Changing Mig Wire

[/pine]

Take the tip out of the gun, load up your new spool (keeping tension on it), open drive rolls, feed wire (with clean cut end) into the liner a couple inches, close drive rollers, pull trigger and wait for wire to poke out the end of the gun, put tip back on, cut excess wire, get back to welding.

In 15 years, from 120v hobbyist (junk), to the highest end digital feeders made - this method has never failed me.

The only issue I've ever had (is as described by the OP)...I've changed a lot of rolls of wire and the only issue is between the roller and the liner end at the welder...not the torch end...

 

[arkydog]

(((((((Take the tip out of the gun, load up your new spool (keeping tension on it), open drive rolls, feed wire (with clean cut end) ))))))
quote by jim timber


its after the rollers, that getting the wire into the liner (about 3/8 inch of gap between roller and liner) that the wire starts to curve up and hits the outside of liner. that is where the problem sometimes. the larger the diameter wire and and liner, the easier the wire is to grab and guide into the liner.

thanks pine i see you have same problem. hope this helps!!!!

 

[gwstang]

My mig has a knob inside that is a tension adjuster for the wire. I just loosen that when feeding new wire and it helps a lot. Then reset it when finished.

 

[ovrszd]

I've never saw a welder that the top roller didnt unlatch and flip up out of the way??

 

[Jim Timber]

I've never saw a welder that the top roller didnt unlatch and flip up out of the way??

Yup!

Pull as much lead as you want to thread it into the liner, then lay it down in the roller groove(s) and lock it in, and then get the slack taken up. Nothing to it!

 

[/pine]

It could be that those that use large spools don't experience the issue...
...But it never fails on either of my two wire welders...because of the natural coil of the wire/spool...after the wire is locked down in the groove it is never perfectly lined up with the center of the liner...even in the short distance it still has a slight curve...

 

[Big Barn]

It could be that those that use large spools don't experience the issue...
...But it never fails on either of my two wire welders...because of the natural coil of the wire/spool...after the wire is locked down in the groove it is never perfectly lined up with the center of the liner...even in the short distance it still has a slight curve...

Maybe try using needle nose pliers to feed the wire into the liner BEFORE you lock the drive rollers down.?.
Terry

 

[ovrszd]

Maybe try using needle nose pliers to feed the wire into the liner BEFORE you lock the drive rollers down.?.
Terry

Yeah, I always have it threaded into the liner before latching the rollers.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Be mindfull of the feeder mechansm. A friend is missing several fingertips after inadvertently squeezing the trigger while his fingers messed with the wire in a commercial, multi roller feeder.

 

[ovrszd]

Be mindfull of the feeder mechansm. A friend is missing several fingertips after inadvertently squeezing the trigger while his fingers messed with the wire in a commercial, multi roller feeder.

Yes, my Miller which has both rollers powered would certainly try to chew your fingers. That's why I never feed the wire between the rollers with the top roller latched in place. I can't think of any reason I'd ever try that. I unlatch the top roller, use my finger tip to feed the wire into the liner, latch the roller down, pull the trigger.