Beer Can TIG Set-Up - T/A 185

[newbie]

Is there any point on practicing butt welding beer cans together? I am going through alot of expensive practice pieces. If so, can someone who has done this with the T/A 185 give me the exact settings that they used? TIA

[dsergison]

expensive practice? yeah.

maybe my problem is that I've been practicing with two mt dew's. I'm too shaky. Maybe with two beers would be easier

here's the setting. LOW. like 8- 10 amps total, tinyest tungsten. and you have to clean off the coating on the cans. I use a 3m abrasive pad and alcohol.

[newbie]

Ok, how about balance, freq. and gas flow?

[dsergison]

somewhere around 30%, whatever it's set at (60?), and enough.

really, you should spend some time with some .060 aluminum, and when you get that figured out real good, then you can try for the .010" can bottoms.

I hear lanthanated tungsten is real good on the low end.

I havent managed a good job of it myself, I can manage a real good inch or two, but then I blow it.

I have wondered wether it would be easier with full cans. :P

[bigolguy]

i heard some real competent weldors can weld foil!!!! is that true...you gotta be a master of temperature control when you can accomplish that...and what about when you dip the rod?...won't it poke a hole in the heated up part?

[Franz]

I've got a weldor who can weld **** out of aluminum foil, and I knew one who could do it 30 years ago with an old Airco TIG machine.
The ability to weld aluminum foil isn't in the machine, it's the ability of the man.
I couldn't do it if you offered me $1000-.

[DrIQ]

Beer cans are thinner today than in earlier years, by the time you get the coating off the can you don't have much to work with. You might do better going to an auto salvage yard and pickup a couple damaged aluminum radiator cores. Pull the tubes out of them and practice on them, they are thicker than the beer cans.

If you really want to try the beer cans try these settings.
start - 10
AC hz - 100 to 150
AC balance - 20 to 30
gas - 15 to 20 cfh
1/16" 2% or lanthanated tungsten

aluminum foil is narmally easier to weld than the cans
because of the purity of the aluminum

[bigolguy]

Originally posted by bill grooms
If there is anyone out there who can weld aluminum foil, I'd sure like to see a picture. I've been welding a long time and have never heard of anyone doing it. A picture is worth a thousand words. Bring it on.

sure it can be done with a real small tungsten torch setup on ac.it sure as **** can't be stick welded with al rod!..

[WV4runner]

Beer can weld and foil welds. Found them online.

[WV4runner]

Cans

[cope]

A friend of mine witnessed a Century rep welding beer cans with a Century Mig. As Franz says, the ability is in the weldor more than the welder.

[FlashBlind]

OK, since this thread seems to explore the G whiz side of welding, I recall someone describing a razor blade welded to an anvil on this forum. Can anyone do it/ post a pic?

[dsergison]

Well, I been trying the can deal a bit more.

I got this wild hair that it would be easier if they were full.

a bit later and a lot stickier I decided I was wrong.

And then Sister in law says It was because they were standing up and only air was under the weld so it couldn't sink the heat properly. must have been....

so I tried with cans FILLED completely with water and taped shut.

a bit later I was headed for the mop.


I'm done trying for a while.

[cutter]

lol, very picturesque & entertaining post, dsergison.

Maybe someday Paulie will do a beer can theme chopper & show everybody how it's done.

<ducking>

[Franz]

"Maybe someday Paulie will do a beer can theme chopper & show everybody how it's done"

I can envision Pauley holding a full can of beer above his mouth and trying to punch a hole in it with a TIG torch. I sure hope he has the high freq turned up, so it knocks his *** across the shop.
That boy needs electrifyin!