mig playing up

[angellonewolf]

posted this on another page about my trolley but not getting any replys so thought would make a new post

Up date new photos managed a 2 hours this morning but after having a good start I just thrown my self in to it after a small bit of scrap welding to get the settings right I was flying for about 30 mins tacking and fair nice welds but then started on the welds to fully attach the plates once I had myself in to a good standing position the welds where getting long and that's when the problems started I now have a 5kg instead of the small real and when using it on shorter runs a long run the seams to start stuttering and after a small while lots of splatter started cheaked the gas co2 no gas looked and pressure is there opened the valve more gas coming out ok started again going ok
Had a coffee brake had a wired feed problem coil up refeed also seamed like lots of gas cheaked way over reduced it and started again seamed fine then more splatter gas again had a fiddle and finshed of what can be done but got fead up with having to keep playing around done one side in 15 mins took the rest of the time to 3 more sides and the wheel bar

The only thing I can think of on my way to work was poss the valve freezing up ?

And don't know what to do with the stuttering of the roll of wire

 

[angellonewolf]

Pics

 

[cumbriasteve]

Normally those long welds should have just been short spaced out welds of 20mm or so every 200mm, a lot less work, less wire and gas and no negative impact on strength.

Is there a possibility the heat is building up at the tip and it is tightening on the wire, I had that once and ran a drill down the rest of the tips in the package and no problems since, I think they were cheapanese and not sized very accurately.

The gas flow I can't answer but because I have a load of butane canisters I thought I would fire up the gas camping stove in the workshop this morning to remove the frostbite from my fingers, it went fine at first but kept dying and spluttering out, upon checking I found the cylinders coated in ice, looks like my Everest climb is off this year..can't do it without a cuppa.

 

[CKJDJK]

CO2 regulators freeze if the flow is high or the temperature is cold. Frost forms on the outside of the reg. Can also be caused by using CO2 fire extinguishers with a dip tube. Try inverting the extinguisher to avoid pulling liquid in to the regulator.

 

[angellonewolf]

its a pub bottle but dont think there is any dip tube from what i can see and the temp in the morning whn i started was abut 2/3 oC so that could be a factor

 

[angellonewolf]

dont explain the feed from the wire any ideas

 

[mike 109444]

Spool clutch tightening up or binding.

 

[angellonewolf]

how would i check them ?

 

[mike 109444]

There should be some form of spring loaded clutch arrangement in the center of the spool holder/spindle. This is to stop the spool from "running on" when you release the trigger to stop welding. IF it is to loose it will run on and IF it is to tight (or tightening it's self up) then it will not feed well. Also it could be binding up. Can't recall which welder you have so not sure what arrangement it has.

 

[angellonewolf]

clark 160en

 

[Cobbler]

If it's a second hand one you've bought, check the torch liner, as the older ones had a plastic tube as a liner & the wire binds up inside it & wont feed properly. Take the wire tension off & pull from the torch, the wire should pull through freely. Anything more than a slight resistance & its knackered. Get a metal one, good cheap mod, or use curtain wire, a good very cheap mod. It's the same size.

 

[mike 109444]

Part 4 is the spring. if you snip you spool and tuck the wire in it's hole then remove the spool and strip and clean the shaft + the hub and any washers (some WD40 should clean it). Then lightly lube with some vaseline the parts as you reassemble. refit spool but don't feed wire through yet. Adjust so there is JUST a slight drag when you turn the spool. Then reload wire through torch.

 

[angellonewolf]

its defo free as had to change the wire twice yesterday and after i got rid of the birds nest in the mechine the wire comes through fine

 

[angellonewolf]

how tight should it need to be tightened up as not to cause problems

 

[mike 109444]

Assuming your liner is in good nick then Steves (post 3) could have a point ref the copper tip expanding when hot( the hole in middle will close down more on to the wire) Remember the tip has to pass the welding voltage to the wire at the tip so is a close fit. Note you had run some long runs on the cart and that torch would have been very hot !

 

[angellonewolf]

what sort of hole should i need if using .6 wire

 

[angellonewolf]

and the reason i welded all the way as i will be picing up the trolley to get it over a step so did not want it falling apart dont know if this makes a differance using the top plate

 

[mike 109444]

The tip size is stamped on side of tip such as 0.6. You could try a 0.8 but may have a poor connection to the weld wire.
Think you may have put more weld on it than was necessary. Industrial welders may have a water cooling system to the torch due to the heat they build up But generally home users would not need that.