how do I replace SIP contact tip holder

[johnt57aus]

G'day all, and greetings from Down Under.
I am totally new to mig welding and self taught Arc welding also. Not a professional, but nothing has fallen apart yet.
I recently bought a SIP 120N Turbo dual Migmate. I don't know what all that means, but that is what is on it. The bloke that I bought it from never said that it had a wire feed problem, but I soon found that out. Not surprised now that it was cheap. I have rectified that problem with the bent plate that is screwed onto the side of the wire feed wheel setup. (I don't know all the jargon for the parts). I got the info for this from this site. What a bloody good site this is. The info that I have gleaned it really good. I replaced the liner today with a metal coil one, and put on a new contact tip and shroud. I also bought a new contact tip holder, but I'll be damned if I can get the old one to unscrew. Can anyone shed some light on the matter please? A mate said that it may be a right hand thread. I don't want to break the sodding thing off.
I have mainly been practice welding so far, with gasless and have used my mig now to make a trolley to hold both the Arc and the Mig and tools. I must admit that it gives off a bit of spatter, but the cleanup is a lot less than Arc, which is a plus. I am looking at getting a CO2 bottle soon, and will try my hand at gas and see if I can do better. I need to learn how to use this soon as I have bought a Suzuki Sierra 4x4 to rebuild, and need to cut out some rust patches. Enough rambling from me. If anyone can answer my questions, I would really appreciate it. Keep the info coming on this great forum.
Cheers, John T, Toowoomba,Queensland, Australia.

 

[cumbriasteve]

G'Day from up here ...I am not up to spec with the SIP bit but just want to say you will find the gas so much better, an argon/Co2 mix is better than Co2 but not sure how you are fixed down under for getting some.

 

[mike os]

from what I recall there is a grub screw in the handle... you have to take the handle apart & the screw is in the brass block next to the tip holder

 

[johnt57aus]

G'day again, and thanks to those that replied. Gas isn't a problem here, it is getting the mortgage money together to pay the bottle rent. I have found a Home Brew outlet locally that I can buy a 6kg bottle from ($248) and they will refill with CO2 ($50). Argon and mix is a different story. That is only from the gas thieves that insist that you rent their bottles. Now back to my problem of changing the contact tip holder. I don't seem to to see a grub screw, and there isn't a brass block. The only "block" is black plastic that has a little brass plunger sticking out that is in contact with the trigger, for controling the gas(?). It, the plastic block, appears to be moulded to the brass tube that goes out to the tip holder, and there isn't anything that appears to hold it on. It is all a mystery to me, but then, I am totally naive to Mig welding and anything concerning it, but I am learning. Which brings me to Lesson 1 which was, don't weld when you are wringing wet with sweat, because it is 42 degrees outside, and pull the trigger, whilst leaning on the metal welding table. The feeling is exhilerating, to put it mildly. Damn, it gets the heart pumping.
Well, I guess it may be a case of just leaving the tip holder for now, and get a whole new handle at some stage down the track. At least the welder works better now with the new parts that I have attached. Thanks again, Regards John T.