More Beginner MIG Questions

[mmranch]

Nozzle Gel.
I have a tub of Hobart nozzle gel which is blueish in color. It works fine but I'm wondering what the consistency of the gel should be for dipping. My shop is pretty chilly in winter (until I crank up the heat). The gel is very thick and not liiquidy. I'm wondering if it's thick because of the chill and should be more fluid for best use? If I dip my MIG gun nozzle the gel seems too thick and I get way too much on the nozzle which I have to clean off a bit before use. Also, is it OK if the gel goes into the contact tip with the wire?

Wire Tip Ball
When I am done with a weld, my wire tip has a small ball of melt on it. I have then continued to begin the next weld. Is it best procedure to cut off the small ball before beginning the next weld or is it OK to leave it and start the new weld?

Thanks!

 

[tomplum]

My last MIG gun pretty much required the use of gel, especially if I was welding overhead. I can't think for normal steel welding that the gel would affect anything regarding your quality of weld. When your nozzle is hot, dip it in the gel and it will coat the nozzle and tip. I suppose that a person could pack enough around the tip to temporarily stop the gas flow. That will last until it melts. I still use the gel. Especially if I'm working on things that I couldn't clean the rust and scale off or didn't care to. I don't worry about starting w/ fresh wire for what I do. If you need the extra strength, you will need to do the prep. You'll find if you pay attention to your welds and spatter that you will be an accomplished welder in no time.

 

[yomax4]

I've sold Nozzle dip my whole career. Never tried the gooey crap.

 

[grsthegreat]

ive never opened the can of it i bought about 10 years ago. but seeing as im welding up 20 pieces of 8' x 5' wraught iron handrails right now, i think ill try some when i head back to my shop on Wednesday. the guy i making these for handed me some crappy rusted pipe he bought 2 years ago and left outdoors. his son has sanded it all down, but welding this material is challenging to say the least. not my prettiest welds. but there going in strong. well sandblast them 2 times and do a hammered powder coat, they should be ok, i hope.im not used to working with pitted steel, especially the light weight kind.

i never bother cutting off the little ball of slag either. unless too much is showing past the tip. i carry a cutter in my back pocket just incase.

 

[3Ts]

+1 I don't bother with the ball on the end unless it's really big and/or deformed. Just keep welding. As for the gel, sometimes I use it - I'll just dip the nozzle in and weld. I've found that with MIG I need clean steel so I'll either sandblast it or use a flap sander on an angle grinder to get to clean metal. If I need to weld thru paint or rust, I'll use my stick welder.

 

[LindenBruce]

The nozzle gel will help reduce the amount of berries inside the nozzle. Which will help reduce the amount of time you spend scraping it clean every so often. It will also help the wire from sticking to the tip. When starting off cold, run a 2" or so bead on some scrap to get the tip hot and gently dip it into the gel. If you have excess gel in the nozzle, just pull the trigger real quick and your shielding gas will blow out the excess. IF you are using a shield gas that is. B.

 

[WranglerX]

I just use PAM (cooking spray) ... It's canola oil, it works.... Never used nozzle gel in the years I have been MIG welding...

 

[mmranch]

Thanks to all for the ideas!

I think when I crank the shop heaters up I will put the gel tub in front to see if it loosens the gel up a bit. The hot nozzle is probably the best solution. And I won't worry about the small tip balls and just resume welding.

The gel does work great (and so does Canola oil... I already had some of that for spraying around the weld zone). I accidentally started my first MIG welds and didn't use the gel. I laid down about 8 beads and then remembered and looked at the nozzle. It was already getting pretty dirty so I cleaned it all off and then used the gel and the nozzle stays so much cleaner.

Thanks again.

 

[ruffdog]

I always had a hot nozzle so the excess always ran off.

 

[bigtiller]

I dip the hot nozzle in a large jar of Vaseline. It seams to work just fine, but I'm just a part time hobby welder.

 

[5030]

I just use PAM (cooking spray) ... It's canola oil, it works.... Never used nozzle gel in the years I have been MIG welding...

Neither have I and I own 3 MIG welders, a Hobart and 2 ESAB pulsed MIG's. Either PAM or Radnor spray on anti stick. Nozzle gel is messy. Always snip off the end as well, carry my side cuts in my pocket. Mine are multi purpose, cut the wire and ream the shield too.

I also run an unsmoked cigarette filter on the wire between the spool and the feed rollers to clean off the wire before it gets to the roller feed and I use INE solid wire on 10 pound spools. From experimentation, I've found INE gives the best wet out and weld appearance with minimal spatter. Good stuff. Even the pulsed MIG's like it.

 

[Smokeydog]

Dip nozzle when hot in the tub stuff. It’s ok but mostly use nozzle Kleen spray.

 

[5030]

No matter how clean a nozzle (gas intensifier) is, if there are deposits inside they are no good. I've never used Gel, always spray and I usually take the nozzle off and clean it and apply the no stick spray to both the nozzle and the wire feed tip. Good time to make sure the gas ports are open too.

 

[tomplum]

I had a heck of a time with my last gun. This tool worked real slick.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I just use PAM (cooking spray) ... It's canola oil, it works.... Never used nozzle gel in the years I have been MIG welding...

Speaking of... Dollar stores oven spray is the best deal. And speaking of cleaning, a Mig Nozzle Cleaner is a great tool for cleaning mig nozzles. Link to the one I've been using at Amazon.

Edit: Just like what TomPlum posted right above my post. LOL

 

[Smokeydog]

I keep the square edges of mig pliers sharp to clean inside the nozzle.

The spray also reduces my weld splatter cleanup time. Cleans off easy to paint afterwards.

 

[BravoXray]

I had a heck of a time with my last gun. This tool worked real slick.

I saw those a while back, bought one, and like you said, it works really slick.
Bought two more and gave to friends that have MIGs also. They like them too.