Old 30# Spool

[jake98]

I have a 24 yo spool of .035. It's like a wire rack kind of spool, Lincoln, and I'm wondering if it can be run on a modern machine? Wind it onto a modern plastic spool??

 

[deereman75]

I think that the big machines, with external wire feeder still use those, I saw a spool just like the one you discribed, in a video of an esab welder.

 

[Mace Canute]

One thing that might cause problems is if the wire has picked up any rust over time. If it has, you might find it doesn't give a satisfactory weld. How much rust is hard to put a definitive number on especialy over the interweb but if it has rust and you have trouble with poor welds from it, that could be the reason.

Back when I had my first MIG I bought a 9# roll instead of the much more expensive 2# roll but couldn't physically fit it onto the machine so I built a set-up where I could use my lathe as a power source and rewind wire from the 9# roll onto a 2# roll spool.

 

[yomax4]

If the wire is clean, Burn it. If it is cored wire, Pitch it.

 

[jake98]

It's nice and clean, still in the bag inside the box. It's copper coated, is that normal?

 

[yomax4]

Good to go, Use it up. Copper Coated is the norm.