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Thread: MIG Welder problems

  1. #11
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    Have you cleaned the liner ?
    Pour metho down the liner and then blow out with an air gun. Makes a big difference. it should be done often but most of us including me rarely do it.

    Ian
    Bittern

  2. #12
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    Hmm, maybe I should do that with mine.
    Ron B.
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    2003 L322 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 V8 Auto
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  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by ian4002000 View Post
    Have you cleaned the liner ?
    Pour metho down the liner and then blow out with an air gun. Makes a big difference. it should be done often but most of us including me rarely do it.

    Ian
    Bittern
    Should be interesting trying to get metho down a .6mm hole.......

    Colin
    '56 Series 1 with homemade welder
    '65 Series IIa Dormobile
    '70 SIIa GS
    '76 SIII 88" (Isuzu C240)
    '81 SIII FFR
    '95 Defender Tanami
    '58 Series II (sold)
    Motorcycles :-
    Vincent Rapide, Panther M100, Norton BIG4, Electra & Navigator, Matchless G80C

  4. #14
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    Old syringes are very useful. I use them for placing oil in difficult spots.
    Ron B.
    VK2OTC

    2003 L322 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 V8 Auto
    2007 Yamaha XJR1300
    Previous: 1983, 1986 RRC; 1995, 1996 P38A; 1995 Disco1; 1984 V8 County 110; Series IIA



    RIP Bucko - Riding on Forever

  5. #15
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    That machine is before my vintage.
    I wouldn't bank on any parts availability unless you get a machine for spares and do the old switcheroo.


    Firstly, can define how the machine was 'playing up'?

    To test wire speed irregularities, get a stopwatch (on your phone), Disconnect your gas, ensure you are not part of the welding circuit, and dispense 15s of wire a few times. You should have a fairly consistent length of wire each time. If NG, wire feed is the problem. If good, look somewhere else.

    Assuming it IS wire feed, then...

    First thing I'd look at is for binding in the liner / tip both consumable items which need periodic maintenance. Steel liners can rust, and do pick up copper shavings off the MIG wire, which can clog it over time. If you are also using a crusty 21 year old spool of wire, you'll probably have some surface oxidation on the spool.
    If shopping for a new liner, look for a suitable ID diameter liner for your setup (probably 0.6-0.9mm), then check that the OD is going to fit in the wire feed housing. Ensure liner is equal to, or greater than torch length (you can cut them down neatly with a knife or sharp side cutters if needed). Put a new tip on while you are at it. This just all screws apart on the torch end, and you'll have a fastener of some description on the machine end. Pull it out of the conduit, a man of your skills will have no concerns here.


    Also check your wire pretension. This should be enough to draw the wire thru, but not crush it between the feed roller and idler roller. The spool should have little resistance, but not so much as to maintain momentum when the WF motor stops and on-spool under its own inertia.

    I'd also pull off the gear housing for the wire feed drive. Might have some bad teeth in there, or a slipping shaft. Not much you could do if this is the case.
    I'd also have a look at the potentiometer on the back of the wire speed feed control. If you get the chance to spray some deoxit or contact cleaner on it, you might have some luck, if it's an electrical speed reference problem.
    Cast your eyes over the board for any obvious issues.
    -Mitch
    'El Burro' 2012 Defender 90.

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Toxic_Avenger View Post
    That machine is before my vintage.
    I wouldn't bank on any parts availability unless you get a machine for spares and do the old switcheroo.


    Firstly, can define how the machine was 'playing up'?

    To test wire speed irregularities, get a stopwatch (on your phone), Disconnect your gas, ensure you are not part of the welding circuit, and dispense 15s of wire a few times. You should have a fairly consistent length of wire each time. If NG, wire feed is the problem. If good, look somewhere else.
    You could actually hear it speeding up & slowing down and sometimes it stopped feeding the wire.

    Assuming it IS wire feed, then...

    First thing I'd look at is for binding in the liner / tip both consumable items which need periodic maintenance. Steel liners can rust, and do pick up copper shavings off the MIG wire, which can clog it over time. If you are also using a crusty 21 year old spool of wire, you'll probably have some surface oxidation on the spool.
    New spool of wire, nylon (?) liner.

    If shopping for a new liner, look for a suitable ID diameter liner for your setup (probably 0.6-0.9mm), then check that the OD is going to fit in the wire feed housing. Ensure liner is equal to, or greater than torch length (you can cut them down neatly with a knife or sharp side cutters if needed). Put a new tip on while you are at it. This just all screws apart on the torch end, and you'll have a fastener of some description on the machine end. Pull it out of the conduit, a man of your skills will have no concerns here.


