Wire Welder Question

[ALHILLDIRT]

I needed a quick repair and the only wire I had left at the time had some light rust spots. Big mistake, now I apparently have some of this on the inside of my cable liner, because I'm getting uneven feed on the wire. Any recommendations on cleaning the liner, or am I out the cost of a new liner.

 

[kennyd]

You can try blowing it out with air...

 

[Bill_C]

Did you try cleaning the wire feed wheel or adding pressure on it?

Is the wire kinked? Is there still a tad bit of slag blocking or pinching the hole in the tip?

I doubt the liner is the problem.

edit: Is the wire in the right grooves on the feed wheel, and is the new wire the right size for the grooves?

 

[Sherweld]

You didn't mention whether it is plain wire with gas or flux core.

Every once in a while I run into feed issues with flux core due to variations in diameter. With .035" cored wire, I now use .040" or .045" tips which solves most of that problem. Also flux core should be fed with a serrated wheel which helps resolve varying diameter wire.

Also doubt if "dirty" liner is an issue. If suggestions so far don't help, please give more details.

Sherweld

 

[JoeL4330]

I run little cleaning and lubing pads on the wire just before the feed rollers

 

[jgrieve]

I used to work in a welding shop we would remove the liner and fill an oil pump can with a powerfull solvent. put a little rubber hose on the end of the pump can nozzle and attach to the liner. pump a bunch through then blow out with air. I think it was MEK, methlye ethlye ketone, dont remember for sure i think it causes brain damage maybee just get a new liner.

 

[F.L. Jennings]

Did you try cleaning the wire feed wheel or adding pressure on it?

Is the wire kinked? Is there still a tad bit of slag blocking or pinching the hole in the tip?

I doubt the liner is the problem.

edit: Is the wire in the right grooves on the feed wheel, and is the new wire the right size for the grooves?

I agree, the problem is usually the feed wheel. The wire pretty much fills the liner unless it has a tremendous amount of wear in it.

 

[ALHILLDIRT]

You didn't mention whether it is plain wire with gas or flux core.

Every once in a while I run into feed issues with flux core due to variations in diameter. With .035" cored wire, I now use .040" or .045" tips which solves most of that problem. Also flux core should be fed with a serrated wheel which helps resolve varying diameter wire.

Also doubt if "dirty" liner is an issue. If suggestions so far don't help, please give more details.

Sherweld

Sorry for the lack of info. I'm using .035 flux core most of the time. Top feed roller is serrated, bottom roller is set for the correct groove. Don't remember on the tip, but I didn't have feed problems until I used the rusty wire. I even removed the tip, flipped the feed roller up, and had difficulty pulling the wire through. Finally went to new wire and managed to get it to feed better after hand pulling a lot of wire through, but using the feed rollers it's still jerky. Have tried blowing compressed air through it. Anyone know what type of lubricant I could use that might help. It just seems like there is more drag on the wire going through the cable than there was before.

 

[AlanB]

I guess I am odd man out here, but if you ran dirty wire, I would tell you to pitch the liner, new tip, pull the rollers and clean them well with a stainless brush and solvent (assuming Steel rollers, I don't see which welder you have)

I have never seen a reccomended lube for the wire, and would not use one.

I don't remember what my last liner cost, but I think it was under $10 for my 15' miller gun.

I hate it when wire goes bad, and it slays me too throw it out, but, every time I try and "save" one I regret it.

 

[Sherweld]

Okay .... I have to confess that I once tried WD40 when I was struggling with feed issues (before tip change)

It made a very noticeable improvement.

I was careful to do quite a bit of non-critical welding until I felt that most of the WD40 was gone.

Sherweld

 

[GIJOE]

Is this the first time you tried running .035 in the machine? If your liner is sized for .023-.030 and you try to run .035 wire through it, that would give you the symptoms you describe. There is no way to check the liner size without pulling it out.

Joe

 

[wushaw]

That rusty wire is going to cost you a new liner.
You need to change out the liner. It is not hard nor expensive.

 

[ALHILLDIRT]

Unfortunately I know the liner is sized for .035, because I just put it in less than 6 months ago. Like I said earlier, everything was working fine until I ran the old wire through. The old roll was one that had been in the shop for a long time and was still in plastic. The bad thing is I don't use enough wire to keep the roll from going bad, and in an unheated shop, condensation is a problem. Guess I'll have to start taking the roll off and bringing it in the house to keep dry. Guess it's a lesson learned.

 

[WantedWolf]

If a new liner is really $10 then dont read any further
but I just saw a rust disolving liquid product at Princess auto today ( U.S. Harbour frieght) Was about $10-15. But like the WD-40 it would leave some impuritys

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Wlen you get done welding remove the spool of wire and put it in a ziploc bag .
Bill

 

[steveoutdoorrec]

Wlen you get done welding remove the spool of wire and put it in a ziploc bag .
Bill

And put a small cloth bag of dehydrated milk in with it. Cheap man's desecant.

or if you're like me you never toss the bags of desecant that come with most items shipped from overseas just dry one out in a warm oven and put that in.

 

[tatra805]

Little bit off topic but regarding the desecant bags,

For your compressor, by a big filter housing and fill it with these desecant balls to take out any moisture, will help your plasma cutter. (water filter housings are mostly 8 bar resistant and hold more than 1 liter volume)

Put the filter after the normal water separator and it will take out the last moisture. Much cheaper than a drying installation.

We use it in our coating rooms and it was a lucky found but especially a very handy (color change indicates status of saturation) and cheap one (descant in oven and you can re-use it).

just 2 cents of info.

Zip lock bag is a golden tip!

 

[ALHILLDIRT]

Thanks for all the tips. I hadn't heard about the dry milk before

 

[JoeL4330]

you asked about lubes ...as I mentioned, I have cleaning and lube pads on wire prior to rollers ...here is a link to lube pads MIG Welders, TIG Welding Gloves, Hobart Welders, Miller Welders, Welding Jackets or WeldingDepot -- Lube Pads Pads & Clip or MIG Welding Accessories

 

[wushaw]

I have used one of them food saver vacuum sealers with good success, although only the 2lb rolls only fit.