Welding Tips and Tricks

My first attempt at beer cans. Not perfect but it gives me an excuse to drink more beer to get more "coupons"

Miller Lite?

I thought you said it was BEER!....

That stuff's like making love in a canoe. F#$king close to water...

Seriously, though, nice job! I've never tried the beer can challenge, but I'm sure I'd have to "prep my coupons" the same way to have my hands steady enough.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:Miller Lite?

I thought you said it was BEER!....

That stuff's like making love in a canoe. F#$king close to water...

Seriously, though, nice job! I've never tried the beer can challenge, but I'm sure I'd have to "prep my coupons" the same way to have my hands steady enough.

Steve S

I hear ya. I call it Miller Piss Water but heavy beer hangs me real bad so I prefer alcohol dissolved in water
I was just bored this morning and was watching Jody's videos on Youtube and a vid popped up and I says to myself " I can do that and stir up some shit on WTT by throwing down the guantlet Don't thank me...it's part of my charm

I, too, usually drink domestic beer, for the same reason. As much as I love craft beer and the imported ales, porters, and stouts, I rarely drink "a beer or two". Six pints is typical at one sitting, and heavy beers make me feel it later, in my head, gut, and wallet.

I now have some 4943 that I haven't had the chance to try yet. Maybe I'll see how it performs on cans...

Steve S

exnailpounder wrote:...and I says to myself " I can do that

and you did it well

Have not yet tried either

I've been drinking Keystone anybody into making a pipeline?

I'll try the bushlight cans maybe tomorrow.

Tom Osselton wrote:I've been drinking Keystone anybody into making a pipeline?

Fuckin A Im in!

AndersK wrote:

exnailpounder wrote:...and I says to myself " I can do that

and you did it well

Have not yet tried either

Thanks Anders. My first attempt was okay...the other ones after that sucked ass...

What were you settings and on what machine.

Farmwelding wrote:What were you settings and on what machine.

MIller Syncrowave 210 , 45 amps no pulse 14 cfh , 1/16" E3 tungsten, gas lens #8 cup, 1/16" 4043 filler.
Second attempt I switched to 3/32" tungsten and filler rod and it was actually easier. With the 1/16" filler you have to feed rod like crazy to control the heat or you will blow out.

exnailpounder wrote: My first attempt at beer cans. Not perfect but it gives me an excuse to drink more beer to get more "coupons"

Hey Jeff, did you weld this without a rotator? If so then you did damn well, seems this challenge would be best if done with a rotator.

exnailpounder wrote:

AndersK wrote:

exnailpounder wrote:...and I says to myself " I can do that

and you did it well

Have not yet tried either

Thanks Anders. My first attempt was okay...the other ones after that sucked ass...

It gets harder as you drink more beer. That's what she said too.
Every one of my attempts have sucked ass. What size filler did you use? I just can't get 1/16 to start properly on 9 times out of 10 because it's about 5 times as thick as the can is. I was thinking that some smaller mig wire might make it a ton easier.

LtBadd wrote:

exnailpounder wrote: My first attempt at beer cans. Not perfect but it gives me an excuse to drink more beer to get more "coupons"

Hey Jeff, did you weld this without a rotator? If so then you did damn well, seems this challenge would be best if done with a rotator.

I just put the cans in a vice and turned them as needed. I cant feed rod very well so I am pretty good at hiding my starts/stops.

Rambo...don't use small mig wire...you will blow holes. Lightup on your wire...don't try to puddle the cans or you will just blow holes. It's basically doing the laywire technique but you still have to push rod into the puddle to cool the puddle enough that you are able to move forward. I went to 3/32" and it was even easier. Just light up and stay on the wire and let the molten pool fuse to the cans but feed rod or else. The arc wants to wander like crazy because you are down in a ditch so I used a long sharp point and turned down my argon to help steady the arc. It's definitely a challenge but after you figure out what you need to do..it gets easier. Also poke a hole in the bottom of one of the cans or air pressure will blow out your weld at the finish line. Just remember, you are not just running over your wire like you would on mild, aluminum shrinks back so you have to push the wire into the puddle to control the heat. I don't know how I was able to pull off the first one because my subsequent tries sucked but I had old cans that have been outside for a longtime and I could see contamination in the puddle as I was welding. Not making any excuses. This is not easy and takes practice. Post up pics...warts and all

That makes sense. As soon as I get my welder out of the pawn shop I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

You rotten buggers.

First you get me sucked into the Cutter Blade Challenge, now this. Mind you, I wound up pretty happy with my results with the the cutter blade thing, so I'll probably enjoy this, too.

I reckon that's a good tip on the thicker filler. I've tried welding cans with thin filler before and always stuffed it.



Kym

Then there is also the filler rod challenge.
Put two 1/16 or 0.43 filler rods parallell and weld together

...followed by the aluminium foil challenge....




Kym

EX, you "hit the nail on the head" I tried a couple times before but got endlessly frustrated by the arc wandering. Thinking about the weld differently sure helped.

NIce job maker! It's all about staying on the wire and letting the puddle fuse into the cans. I haven't had time to try to make one pretty yet but I can tell it's not going to be easy.

MosquitoMoto wrote:You rotten buggers.

First you get me sucked into the Cutter Blade Challenge, now this. Mind you, I wound up pretty happy with my results with the the cutter blade thing, so I'll probably enjoy this, too.

I reckon that's a good tip on the thicker filler. I've tried welding cans with thin filler before and always stuffed it.



Kym

Stuff like this is a novelty but it really does help to sharpen skills. Awaiting your submission

Nice job guys, I tried that beer can thing awhile back and got real good at blowing holes through them Next time I have my machine fired up I'll have to give it another try.

No beer or soda cans. I drink wine.

electrode wrote:No beer or soda cans. I drink wine.

Well use wine cans then! Sheesh!




Kym