[maker of things]

parlor trick is exactly how I was thinking of it. I'm gonna try grinding the tungsten at a broader angle and blunting as Dmitry suggests too.

[MosquitoMoto]

I have a sharp electrode... The arc wander almost seems like bad earth

Try blunting it. I was recently practicing welding 1mm aluminum to build a big box out of it and I had a bear of a time getting the arc to focus. I recently did a bunch of thick steel and I was used to using a pencil sharpened electrode. It instinctively feels like it should pinpoint the arc but it does the exact opposite. I blunted the electrode to a very shallow point, like maybe 30-45 degrees, and the arc instantly became focused and stable.

Thanks, I'm going to give that a shot. I can weld normal aluminium plate down to .6mm no problems and have never, ever had arc focus/stability problems before.

Funny, isn't it? I built a little decorative steel side table from scratch last weekend and it was a complete success, yet somehow not being able to weld cans together really gets to me! I am an odd man.



Kym

[BigD]

I have a sharp electrode... The arc wander almost seems like bad earth

Try blunting it. I was recently practicing welding 1mm aluminum to build a big box out of it and I had a bear of a time getting the arc to focus. I recently did a bunch of thick steel and I was used to using a pencil sharpened electrode. It instinctively feels like it should pinpoint the arc but it does the exact opposite. I blunted the electrode to a very shallow point, like maybe 30-45 degrees, and the arc instantly became focused and stable.

Thanks, I'm going to give that a shot. I can weld normal aluminium plate down to .6mm no problems and have never, ever had arc focus/stability problems before.

Funny, isn't it? I built a little decorative steel side table from scratch last weekend and it was a complete success, yet somehow not being able to weld cans together really gets to me! I am an odd man.



Kym

Well, it's not a universal welding challenge for no reason, there are a bunch of things at play which make it difficult (crappy metal, drastically varying thickness, welding in a valley, various (often alcoholic) outgassing...

I tried it a long time ago when I started thinking I'm a master now... and it put me in my place quickly. But this thread has me wanting to try again as I've learned a bunch of new things that should help. The hard part will be finding cans, we don't really drink anything in my house besides water, coffee and gin.

[GreinTime]

I have a sharp electrode... The arc wander almost seems like bad earth

Try blunting it. I was recently practicing welding 1mm aluminum to build a big box out of it and I had a bear of a time getting the arc to focus. I recently did a bunch of thick steel and I was used to using a pencil sharpened electrode. It instinctively feels like it should pinpoint the arc but it does the exact opposite. I blunted the electrode to a very shallow point, like maybe 30-45 degrees, and the arc instantly became focused and stable.

If you search, someone posted a picture of arc cones in relation to tungsten grinding angles. A sharp tungsten promoted a soft arc start, but the arc cone is wide. A flat tungsten has an almost straight arc the width of the tungsten. It just likes to walk around until it decides to do what it wants, as there is no "guide" to direct it where you want it to go.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[MosquitoMoto]

I have a sharp electrode... The arc wander almost seems like bad earth

Try blunting it. I was recently practicing welding 1mm aluminum to build a big box out of it and I had a bear of a time getting the arc to focus. I recently did a bunch of thick steel and I was used to using a pencil sharpened electrode. It instinctively feels like it should pinpoint the arc but it does the exact opposite. I blunted the electrode to a very shallow point, like maybe 30-45 degrees, and the arc instantly became focused and stable.

If you search, someone posted a picture of arc cones in relation to tungsten grinding angles. A sharp tungsten promoted a soft arc start, but the arc cone is wide. A flat tungsten has an almost straight arc the width of the tungsten. It just likes to walk around until it decides to do what it wants, as there is no "guide" to direct it where you want it to go.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

Cheers, yep, saw that, I think it was Oscar who posted it.

Experimentation with various grinds coming next. Actually making a jog to hold the cans, too!

Then when I've finished I'm going to get a life. Honest!


