tips get clogged up very quickly

[SilverSaloon]

hi

on my migmate 150 turbo (gassless) i am getting through tips at an astonishing rate.... they seem to get clogged and the wire cannot get through them well. i'm using 0.8mm gasless wire.

if i fit a new one, after about an inch of welding the wire stops getting through and i need to take the tip off, clean it up and refit. then it may or may not continue to work for a bit.... often i need to just fit a new tip.

any ideas - is this normal (i'm new to welding)

i know tips are cheap at around £3 for a set of 3 or something but is this normal?

thanks

derek

 

[Wozzaaah]

i know tips are cheap at around £3 for a set of 3

That's not cheap! I pay 50p + vat each from my local welding supplier, not from a high street shop, others probably charge considerably less than that.

I see you were going to replace the liner with a steel one, have you done that yet? How far from the workpiece are you holding the end of the contact tip? Ideally you should have about 6-8mm of wire between the tip and the workpiece.
Another thing, are you certain it's 0.8mm wire, some gasless is actually 0.9mm.

 

[madkayaker]

use a 1mm tip with gasless that should help matters a bit.

 

[SilverSaloon]

hi

how often should i need to replace the tips?

thanks - next time i get some tips (soon i think!!!!) i'll go for a bigger size.

its definatly 0.8mm - says so on the reel.

as i'm just learning i am resting the shroud against the metal as i weld at around a 45 degree angle.....

yes i fitted the steel wire liner - seems to be working well - no problems with wire feed since apart from the clogged tips.

i have started to do some proper welding on my car's wing. i cut about a 3 inch square out of the side of the wing where it was rusted thorough and have welded a new bit of steel in place.

as its my 1st job it went quite well, but there are some gaps where the new steel didnt quite fit my hole so i've got to try and fill the gaps somehow. i've grinded it down a couple of times and re-welded ontop until i was satisfied with most of the joins. hopefully as i do more, i will be able to weld all in one go without several attempts and grinding down all the time.

i've got some of that epoxy metal filler stuff that i could use i suppose, but i would rather just weld it properly - i read on here about putting copper behind (wing is off the car so easy accessable) as i fill the hole with weld???

thanks!

derek

 

[English Steve]

I don't use gasless, but with solid wire I go through about 2 tips per 5kg reel of wire, and always fit a new one when fitting a new reel.
There is definately something not right if you're using tips that quickly.

Edit - don't rest the shroud on the metal - that's probably your problem. Use 2 hands on the torch and rest your arm on something suitable for support. Have a look in the tutorials in here for a better description.

 

[Sparkey]

Steve, do you really think that's the problem? never have any probs with the tips clogging up that fast, i often weld with the shroud touching the workpiece....maybe he should just get a bigger size tips?

edit: maybe you're right...gassless does spatter a lot...

 

[malcolm]

I wonder if the tips are the correct length for the shroud. If the tip gets very close to the work it can overheat and distort. Might be worth posting a photo.

The quality of tips can be variable. I've had some in the past that I've thrown away - they'd have come from a motor factor or DIY store. I tend to buy from a welding specialist these days. If the hole is a bit small they can cause problems.

If the wire ever burns back to the tip (and needs unsticking) that can make them bit sticky afterwards. Filing the end of the tip can help recover it.

Also wire quality is a factor - the wire might say 0.8mm but chances are it's not. Gasless does tend to be a bit thicker, so 1.0mm tips would probably get around any of these problems.

 

[Sparkey]

Yes, good point malc! show us some pics!

 

[SilverSaloon]

Yes, good point malc! show us some pics!

i'll take some pics tonight as i was going to take some of the work i've done aswell for your ratings - if i'm brave enough

 

[English Steve]

Steve, do you really think that's the problem? never have any probs with the tips clogging up that fast, i often weld with the shroud touching the workpiece....maybe he should just get a bigger size tips?

edit: maybe you're right...gassless does spatter a lot...

Have had that problem in the past, and I think it was Welderpaul who also mentioned the same thing caused by resting the shroud on the metal whilst tacking.

 

[madkayaker]

i did that first time with new MIG cot me a swan neck and tip. (tried to unscrew hot)

 

[Sparkey]

i did that first time with new MIG cot me a swan neck and tip. (tried to unscrew hot)

Yes i remember that... you melted the whole thing! can't even get my head around how you managed that, MK!

 

[English Steve]

can't even get my head around how you managed that, MK!

He's an electrician - they can make anything melt

 

[SilverSaloon]

so are you not supposed to rest the shroud against the metal as you weld? i thought you did as per some videos on utube posted on here..... are you supposed to make it hover above then?

all the tutorials i've seen are rested i think

 

[madkayaker]

He's an electrician - they can make anything melt

yep we can

 

[Sparkey]

Not sure about this SS...but i never use gasless...
When your welding with gas, for me it never gave me any trouble to let the shroud touch the metal...i do that all the time!
Help me out here guys!!!!

 

[SilverSaloon]

Not sure about this SS...but i never use gasless...
When your welding with gas, for me it never gave me any trouble to let the shroud touch the metal...i do that all the time!
Help me out here guys!!!!

the welds i'm producing appear OK (if still a little ameurterish) so it cant be all that bad

 

[madkayaker]

it splatters alot also is your shroud isolated?

 

[Sparkey]

the welds i'm producing appear OK (if still a little ameurterish) so it cant be all that bad

Don't worry! just keep practiscing you'll do fine!

 

[English Steve]

From the tutorials :

I tend to angle the torch at maybe 20 degrees from vertical with the shroud angled forward.

The contact tip should be about 6mm to 10mm from the metal to be welded, so cutting the wire about 10mm long and holding the torch so the wire touches the sheet is a good way to position a MIG welder.