Spool problem - adjuster doing itself up, any ideas?

[schnappi]

Hiya,

Need to do a bit of patching for an MOT so pulled the old SIP HandyMIG out. Doing a few trial runs on scrap everything was working OK (for a SIP) and then it started spitting everywhere before refusing to feed. (I hate this welder - so many problems!).

Anyway, the issue seems to be that the knurled adjuster on the spool holder (that stops the spool from bird nesting) is tightening up as the welder is feeding resulting in the spool becoming difficult to turn.

Has anyone come across this issue and how did you resolve it? Options I've thought of are :-

A) Chuck a set of mole grips on the knurled adjuster to stop it from turning.
B) Use a thread locking compound on the threads of the adjuster.
C) Drill a hole through the knurled adjuster and use lock wire.

What is the recommended solution to this issue? :-(

 

[Wozzaaah]

Have you got the spool round the right way?
I believe SIP want you to fit the spool so it turns anti-clockwise.

 

[gavuk]

Have you got the spool round the right way?

.... also has it got a spring fitted?

 

[schnappi]

Have you got the spool round the right way?
I believe SIP want you to fit the spool so it turns anti-clockwise.

Hi there. Thanks for the suggestion. Inside the welder there is a sticker saying that the wire should be fed from the bottom, this results in the spool turning in a clockwise direction. (Not my welder but you can see the sticker I'm on about in the picture below). Unlike the picture, I'm using a very small spool of wire. Do you think I'd be better off ignoring the sticker and feeding from the top? Regards, Rich.

 

[schnappi]

.... also has it got a spring fitted?

Yes, it has the spring fitted. The adjuster just turns and the spring gets tighter and tighter until you can hear the spring making pinging sounds as the wire feed yanks it around just before it stops.

 

[Wozzaaah]

The spool is fitted on the opposite side than i thought which means it's meant to turn clockwise. Bad design really, as you say, lock the nut or fit the spool the other way though it may then run too loose.
Another typical SIP trait I'm afraid.

 

[schnappi]

The spool is fitted on the opposite side than i thought which means it's meant to turn clockwise. Bad design really, as you say, lock the nut or fit the spool the other way though it may then run too loose.
Another typical SIP trait I'm afraid.

Thanks for the advice. Like everyone else, I'm fed up with this welder. For every minute I've spent welding with it I've spent an hour messing about trying to get it to work.

Bought it just over 10 years ago when SIP was a respected brand but unfortunately for me I got one of the "new" troublesome models so they must have just sold out or something. It's not even like it was cheap back then!

Oh well, looks like more precious garage time spent fiddling with the welder instead of welding!

 

[gavuk]

If all else fails try the thread lock ,just choose the correct grade!..low strength anti -vibration but you sound like you know that ! others reading might not and use any grade...

 

[pedrobedro]

Lubricate where the tensioner rubs on the wire reel so it doesn't grab to tighten it. Just a spot of grease should do it.

 

[schnappi]

Lubricate where the tensioner rubs on the wire reel so it doesn't grab to tighten it. Just a spot of grease should do it.

Cheers, I'll give that a go as it the easiest/quickest thing to try.

 

[monkeyb0yuk]

Things I tried that helped...
Make sure you have the washer on the reel nut..
Compress the spring more in a vice so its not as grippy...I bashed mine with a hammer..
Is it a pvc liner..replace with a metal one..
Some say on here that stickers only for small reels.....reverse direction for big reels..
Hth
Rich

 

[schnappi]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm only using a small reel so I'll stick with routing from the bottom. Last night I went out and greased the spool holder with red grease. Also greased up the washer and spring. Finally I put some thread compound on the adjuster thread.

Not tried the welder yet as I'm waiting for the thread compound to set.

 

[BillJ]

It isn't an "adjuster" - there is no built-in adjustment of the spring tension. It is a fixing screw and is supposed to be done up tight. Otherwise, as you've found out, it will tighten anyway. If you reverse the direction of the reel, it will undo itself and you'll end up with a birds-nest.

I replaced the steel washer with a nylon one to reduce friction. This helped. You could put some small washers between the screw and its post to space the screw out a bit and reduce the spring pressure, achieving your aim of using the screw as an adjuster while still having it screwed in tight.

My ultimate solution was to ditch the SIP for a better welder but I'm guessing this isn't an option.

I assume you've looked at the other modifications scattered through the forum?

 

[Sean]

yup found a mix of steel and nylon washers sorted that
the spring end acts like a sprag as it catches on the plastic reel and the soft alloy knurled nut

with a bit of fiddling they do actually work quite well once you get over the "throwing it in skip!" moment-perhaps it should read "can actually work quite well once...."

 

[mike os]

!

Oh well, looks like more precious garage time spent fiddling with the welder instead of welding!

ah, the mating call if the greater ******ed SIP owner

 

[schnappi]

Well, the grease and threadlock (to keep knurled nut out a bit to reduce spring tension) has helped no end and the welder is actually capable of laying down a weld again now. Thanks for the help guys!

The trouble with my SIP is one minute it's welding fine and I start thinking it's not that bad - then it all goes to pot and I'm left working on the welder instead of the car.

I'm really interested in the seperate transformer mod for the wire feed. I seem to suffer with an erratic wire feed for about 1 second just as the arc strikes which makes the start of a weld difficult on thin stuff as the penetration is poor. Perhaps the transformer mod will cure this? Once the arc is stable and the wire feed calms down you can actually put a fairly decent weld down except that on thin stuff you're on the verge of burning through by the time it's settled down.

Does the transformer mod help improve the weld starts?

 

[Sean]

improves it no end no "machine gunning" starts
the brace and steel liners check the poten..potem...black thingy argo-light and your off

i actually like this low power welder

but i weld up 0.5mm rusty french steel for fun