Kym

[GreinTime]

Try blunting it. I was recently practicing welding 1mm aluminum to build a big box out of it and I had a bear of a time getting the arc to focus. I recently did a bunch of thick steel and I was used to using a pencil sharpened electrode. It instinctively feels like it should pinpoint the arc but it does the exact opposite. I blunted the electrode to a very shallow point, like maybe 30-45 degrees, and the arc instantly became focused and stable.

If you search, someone posted a picture of arc cones in relation to tungsten grinding angles. A sharp tungsten promoted a soft arc start, but the arc cone is wide. A flat tungsten has an almost straight arc the width of the tungsten. It just likes to walk around until it decides to do what it wants, as there is no "guide" to direct it where you want it to go.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

Cheers, yep, saw that, I think it was Oscar who posted it.

Experimentation with various grinds coming next. Actually making a jog to hold the cans, too!

Then when I've finished I'm going to get a life. Honest!


Kym

Yeah right!

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[maker of things]

Actually making a jig to hold the cans, too!

Kym

So I'm not the only nerd thinking about fixturing for can welding? I don't think I can afford a life, takes too much time and money away from having fun.

[BigD]

Wife bought some canned Perrier so I used the rare opportunity when we have cans in the house to try this.

3/32 lanth, 60 amp peak (dont think I ever came close to full tilt but I was doing a heavy pedal dance regardless), triangle wave, 200hz, 75% EN. Didn't go nearly as badly as I thought, I could probably neck down the bead more with pulse but I'm pretty happy with it for a cold single attempt

IMG_4772.JPG (72.68 KiB) Viewed 1552 times

[maker of things]

Big D, looks good to me. I would have been delighted with that as a first attempt.

[RamboBaby]

Then when I've finished I'm going to get a life. Honest!

Kym

Whatever. If you're teaching a little girl how to tig then you've already got a pretty good one.
Can you imagine what that's gonna look like in a high school shop class? She'll make all the boys look like pathetic loosers when she tells em to stand back and watch their eyeballs while she lays down a perfect bead, thus saving the day. It will be akin to Moses parting the Red Sea.

[maker of things]

IMG_20161211_113624032.jpg (57.59 KiB) Viewed 1543 times

Well I didn't make a welding fixture yet, but I did find an easier way to scotch brite the anodizing off the cans.

IMG_20161211_132232702_HDR.jpg (37.26 KiB) Viewed 1543 times

This is with 1/8 filler. I ran as high as 50 amps with 1/16 tungsten and my cfh was at 20 ish. The filler seems to me to be the biggest factor in this game. I had no blow through, and the weld went well.

[MosquitoMoto]

Nice work!

I've fallen back on this. Have had a lot of other welding to do and no time to keep up the practise on the cans. However, a Christmas break beckons, so I'll be back into it soon.



Kym

[exnailpounder]

Nice work maker! We are running out of challenges. Time to think up something new.

[LtBadd]

Nice work maker! We are running out of challenges. Time to think up something new.

How about the crack of...dawn

[exnailpounder]

Nice work maker! We are running out of challenges. Time to think up something new.

How about the crack of...dawn

You first

[Tom Osselton]

Nice work maker! We are running out of challenges. Time to think up something new.

Well you could try to weld the tab back on!

[Jakedaawg]

Although I am just learning, I decided to try this beer can challenge out. Having an issue with Arc wandering and stuff. I did manage to get a couple of tack welds and got two cans stuck together. The Arc Wonder is prohibiting me from finishing

[exnailpounder]

Although I am just learning, I decided to try this beer can challenge out. Having an issue with Arc wandering and stuff. I did manage to get a couple of tack welds and got two cans stuck together. The Arc Wonder is prohibiting me from finishing

You gotta up your amps and turn down your gas. You have to force the arc to stay in place.. Using a real steep torch angle helps alot too. I use about 75 amps for this trick. You would think it would just melt the cans but it doesn't. Light up on your filler rod.

