Tips on mig tips??

[gerrymoore]

I've just had to do a lot of welding with my mig. I'm not the greatest welder but it doesn't come undone!! I realised I have had the welder for over 15 years but I can't remember ever having changed the (0.8) tip!

Should I be putting new ones in every so often or will I know when I need to...I'm just getting near to the end of my 2nd 15kg spool of wire....that's since new so not a great deal of use.

cheers

 

[Jim Davey]

That's good going! I'd say your tip will definitely be well past it's best. Look at the hole at the end, if it's nice and round with minimal clearance then it's fine, if the hole has opened up and worn oval then it's well past time to replace. For the price of them I'd be at least putting a new one on when I change the spool. Take the liner out, give it a good shake and blow some compressed air down it to get rid of any rust/dirt in it too.

 

[gerrymoore]

Thanks Jim....good advice...it can have a new tip today!!

 

[Robotstar5]

Or if it has worn, change to 1.0mm wire?

 

[Jim Davey]

I like you're style

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Christ I go through one a month on minimal welding!

Dan

 

[gerrymoore]

I might have to give up my Mig soon...not sure I can afford having to change tips every 15 years

 

[Welderpaul]

I usually replace the tip after 2x 15kg spools of wire, so once a day on serious welding sessions. If the metal is clean the tip might last slightly longer but soon wears to an oval shape and doesnt pass the current to the wire correctly.

 

[Sparkey]

Woaah i change it at least once every shift (8 hours) more often tho if something feels off with the wirefeed or summat....most of the time little stutters in the wirefeed can be solved by changing the tip! Very annoying if my wire doesn't feed properly!
Sometimes i even wreck it completely when it melts to the tube.....