Birdsnest problems Hobart 210 - flux core

[Dadnatron]

I purchased a Hobart 210 MVP and I have been having a lot of birdnest issues at the drive wheels.

Hobart .035 flux core
Orientation is correct.
I've insured I am using the knurled groove.
I've set tension tight, loose, 'appropriate according to manual', 'finger stoppable at gun tip'... all seem to make little difference.

Occurs at all wire speeds I have used over about 30 (which I believe is 300ipm)

Its intermittent. I can weld for 20 min without a problem, and spend the next hour fixing several birdsnests in a row.

I'm liking this little machine less and less. I purchased it at TSC, and I am thinking about taking it back. The other bigger issue for me is the lack of adjustability. I have 7 power settings which don't relate to anything specific that I can tell. I just know up is hotter and down is colder. I'd like to see what V and Amps they actually represent so I can learn what I am doing better.

If I can't get this birdsnest issue fixed, then I will definitely be taking it back.

 

[Shield Arc]

Bird nesting can be a real pain in the azz! Try keeping the Mig gun lead as straight as you can at all times. Also, if possible raise the welder up. Set it on some saw horses if you can.
I personally wouldn't own a tap setting welder. I don't like people telling me what to do. Much less a welder!

 

[KWentling]

Make sure your contact tip is good or better yet try a new one. The other possible cause would be the liner but this sound like a new welder so probably not that. Like Shield Arc said, keep the lead as straight as you can.

 

[JimRB]

I have sloppy feeding if my cable/lead is not kept fairly straight. Not much bird nesting though. I have run 20-30 pounds of solid core versus a pound of flux core wire. Solid wire seems to be less fussy than flux core. I do have frustrations sometimes with flux core sputtering, which I gather is it is slipping on the feed rollers.

I do have packages of spare tips if they get messed up which has a happened a few times.

I have read that sometimes you should remove the contact tip and blow the liner out. It should not be an issue with a new rig though.

Bad work grounds can also cause the wire to wad up. Clean metal and the machine's ground attached to that clean metal. I have had some reason to use a pair of Vise Grips to clamp to the clean metal and attach my ground clamp to my Vise Grips. Welding via the work just laying on the grounded table sometimes causes feed problems. Not so much if you have new clean metal on a clean table.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

It's been my experience that frequent bird nesting is often the result of too much tension on the adjuster.

It should be just enough that pinching the wire as it comes out of the gun with your gloved hand can still make the drive rolls slip and the wire stops.

If the tension is too tight, the drive rolls will push the wire into a bird nest instead of slipping.

It's much less tension than smooth rollers with hard wire.

I have the millermatic 210, same taps for voltage. If you want to check the welding voltage just hook your multimeter up and read it while welding. It can be tricky to weld properly without looking to check the weld voltage so some people just record it.

Wire feed speed is your amperage btw, the voltage just gets dialed to run the wire correctly.
Since voltage is the tapped style, fine tuning is with wire feed speed.
Start with the door chart and fine tune from there.

 

[RNeumann]

99% of the time this is a ground issue. Mig is very susceptible to this.

Mig Welding Lesson - Watch Your Stickout and Ground - YouTube

 

[RNeumann]

Mig Welding Basics - YouTube

 

[yomax4]

Even if it's new. I would look at the drive tension and also the liner. maybe has an 030 liner or the liner could have been damaged when installed. Any time you have bird nest issues it's usually the tension, Outlet guide or liner.

 

[Clint S]

My Hobart does the same thing. Keep the lead as straight as possible. If there is a loop in it, or even a tight curve it will jam up every time. I have been conscientious about keeping the lead straight and have had zero issues since. I too thought it was a tension issue and turning up the tension makes it worse.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

My Hobart does the same thing. Keep the lead as straight as possible. If there is a loop in it, or even a tight curve it will jam up every time. I have been conscientious about keeping the lead straight and have had zero issues since. I too thought it was a tension issue and turning up the tension makes it worse.

Turning it up does make it worse - it has to be able to slip when needed.

When adjusted properly you don't have to keep the lead straight - I don't even think about it.