Hi all, new poster, long time reader!
I've read all the posts about SIP MIGs and mods to them, but I've just got full custody of a Migmate Super that was shared between myself and my Dad some years ago. He is die hard stick welder and just bought a new welder, so I have now trekked the old Migmate 250 miles to my house to do some welding on a car I am working on!
I am a competent welder through my work as a maintenance engineer (MIG, TIG, stick and some oxy acetylene), but now I have an aged SIP to fix up. Although when we/I first got the SIP set there was no internet, the first thing recognised with it was the terrible PTFE wire liner, so that has been replaced with a metal spring one, which has tired over the years and is being replaced just shortly. However, I read with interest the mods to these welders.
I've made a brace plate up and have a new wheel for it, as the old one was pretty much worn out. My Dad also replaced the feed pot with a wirewound precision one. As an experienced welder himself, he liked to be able to set the gas flow with the feed at nil, then set the feed up after, with the stock carbon pot on the SIPs this wasn't possible and having a precision pot controlling the feed helped make it a decent welder.
Now, my questions!
First off, the transformer mod. I've seen the pics and where people have mounted the tranny, but I don't have the luxury of space in the Migmate. Does anyone know the current draw from the motor feed circuit, as I think I may be able to squeeze a toroidal tranny into the space in the workings of the welder, but a 100va is too big?
Second question, the plastic spacer on the reel is quite worn on my welder and I think it contributes to the uneven wire feed. Has anyone made up a steel or brass version in the past and does this benefit the feed at all? I can make one up on the lathe in work if it has any improvements. I don't intend on going above the 0.7KG reel size, as I want to be able to swap between stainless and mild steel easily and the last large reel we used didn't like being swapped and tended to unreel itself quickly when taken off, despite best attempts to prevent this.
Last question, what is the best gas to use with these sets on mild steels? I have a bottle of Messer Krysal 5 with the set, as this was a freebie from where my Dad worked, but the last time I welded with it I was using BOC Argoshield Light? I tried to research the gases online, but Messer seems to come back as an unknown quantity
I've read all the posts about SIP MIGs and mods to them, but I've just got full custody of a Migmate Super that was shared between myself and my Dad some years ago. He is die hard stick welder and just bought a new welder, so I have now trekked the old Migmate 250 miles to my house to do some welding on a car I am working on!
I am a competent welder through my work as a maintenance engineer (MIG, TIG, stick and some oxy acetylene), but now I have an aged SIP to fix up. Although when we/I first got the SIP set there was no internet, the first thing recognised with it was the terrible PTFE wire liner, so that has been replaced with a metal spring one, which has tired over the years and is being replaced just shortly. However, I read with interest the mods to these welders.
I've made a brace plate up and have a new wheel for it, as the old one was pretty much worn out. My Dad also replaced the feed pot with a wirewound precision one. As an experienced welder himself, he liked to be able to set the gas flow with the feed at nil, then set the feed up after, with the stock carbon pot on the SIPs this wasn't possible and having a precision pot controlling the feed helped make it a decent welder.
Now, my questions!
First off, the transformer mod. I've seen the pics and where people have mounted the tranny, but I don't have the luxury of space in the Migmate. Does anyone know the current draw from the motor feed circuit, as I think I may be able to squeeze a toroidal tranny into the space in the workings of the welder, but a 100va is too big?
Second question, the plastic spacer on the reel is quite worn on my welder and I think it contributes to the uneven wire feed. Has anyone made up a steel or brass version in the past and does this benefit the feed at all? I can make one up on the lathe in work if it has any improvements. I don't intend on going above the 0.7KG reel size, as I want to be able to swap between stainless and mild steel easily and the last large reel we used didn't like being swapped and tended to unreel itself quickly when taken off, despite best attempts to prevent this.
Last question, what is the best gas to use with these sets on mild steels? I have a bottle of Messer Krysal 5 with the set, as this was a freebie from where my Dad worked, but the last time I welded with it I was using BOC Argoshield Light? I tried to research the gases online, but Messer seems to come back as an unknown quantity
