using .023 inch wire in Clarke 180 EN?

[blue52]

I'm a novice welder, and I have a Clarke 180 EN MIG, it works great. So far, I've only used 0.7 and 0.8 mm wire in this machine. The wire roller on this machine has two slots on the wheel, each labeled for the above two sizes. The manual says I can also run 0.6 mm wire in this machine. Do I need to install another roller for 0.6 wire, or do I just run the 0.6 wire in the same slot that I run the 0.7, and just tighten the upper roller a bit more to make contact with the thinnest size wire? I've looked in the parts list and don't see any special wire feed rollers for size 0.6mm.

thanks for any replies, I realize this may seem a dumb question, but I don't wish to purchase wire and then find I must purchase another feed roller first.

A some point, I plan to convert this machine to gas. There's a thin plastic flexible gas tubing coming out of the back of the machine. From looking at pictures of welding gas regulator/flowmeters, I don't see any way to connect this thin tubing to the regulator without purchasing some other special parts. What parts do I need? Thanks for any replies.

Charles

 

[malcolm]

Those plastic tubes are intended for little gas bottles (roughtly 1 foot high and 2 inches diameter). The regulators for them come with push fit adapters that grip the wire (photo attached). They last for about 3 feet of welding, so you'll probably find the full sized bottles much more economical. For those you'll need a seperate adapter kit to connect to the plastic tube. People who sell regulators should be able to sell the adapter.

For wire sizes I guess you can get 0.024, 0.030 and 0.035 over there. That would be 0.61mm, 0.76mm and 0.89mm if converted to metric directly. I've never worked out if the wire in the US is the same as UK size but the numbers rounded or whether they are different wires altogether. Anyone know?

You will need a different drive wheel (the one with the grooves) for 0.024 if yours only does the others. 0.6mm would slip in the 0.030 groove.

 

[blue52]

Re: using .023 inch wire in Clarke 180 EN

Thanks for your quick reply!

you wrote:

>For wire sizes I guess you can get 0.024, 0.030 and 0.035 over >there.

Yes, but as far as I know it is .023, not .024. The mm sizes are apparently rounded off. On a roll of .030 they'll also write 0.7mm,
.035 is also called .9mm.

>You will need a different drive wheel (the one with the grooves) >for 0.024 if yours only does the others. 0.6mm would slip in the >0.030 groove.

I've just received an email from Clarkeusa.com, they say I can use .023 wire in the .030 groove, so I will try this and see what happens.

Charles

 

[irondarren]

Just did a quick look up on lincoln's website. they list . .025, which they say is 0.6mm. 0.030 which is 0.8mm. 0.035 which is 0.9mm. 0.040 which is 1.0mm. 0.045 which is 1.1mm and 0.052 which is 1.3mm.

exact size are
0.025 = 0.635mm
0.030 = 0.762mm
0.035 = 0.889mm
0.040 = 1.016mm
0.045 = 1.143mm
0.052 = 1.3208mm