welding aluminum beer cans

[StillBoostin]

Hey Tek, can I assume you're drinking the contents of the aforementioned cans? Stay away from Old Style or Millers- bad aluminum! I know you folks up north don't celebrate the 4th of July, but have a great day anyway!

I hope your talking about Canadians. I couldn't imagine ANY American not celebrating the 4th of July, Independence Day.

I'm going to go weld some of the new Bud Select Aluminum Bottles. They come in a 4 pack so I'm might have to go back to the store to get more "metal" to weld.

James

[diamondback]

are you welding the bottom together or trying for the middles?

for the bottoms it's quite easy, keep the parts clean of oxide, keep the energy low and run the arc mostly on the filler to pull more energy out. The tops are a bit harder because they are rolled and you get the side of a stressed thin piece of aluminum. If you are welding the sides-good luck I haven't been able to do it without a plasma welder, not cutter, welder even then it was hard.

Be careful of the fumes, they made me very sick the first time around. The inside of the cans have some coating that is nasty in the heated fume state. I think they put it in there to keep the content of choice from tasting like aluminum. There are even some concerns about what kinds of disorders are coming from aluminum food handling equipment, so just be careful and enjoy the prep work

[StillBoostin]

are you welding the bottom together or trying for the middles?

for the bottoms it's quite easy, keep the parts clean of oxide, keep the energy low and run the arc mostly on the filler to pull more energy out. The tops are a bit harder because they are rolled and you get the side of a stressed thin piece of aluminum. If you are welding the sides-good luck I haven't been able to do it without a plasma welder, not cutter, welder even then it was hard.

Be careful of the fumes, they made me very sick the first time around. The inside of the cans have some coating that is nasty in the heated fume state. I think they put it in there to keep the content of choice from tasting like aluminum. There are even some concerns about what kinds of disorders are coming from aluminum food handling equipment, so just be careful and enjoy the prep work

Thanks for the heads up. I didn't know that, so I will definently(sp for the spelling police) wear my half mask.. Might have to take it of to do some more welding prep.

[turboglenn]

Pulled this off today on after working on it here and there since i've owned my own TIG. I honestly thought i'd never get it this fast, but thatnkfully i'm on the right track now at least. I was using 1/16th rod and tungsten.

Machine settings were as follows

Start amperage 10A _only one changed
Main apms 30
balance 70
frequency of 60hz made it realy easy

Also did it with a freq of 140hz while pulsing at 4pps and using 80/20 on the peak and background.

Althought they weren't flawless, it's my best effort so far, INstead of welding 1/3 inch and then burning 2-3 holes through i only burned 3 small holes on the places where i had to stop and then get teh puddle flowing again. NOt bad IMO, i'll try and get pics up later. Gotta go to work here soon. Just waiting on my Dogs to get "backyard business" and breakfast done so i can load up and head out.

[Rubiconmike]

Can stainless steal wool to clean the filler rod get rid of the glob?

[Bodybagger]

I wouldn't think so because it's probably not a cleaning issue... the deal is that since the base metal is so thin, he can't get it much above the melting point without blowing a hole in it, so when he dips the rod in, it sucks enough heat from the weld pool to teter on the phase change. It's basically trying to solidify on him and has little if anything to do with dirt.

[spotsineyes]

As "Beer Can Moderator", I will delete any future posts where the thread starter claims to even try to weld cans together, when the post doesn't include pictures. Sorry, guys.

[turboglenn]

As "Beer Can Moderator", I will delete any future posts where the thread starter claims to even try to weld cans together, when the post doesn't include pictures. Sorry, guys.

I will post pics of my progress as soon as i get back from eating (leaving in 5 minutes)... like i said, i still burned a few holes, but it's my best progress yet.

[StillBoostin]

I didn't do so well and the fumes were terrible. I need help. What amps and balance?

James

[turboglenn]

I didn't do so well and the fumes were terrible. I need help. What amps and balance?

James

I've used between 20 and 30 amps (with a tig start amperage of 10A and starting on EP) ..the better i get the more towards 30amps i stay. Balance is at 60% EN no matter what, I've used both 40-60hz range and up to right around 140-150 but it was more diffiult and required more torch manipulation. 40-60 was best. You must clean the cans REALLY good, you will see the oxide layer and something else come off and the metal will get shinier (not sure what all it is but scotch brite worked better than a wire brush) Start with the rod in the groove as soon as your arc strikes, then keep filling the puddle continuously while moving the puddle..dont' take the rod from the puddle at all!!!

I've done it with and without the pulser...the settings i use on it are.
30Amps
15PPS
80% peak
10%background

Using 1/16th tungsten (ceriated and thoriated) and 1/16 4043 filler rod.. I'm only burning holes when re-starting the puddle after turning the can to re-position for welding...a few weeks ago it was 3/16ths of sloppy bead and 1 1/2 inches of holes then another 1/8th bead LOL I put a pic of an older red-bull can i did about 2 weeks ago in my new thread in the project section