How DO you know when you need a new tip ?

[Rooster#1]

Hello, what a great find this forum is !
One question thats always haunted me...

How DO you know you need a new tip ?

 

[john-boy]

If the welder is going ok you don’t need a tip . When the wire sticks in the tip it needs changing .

I have welded for a week with one tip and other times 5 minutes

Recently I was welding with 1mm wire and the tip just kept on giving me bother . After about 6 tips I put a tip in for 1.2 wire and welded all day with it no prob

 

[weldequip]

If the wire keeps burning back to the tip & sticking it's an indication that the wire liner in the torch lead needs replacing...nothing to do with the tip, and 'up-sizing' in tip size will just prolong the problem
weldequip

 

[the snooper]

burn back created also by wire feed to slow

 

[cookie munsta]

you can get the air hose and blow your line through, to clean your liner, and if you have oxy tip cleaners you can use them for your tips. if your time cost money though change whatever with new as needed.

 

[Angusdog]

If your wire sticks to the tip, unscrew it and pull a bit more wire through. Cut the wire, then grind off the very end (using a bench grinder or whatever) to release the wire, clean the tip with an oxy tip cleaner (cheap little thing with sort of wire files for various sizes of oxy welding tips) and reinstate the tip in the gun. Did it loads of times when I was learning and tips last for ages. All the tip does is pass the current to the wire, so there's loads of room to grind the end down a little.

 

[Stoneward]

Can you use a 0.8mm tip for 0.6mm wire?

 

[Rooster#1]

Can you use a 0.8mm tip for 0.6mm wire?

No - the contact would be intermittent

 

[BChild]

No - the contact would be intermittent

Not sure you are right there

 

[Rooster#1]

So why make 0.6mm tips then ?

 

[Wombat]

Can you use a 0.8mm tip for 0.6mm wire?

Was running a 0.8 tip and need to change to 0.6 wire - discovered I was already running 0.6 wire through the 0.8 tip - didn't seem any different

 

[Welderpaul]

So why make 0.6mm tips then ?

For 0.6mm wire

 

[garyclarke]

I've been using the same tip on a clarke 130 for the last five years. I'm half way through a 5KG reel since buying the kit... am I doing something wrong?

 

[Sparkey]

I've been using the same tip on a clarke 130 for the last five years. I'm half way through a 5KG reel since buying the kit... am I doing something wrong?

Haha, no! you don't do anything wrong! you're not welding enough!

 

[john-boy]

Can you use a 0.8mm tip for 0.6mm wire?

I am using 1mm wire and a 1.2 tip it is feeding much better now

 

[terratology]

My welder started welding like poo a while ago, so i tried a new tip in it and it started welding again like it used to.

 

[xantica]

My welder started welding like poo a while ago, so i tried a new tip in it and it started welding again like it used to.

Muahahaha thats so funny, mine did that a few YEARS ago, I stuck it in the loft and left it alone, I hoped it would sulk and learn to then behave, I got it out the other day and now I am eyeing up a euro connector to pacify it in the hope I didn't make it sulk to much and it will now work like I want it too ......

Sent Weldequip a email today about it.

 

[Sparkey]

Actually, the first thing you'll need to check IS the tip when the wire feed is crap....simple and cheap solution!
But offcourse the problem isn't always the tip, it could be a dirty or knackered liner, wire feed rollers too tight or too loose, wire problem etc!
And to prevent loads of trouble you should always keep tip and shroud as clean as possible...works for me!