Welding

[shymoggie]

Hi all,

I've just repatriated my mig welder from the guy who borrowed it 6 years ago...... well I didn't have the need at the time !

My welding is messy but functional (a bit like SHY!), however, the wire in the mig keeps sticking inside the pipework somewhere. Its not jamming at the tip, but somewhere inside. If you wiggle / wave the torch around you can hear it click and it pops out of the torch !
Anyone any idea why this happens and what I need to do to it ?

PS, anyone got ANY mig instructions they could scan / email to me ? (Mines a Sureweld Monomig 101 (80ampere with a Min/Max, a 1&2 switch & a speed controller) But any old instruction for similar would be fantastic.
In return they can have my welding practice piece, a dishwasher lid scruffily welded to a numberplate holder off a Suzuki 4x4

[Cam]

Sounds like your wire might have gone off! This happens when the wire gets moisture round it and goes rusty slightly on the surface. Then it does not feed properly. Best bet is to replace the wire liner with a teflon one (or just a new basic plastic one if you can't get a teflon one) and buy a new reel of wire. While you are at it change the copper tip and gas shroud for new ones. Oh and don't use 0.6mm wire as it is badly prone to sticking and not feeding properly. Use 0.8mm instead.

[rayofleamington]

Try fitting a new torch liner - they can get scratched, and cause a lot of trouble, similar to that which you described. If you use the big rolls of wire then u done have to keep feeding new wire in the liner - that way they last longer.
Also make sure you keep the lid on to keep splatter and sparks off the wire, and if the wire gets corroded - bin it, as it will cause damage.

And I found the same as Cam - the 0.8 was a lot better. With a new liner and 0.8 wire I never had another feed problem. Previously it had driven me nuts.

[shymoggie]

The 'liner' is the bit the wire runs up inside the torch 'cable' assembly right?
Jim

[rayofleamington]

yup - smal plastic tube.
A while ago Halfords sold them shrink wrapped on a card with 5 new nozzles.
They might still do, but I haven't even needed new tips since changing to 0.8 so I've not looked for a while.