Mig welder probem

[jmcleek]

I have had my welder for 7-8 years now and I think it is time to clean the little wheels that feed the wire. what / how are the rest of you using to do this.?

[donut]

Little wheels? Do you mean the drive wheels? (steel, grooved)
If so, they should be removable. You swap different wheels with different size grooves if the wire size changes. I used to clean out the entire machine whenever I changed out a wire spool. (more or less) I used brake clean and a rag on these wheels, pop them out, swab them down, re-install or change depending on the wire. Rest of the machine, just a little compressed air and maybe a rag if big gunky spots present.

If I'm off base, post up a pic.

[jmcleek]

Thanks that is what I was looking for.

[dieseldawg142]

do you run a wiper on your wire? gets most of the oil off so it & dust dont gunk up the wheels

[jmcleek]

Originally Posted by dieseldawg142

do you run a wiper on your wire? gets most of the oil off so it & dust dont gunk up the wheels

no ,would a supply shop have one or is this something I would have to make?

[donut]

Supply shop should have them, if I'm thinking correctly, they're just a felt pad with a spring clip around them that goes over the wire.
This is what I was thinking of, http://www.weldaid.com/products/lube-matic-overview/

[ssapach]

For a wire cleaner, I just stab the wire through an earplug. It's not the greatest or most high quality cleaner for a mig welder, but it keeps the majority of the dust off the wire and thus out of the wheels and liner in the cable.

And earplugs are usually cheap or free anyways.

[cableguy0]

Also spray compressed air through the gun and liner itself. The wire scraping against the steel liner tends to leave residue over time. If you get it all out and cleaned up everything will run a lot smoother. Also make sure your tip is clean or just put in a new one. 30 minutes of cleaning can make a huge difference in how smooth the welder works.

[FarmerSid]

I just wrap a piece of fine scotch bright pad around the wire between the spool and drive wheels. It is held on with a large black paper clip type thing.

[dwcsr]

I have always run a wiper to keeps junk out of the liner that eventually builds up and get on the wire as it goes through. If you have an 8 year old welder it time to change the liner and wheels. Scotch brite, cloth held on with a clothespin. Anything that keeps the junk off the wire will work.

[jmcleek]

I have cleaned every thing as you have said to, and have added a wiper/ luber to clean the wire and changed the tip. It workes alot better. My daughter is useing it now to learn on an work on a prodject for class.