    Also check your wire pretension. This should be enough to draw the wire thru, but not crush it between the feed roller and idler roller.
    I could tighten this down till the spring was almost fully compressed and the issue continued.
    The spool should have little resistance, but not so much as to maintain momentum when the WF motor stops and on-spool under its own inertia.

    I'd also pull off the gear housing for the wire feed drive. Might have some bad teeth in there, or a slipping shaft. Not much you could do if this is the case.
    Did that and greased the bearings.
    I'd also have a look at the potentiometer on the back of the wire speed feed control.
    If you get the chance to spray some deoxit or contact cleaner on it, you might have some luck, if it's an electrical speed reference problem.
    Cast your eyes over the board for any obvious issues.
    The plastic wire spool runs on a plastic spigot, there was a lot of friction here. Lubricating helped overcome the issue but nut sure why this happens. Never had this before over several spools so maybe a cheap plastic spool ?

    Checking out a couple of UK forums and the welder turns up under several different names (back in the day.....)

    Need to get my Argoshield bottle re-filled and try some welding.....


    Colin
    '56 Series 1 with homemade welder
    '65 Series IIa Dormobile
    '70 SIIa GS
    '76 SIII 88" (Isuzu C240)
    '81 SIII FFR
    '95 Defender Tanami
    '58 Series II (sold)
    Motorcycles :-
    Vincent Rapide, Panther M100, Norton BIG4, Electra & Navigator, Matchless G80C

  7. #17
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    On my antique mig welder (1970's) I ground down the grooved feed roller to allow the pinch roller to get more grip. From memory the plastic liners were for aluminium, steel wires ran in spiral wire liners. Shouldn't be hard to extract the liner and get a new one for it from a welding supply shop. I also make sure the welding gun has the easiest possible curve to the welder, makes it run smoother. Friction on the spool mount is important so that it doesn't over run and tangle the wire around the post.

  8. #18
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    I've seen intermittant feed issues as a result of a dicky switch in the handpiece. Might be a valid course of investigation. The
    Fault find by wiggling the torch cable while actuating switch. Youn might find a cause/effect pattern.
    I even had one issue where the old torch had a continuous feed... which stopped when the operator held the torch above his head. Turned out the trigger spring retaining washer was flopping around inside the trigger switch and shorting out the contacts, but breaking contact when inverted.

    The above might resolve the 'stop feeding' condition.
    You could also look into the integrity of the high/low switch to see if this is a cause of the speed fluctuations.
    -Mitch
    'El Burro' 2012 Defender 90.

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Toxic_Avenger View Post
    I've seen intermittant feed issues as a result of a dicky switch in the handpiece. Might be a valid course of investigation. The
    Fault find by wiggling the torch cable while actuating switch. Youn might find a cause/effect pattern.
    I even had one issue where the old torch had a continuous feed... which stopped when the operator held the torch above his head. Turned out the trigger spring retaining washer was flopping around inside the trigger switch and shorting out the contacts, but breaking contact when inverted.

    The above might resolve the 'stop feeding' condition.
    You could also look into the integrity of the high/low switch to see if this is a cause of the speed fluctuations.
    I have a feeling it was mostly the friction between spool and plastic spigot it runs on. When it stopped feeding the wire feed was still running just not able to pull the wire from the spool. The congealed grease in the bearings didn't help.

    Bottle filled today so I'll try using the welder at the weekend.

    I did find that BOC are 'sort of' competing with the 'buy your own bottle' offers.
    They are now doing annual rental on D size including one refill. Ideal for infrequent users.
    Oxy & acetylene annual rental & one fill would be $188 inc GST. Small bottles....yes, but easier to justify to SWMBO.


    Colin
    '56 Series 1 with homemade welder
    '65 Series IIa Dormobile
    '70 SIIa GS
    '76 SIII 88" (Isuzu C240)
    '81 SIII FFR
    '95 Defender Tanami
    '58 Series II (sold)
    Motorcycles :-
    Vincent Rapide, Panther M100, Norton BIG4, Electra & Navigator, Matchless G80C

  10. #20
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    Most machines will have some kind of idle tension system on the spool, too little friction and it will over-run, 'birds nest' the wire or jam.

    The gas thing is not news to me. The point of differentiation is the absence of any deposit up-front, and an included fill each year, which is unique.
    Info here
    -Mitch
    'El Burro' 2012 Defender 90.

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