. came up with between .023 and .037 both soft drink and alcoholic beverage.... if a competent tig welder cannot figure out how to weld together two objects of those dimesions.. guess i am boggled.. went to the garage/shop and fused several together... no magic.. no low temperature filler..(no filler at all). is just aluminum of thin gauge.. not rocket science here.. weld as you would for any al of that thickness... as per the quality of recent recycled aluminum???
well fellas... da ya think that they could draw that sheet into a beer can shape and have it hold your beverage till you were ready for it if it did not meet the specs... guess that says that i rejected that idea...
So for heavens sakes please use common sense when approaching a problem ... and consider carefully some of the shortcuts that may come your way...
take care
Heiti

[H80N]

glockdoc
the meaning of the exercise... is Honesty.. Integrity... and learning your craft to the best of your ability... the rest will follow.. let your conscience be your guide...
take care
Heiti

[HAWK]

Heh Guys,

Sometimes we just do things because we can. The old tin cans we used to have were very easy to weld. They were thicker and of a better quality alloy than today's aluminum. It is thin and of poor quality. They can still be welded with or without filler.

I have a machine capable of sub amp ranging and DCRP works like a charm. However, I think that takes the fun out of this exercise in futility. Why do we as welders do such "tricks"? Because we can. This is the same reason we charge high dollars for aluminum repair. People think welding aluminum is magic. It is not. It is just learning the inherent characteristics of the material and how it behaves.

If you are just after the finished product (2 beer cans tigged or 2 golf clubs joined in an X fashion-an odd customer request), then all the high dollar electronic equipment and DCRP as a cheater are the ticket. However, if you are after the satisfaction of "I did it because I can", then stick to good old fashion tig technique. About the only change I make is I grind the tungsten sharp and don't ball it. It's fairly easy to do on the Miller Syncro series or the Lincoln Squarewave 175 with 2% thoriated. I believe any tig machine-inverter, squarewave, or plain jane HF tig will do the job. The operator has to do the work.

Either method will get the job done. The Dynasty and/or DCRP are like a magician on stage. You see the end result, but not the process. That is what is called magic. A basic squarewave machine is more mastery than magic. You see the finished product and you know the process behind it-no magic.

I am not taking sides, but when I was younger we would cut and weld tin cans and in recent years aluminum cans, we also did some .017 carpet cuuting razor blades. Why? Because we could. How? Just process, no inverters-no magic.

Here is something else to think through. For people who have never been around welding the idea of welding is fascinating and magical.
People who take the "magical mystery tour" (to borrow a phrase from the Beatles-thanks guys I wish you were all still here...)eventually learn to master the skill and make it a career or maybe a hobby. For many people this ends with stick or mig welding of mild steel. These folks probably think tig and aluminum welding is magic. Take the tour, go back stage and see the process not just the show.

[Paul Seaman]

Good point to all, now get down off your soap box and get back to work. Try that with a spoolgun practice practice practice. weld well