What is your base metal for the containers?
Nuts typically have a carbon content around .5, makes welding difficult
How thick is it(to thin with to high of a heat input= burn through)?
Are you addressing issues regarding impact values( what is the temp of the containers in service)?
shielding gas or self shielded? if gas what type?
What is the surface condition of the containers?

 

Since this is for "Yard Art" you won't care much about carbon content and impact properties, unless the art is very big, heavy, or spins and wiggles alot.

 

Cleaning the nuts and washers with a grinder or sander will help alot, and if the freon tanks are painted, get that off where you want to weld.

As far as blowing holes, I am not familiar with your machine so the settings are greek to me. If it seems like the settings are close and your still blowin holes in the tank:

Favor the thicker part, if your welding a nut to the tank, start your arc on the nut and let the edge of the puddle just barely wet the tank, let the nut take the heat. Just push the puddle onto the tank for a sec then go back to the nut.

And then post pictures of your yard art

 

If you are blowing holes, use the next setting down, or the one after that.....

David

 

I'm on 1 (voltage setting) and the slowest wire speed. I'm sure it's technique. If I can get the hang of the puddle I should be allright. I'm starting to get it. I'm starting to see the puddle and then the puddle starts to fall and I quickly move the gun away from that spot. One millisecond longer and I would have a hole for sure. I might be holding it too long as it is.

 

shanghyd,
Sorry, i must of not registered the part about yard art. So impacts are of no concern to your project. All other questions still apply. Carbon content would be a concern pulser might not think so but you have a good chance of cracking a weld if no precautions are taken regaurding this issue.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I got the hang of welding a thicker part to a thinner part. I welded 3 nuts in a row to the handles that I cut off and didn't burn any holes.
For me its hard to see the puddle. I did O/A welding at the local college when I was taking welding and the puddle was easy to see.

 

It extremely hard to weld nuts to material that thin and expect it to hold. It may be a bit easier on you if you preheat the nuts with a torch or in the oven.

 

Is Freon or any of the new replacement gasses flammable or explosive?


Freon or 134a is not, but R406, in certain very remote circumstances, could be. R406 is a blended gas that is made from three separate substances HCFC-22=55%, HCFC-142b=41%, and Isobutane=4%. The small portion of Isobutane can cause this replacement to be weakly flammable during leakage. Because of this and the fact also that HCFC-142b has one of the highest ODP's of the HCFCs, a different blend, R409 is becoming more favorable. It is made of the three substances HCFC-22=60% , HCFC-124=25% , and HCFC- 142b=15% . Notice HCFC-142b is a component of R409 but only 15% and it uses no Isobutane.

I would seriously think about that FIRST !

 

Good reminder from Donald about being aware of what you are doing and what you are doing it to and/or with.

Safety first!

But in this case I -think- the OP is working with empty (and hopefully purged or otherwise 'aired-out') Freon(tm) bottles. For yard art purposes.

Which should be safer than doing the same with even 'empty' propane tanks, which take more purging and washing to make safe.

 

burning freon can produce phosgene gas...

 

All good replies. I have made a few little pigs out of freon tanks and water pipe or conduit for legs. When going thicker to thin, keep most of the heat on the thicker, as was said. Works for me. I had the same problem as you with the burn through. I am not a great welder, but these little projects are great practice. Post some pics

 

Ok its been a year since I started this thread but here are some pictures.
I put them on ebay and craigslist for $15 each but no one wanted any.
There was one inquiry asking if I had any more of the rusty ones but other than that nothing.
The idea of pigs from freon tanks is not mine. I got the idea from a post at hobartwelders.com.

Everyone seems to think that they are creative but no one wants to take them home

 

Those a neat! But, I like the rusty one best too, can't even say why???

 

I'm thinking I'll use the electrolysis trick to rust them and then see how it goes. Electrolysis should rust the paint off.