contact tip position

[lewis_tudor]

hello guys i thought this might be an interesting thing to post

when i did my city and guilds in mig we just used what was given to us. now that i weld whenever i can for a little pocket money with my cebora 155 (very good machine btw) i looked more closely on the net about mig welding and found this:

http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/mig-welding-tip-1.html

look at all the tips on this site its very useful inparticular tip 1 says about stickout and i know it should be short. however i did not know about having the contact tip protruding from the shield/nozzle by 1mm or 2.
it seems to go against everything but you will notice the difference instantly!!!
just grind down the shield/nozzle slightly and give it ago!

maybe someone can shed more light on this??

regards lewis

ps. watch the video too!

 

[shenion]

Will shorten the tip to work length increasing the current.

It will also make the tip get hotter. I have seen mine glowing red whenever i use a short arc length when using it over 120A. I just up the voltage and use a longer length.

 

[volition82]

It can help when welding with lower power/dip transfer but it shouldn't be used on higher power/spray transfer.

 

[lewis_tudor]

okay cheers guys
just trying to say that having the tip protruding just past flush to the shield actually gives a better weld, or it does with what welding i have been doing.
the video on the link also shows really good technique for those less experienced than others

 

[SwissTony]

I saw the same page and also asked on here about it.
Since asking, I have filed the end of the shroud down so its level with the contact tip.
Not used the welder since on anything other than a 1mm sheet patch repair on a fiesta, so cant say how well it will perform on anything structural.

 

[malcolm]

I do favour shortening the arc length when welding very thin stuff - it allows the wire speed to be turned down further and you can end up with less amps.

I don't shorten the shroud but do rest it on the work on really thin stuff so the tip is only 6mm from the work. It gets through tips like nobodies business as they heat up and distort.

Most people I have helped with welding have the torch at too much of an angle resulting in half an inch between the wire and work. I suspect the tip is aimed at helping those people weld without improving their technique.

 

[Robin Goodwin]

Tip length inside shroud

Interesting comments so far but I have had the reverse thoughts.
I recentley did a lot of very good welding on my new mig only to find that the tip needed replacing. I fitted one of my new spares and instantly got a bad result like the gas shrouding wasn't working. I then noticed that the tip was slightly longer than the original which still made it about 2 - 3 mm inside the shroud. I cured the problem by turning up the gas. However, today I am going to shorten that tip and turn the gas down so that the gas isn't wasted..........this is the exact opposite to what several people are suggesting regarding making the tip level with the end of the shroud.
NB - I usually set the gas at about 10 - 12.
Your comments would be appreciated.

 

[lewis_tudor]

okay thanks robin i have recently been using disposable bottles with the regulator at full whack because my bottle has ran out so cant compare the gas pressures

i no theoretically your way must be right but i have found its not. to be honest i think everyone is different in their welding and the machines they are using so things and techniques will vary?!

i found with the tip recessed back in the shroud lots of spatter sticks to the shroud clogging it?

regards
Lewis