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Mig Wire
Hobby MIG welders are plagued by wire feed troubles. The wire feed arrangements on the cheaper MIGs don't tend to be up to the job, but they can be improved. The wire liner should be replaced regularly
The wire reel mounting normally includes a spring tensioner. This tensioner should be initially tightened to the point where the reel of wire doesn't unravel under it's own spring tension.
The first 3 inches of wire should be as straight as possible to reduce the chance of damage to the liner or snagging as the wire is fed through. Sharp wire cutters can be used for trimming.
Feeding the wire to the torch. The wire is inserted through the guide tube and over the roller. On the torch side of the welder the small hole of the end of the wire liner should be visible. The end of the wire can be aligned with that hole using a small screwdriver or the piece of wire that was removed at the start.
On some welders it can help to remove the contact tip from the end of the torch before feeding the wire through. The gas shroud is secured by a spring and can be removed by pulling and twisting in a clockwise direction, and the tip has a standard screw thread that unscrews in an anti-clockwise direction (viewed as in the photo). Never unscrew the tip when it is still hot or it may break or strip the thread inside the torch.
Hobby MIG welders are plagued by wire feed troubles. The wire feed arrangements on the cheaper MIGs don't tend to be up to the job, but they can be improved. The wire liner should be replaced regularly
The wire reel mounting normally includes a spring tensioner. This tensioner should be initially tightened to the point where the reel of wire doesn't unravel under it's own spring tension.
The first 3 inches of wire should be as straight as possible to reduce the chance of damage to the liner or snagging as the wire is fed through. Sharp wire cutters can be used for trimming.
Feeding the wire to the torch. The wire is inserted through the guide tube and over the roller. On the torch side of the welder the small hole of the end of the wire liner should be visible. The end of the wire can be aligned with that hole using a small screwdriver or the piece of wire that was removed at the start.
On some welders it can help to remove the contact tip from the end of the torch before feeding the wire through. The gas shroud is secured by a spring and can be removed by pulling and twisting in a clockwise direction, and the tip has a standard screw thread that unscrews in an anti-clockwise direction (viewed as in the photo). Never unscrew the tip when it is still hot or it may break or strip the thread inside the torch.
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