[Jakedaawg]

Although I am just learning, I decided to try this beer can challenge out. Having an issue with Arc wandering and stuff. I did manage to get a couple of tack welds and got two cans stuck together. The Arc Wonder is prohibiting me from finishing

You gotta up your amps and turn down your gas. You have to force the arc to stay in place.. Using a real steep torch angle helps alot too. I use about 75 amps for this trick. You would think it would just melt the cans but it doesn't. Light up on your filler rod.

When You say a steep angle grind on the tungsten do you meen a lonlg fine point or a short blunt point. I tried both on a 1/16" E3. One I suppose was grinder about a 15* point so the it was like a needle but still had a little flat spot. the other I would say was more than 45* not quite a flat 1/16" tungsten but a bit of a taper with the same little flat on the end. The flat on the end of each was maybe 1/64".

I was useing 40Amps foot pedal, never got to full pedal. 65% EN on a dynasty. Lit on the filler with as little pedal as possible to let some cleaning happen. Then incrrased pedal to get the filler to melt. Tri wave. Set the dynasty on .040 tungsten even though I had 1/16" tungsten on a lens with #7 cup. More than ten on the flow less than 15.

I was able to get the tacks but wasn't able to proceed. I was not blowing through I just could not get the filler to melt clean and flow.

[Jakedaawg]

I do not expect to be successful as I am still padding beads and doing joints on 3/32" - 1/8" thick new aluminum coupons.

I am not to bad at the aluminum as far as the two very respected local guys say. At least they say I am good for a guy with less than a couple hours of hood time. Less than two pounds of 5356 and 4043 filler as far as practice goes.

[exnailpounder]

Although I am just learning, I decided to try this beer can challenge out. Having an issue with Arc wandering and stuff. I did manage to get a couple of tack welds and got two cans stuck together. The Arc Wonder is prohibiting me from finishing

You gotta up your amps and turn down your gas. You have to force the arc to stay in place.. Using a real steep torch angle helps alot too. I use about 75 amps for this trick. You would think it would just melt the cans but it doesn't. Light up on your filler rod.

When You say a steep angle grind on the tungsten do you meen a lonlg fine point or a short blunt point. I tried both on a 1/16" E3. One I suppose was grinder about a 15* point so the it was like a needle but still had a little flat spot. the other I would say was more than 45* not quite a flat 1/16" tungsten but a bit of a taper with the same little flat on the end. The flat on the end of each was maybe 1/64".

I was useing 40Amps foot pedal, never got to full pedal. 65% EN on a dynasty. Lit on the filler with as little pedal as possible to let some cleaning happen. Then incrrased pedal to get the filler to melt. Tri wave. Set the dynasty on .040 tungsten even though I had 1/16" tungsten on a lens with #7 cup. More than ten on the flow less than 15.

I was able to get the tacks but wasn't able to proceed. I was not blowing through I just could not get the filler to melt clean and flow.

Torch angle has to be steep. Grind your tungsten to a short point and knock the tip off. Don't worry about cleaning action because all you are doing is heating up the cans. The whole trick is to light up on your filler, get it melting and then keep feeding it into the puddle as you move forward. I use 3/32" tungsten and filler, you need thick enough rod to melt, not vaporize.. I haven't been able to make a "pretty" one yet but maybe someone better at Al than me can do it. Unless you have a welding lathe you can't weld very far without stopping so a great looking continuous weld isn't achievable.

[maker of things]

I think it is also helping prevent the arc wander by using higher amps, and hence larger filler. I had zero blow through on the cans I used 1/8" 4043 on. Could also have been due to luck or reduced stress, but probably not skill.

[dunkster]

ok, I'll play


....since my sh!t is starting to look somewhat presentable.

[Otto Nobedder]

I call foul! Those aren't beer cans!

Seriously, nicely done!

Steve S

[motox]

maybe drinking two cans of soda instead of two beers
might be some of the answer ....
nice looking weld.
craig