I've got myself a 130 Migmate and decided today that i'd have a go at learning to weld.

Everything goes well and the core feeds fine UNTIL.....

.....I touch the core to the object being welded and the feed stops after a couple of touches. I have checked what I can and found that initially the feed whell seemed to be on upside down (second hand machine) so I turned it over and the same thing happenes but now it still feeds the core (only into a ball behing the feed tube!!)

Now, the core is a little rusty so I wonder if that is catching in the feed tube BUT then I try and pull the wire back out and it's stuck at the tip end!!! Could I need a new tip? Do I need new wire?

HELP!!!!!

Get a .8 tip and a roll of .8 wire, make sure the feed roll is on the right way it has two grooves, .6 and .8 and check you have enough tension on the feed.

I had rusty wire which as useless as it constantly jammed. Not sure exactly what you're explaining, but does this help?

Ned.

Looks like the rusty wire then ;-(

I have .8 wire and tip (the tip is dirty though - could need a new one too then!)

How do I know which way the wheel goes on? I have a slot on one edge and a notched groove ot the other.

I could be wrong but I believe that for welding mild steel you need to use the side with the smooth channel.

Also make sure that the feed tube has not been kinked or twisted inside the cover tube - this happened to me whilst welding a friend's Triumph took a while to figure out but sorted it pretty simply and cheaply.

HTH

Could be it needs a new liner

One other thing beware rolls of welding wire that aren't a continuous single piece but crudely spliced --- encountered this on a roll bought from Wickles-Focus --- very nasty they jamm at the start of the liner.



[Edited on 21/1/05 by britishtrident]

I had a simialir problem when attempting to weld recently, afetr several hours of pissing around I found that the wire tensioner had been backed right off (bloody kids). applied a little tension and all was fine in the garage of love

Well,

Just got a new tip, turned gas up as someone suggested that this could be the problem (too hot) checked the tensioner which is on fully and even run the welder with the lid off and the wire still tries to feed when the sticking occurs - defo a problem at the nose end but where? When it's cool, it all runs great but when I start, I get a loud pop as it starts, the odd bit of OK weld, and eventually no feed at all but the wire is still sticking out of the end!!!

Anyone live locally who'll let me bring it to them for a check over as if it's faulty, I'll get me money back!!!

Is this a SIP migmate 130??

I think the different channels on the feed wheel are simply for either 0.6 or 0.8 wire? One of them is bigger - the knurled one I think.

As for the wire melting onto the tip and jamming - sounds like a setup problem more than mechanical. I have my buttons set to max with the black lo-hi button out (hi). Dial quite low - between 2 and 3.

Probably makes no sense if it isn't a SIP 130 but hopefully that will help.

Liam

It is a migmate 130 - will try the settings you suggest - what do you have the gas set to? I have a HUGE Argon canister (too big to carry) and a set of dials/regulator.

Hmmm - you might need some CO2 in there. Pure argon is for welding stainless. I use argoshield light - a CO2 argon mix. Running about 6-8 l/min. I find argoshield a hell of a lot better than pure CO2. Have never tried pure argon with mild steel - could be your problem.

Liam

quote:

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Originally posted by Liam
Hmmm - you might need some CO2 in there. Pure argon is for welding stainless. I use argoshield light - a CO2 argon mix. Running about 6-8 l/min. I find argoshield a hell of a lot better than pure CO2. Have never tried pure argon with mild steel - could be your problem.

Liam

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I was told Argon was for Aluminium welding!!!

Then I read it was fine for everything!!!

Well I think I've sussed where the problem lies anyway. After messing with everything, it seems that the sticking is in the head (after the trigger though). The wheels still feed fine but it gets stuck at this end hence when the end touches, there is an explosive start but the heat isn't kept in the pool as the wire gets stuck. Then IF it starts again, the same thing happens.

A friend of mine has a SIP 150 Autoplus and a few weeks ago he had a similar problem. The liner was a plastic one and went right up the neck of the gun where it had melted. I blowlamped it to melt it out then we fitted a new liner up to the start of the neck. It works now. It was a fiddly job.

ive had loads of trouble with mine in the past, a clark 130 thing. The spring (is this the liner?) came out into the handle, ive had to hacksaw the tip in half (still had a few more months use out of it!) and take the business end to bits. Still works ok now, and its a useful exercise getting to know how its put together!

The guy I got it off is adamant that he'll pay for any parts to repair it but I want to get welding ASAP so I'm going to be getting a new one tomorrow and whatever he says, he's getting it back!