welding aluminum beer cans

[teknition]

I recently purchased a Miller Dynasty 200DX and want to practice welding thin aluminum.

I figured welding beer cans would be good practice and the materials are cheap.

The problem I'm having is that there are so many settings on the 200DX that I'm not sure where to set them all. It sure would be helpful if Miller included the recommended settings for various materials and thickness's in the owners manual and that they weren't generic but specific to the machine. I have their tig calculator but the 200DX has more settings than what are listed on the calculator.

I've tried the lowest amperage setting and frequency set around 200 but I have to move excessively fast just to get it to not burn thru.

Does anyone here have experience with welding something similar with a 200 DX and if so could you post all the settings as well as the tig rod size and tungsten size you are using?

one more thing.....when im welding aluminum and dip the tig rod into the puddle, the outside of the tig rod is "gummy" when I take it out of the puddle. It stretches like gum and is quite irritating. Does anyone know how to cure this?

[MAC702]

Here's one thread on the sister-board. I searched over there for "beer cans." A few threads have info, and this one had some specific settings you might try...

http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/...22beer+cans%22

[Danny]

I cant help you with your settings, I dont run that machine myself. But as far as welding aluminum beer cans or anything of that nature I have gone back to gas welding using one of the new super alloys thats available. I wont **** any product here, but I can tell you that I have no problem welding any aluminum can or even filling holes up to 3/8" in diameter using mapp or propane fuel source. I know that even years ago we were welding cans togeather using the old tig technology, I am sure with your new machine once you get your settings dialed in, you will be able to weld as many beer cans togeather as you wish, providing you are not trying to consume the contents as fast as you weld the cans.

[teknition]

Thanks for the link Mac , I'm sure it will come in handy and I will have a look at it tonight.

Thanks for the post Dan
I'm not really trying to weld any aluminum for a specific purpose other than tig practice. I can't promise I won't sample the contents while practicing but don't worry, there aren't too many structural beer can towers out there and I wasn't planning on making one, but if I do I'll try to limit it to 3 floors

[HMW]

I assume you mean dip the tig rod[filler metal] in the puddle. I think it does that because there is not enough heat in the puddle to melt the filler rod. I do it too sometimes. maybe use the smallest filler rod. I think .040". haven't tried a beer can yet but will with my 180sd. If i can do it with that i know you can do it with the dynasty, you even have pulse with that machine which should let you weld even thinner stuff. Let us know how you make out and I'll post it when I try it.

[teknition]

Thanks for the reply HMW.
Yes, i was refering to the tig filler rod. It is quite possible I didn't have enough heat in the puddle as I was using the lowest setting on the 200DX.
I will have to try it again with a bit more amperage and some smaller rod. I was using 3/32 filler because that was all I had.

I'm sure the machine itself is more than capable of welding the beer can, I just have to learn to use it properly

[tcseacliff]

I believe the beer cans have special coatings on the iside to prserve the beer, that is probably conmtaminating every weld

[benny365]

All aluminum cans have varnish on them to keep the liquids from eating a hole in the can body, 115 Milligrams to be exact. Oh and the frost brewed liner on the Coors cans is Bull****, just blue varnish. As long as you don't burn through you should be safe from contamination

[techwelder]

Hello,

Currently I have 6 250's in the shop that I instruct in. I have found that using a piece of angle iron to help fit the 2 can together is beneficial. Pre cleaning the cans with a stainless or brass wire brush is a must. My students practice with 1/16" 2%thoriated and we use 4043 .030 spool gun wire. After the 2 cans are tacked, the arc must be concentrated in the center of the tack to begin the welds. I have found if the cans are not cleaned properly by remiving the clear coat the arc will take the least path of resistance and melt a hole in one of the cans. A steady hand is a must, and the rate at which the filler metal is added is essential.

Hopefuly this helps,

Adam

[weldingtipsandtricks]

A few tricks for welding the beer cans with a dynasty 200dx:
First thing is punch a hole in one of them so that the expanding gases dont blow out when you close up the last little bit of the weld.
second, use 1/16" or even .040" electrode, either 2% thoriated, ceriated, or lanthanated and put a taper on it just like you would for welding on DC. maybe not quite as sharp.
A/c balance around 60, frequency/HZ at about 100-120
Filler metal no bigger than 1/16"
use 4043. 4047 is even better because it has slightly lower melt point and wets out better with lower heat.

If you really want to strut, run a really light pass around the ridge of each can where the weld will be, in addition to all the above.

Good luck,

Jody
www.weldingtipsandtricks.com