Cleaning a MIG liner

[Terry Coombs]

I have one that's not feeding well , and wonder if it can - and
should - be cleaned . I have a new one on hand , but it's sized for
.035-.045 wire , and I usually use .025 solid . I have .035 flux core
loaded right now , but that was for an outside job that was blowing my
shield gas away and I'd much prefer to go back to solid - I also have
some .030 on hand but haven't yet tried it .

--

Snag

[Leon Fisk]

I've heard of guys doing it but usually it's just for finishing a job,
like on a weekend and no-obtanium till Monday...

I was working on a Miller 250MP last winter for a friend and I could
find replacement liners for ~$12 on Ebay. This was a liner for .024
to .035 wire. The only hard part was identifying the part number
needed. His gun wasn't easily recognizable and had the part numbers
worn off.

I think you should check replacement pricing first, don't think it will
be that much. Probably around $25 or less...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

[Terry Coombs]

A new liner and drive roller came in the mail today from USAWeld .
Under 30 bucks for both delivered , $9/liner and $14/roller plus
shipping . The old liner has only had about 12-13 lbs of .025 wire thru
it . I suspect the problem is from infrequent use and some flash rust on
my wire . Try as I might , it's really hard to keep the humidity down in
the shop - I do have a 6k BTU AC unit out there , but don't run it all
the time due to the cost .

--

Snag

[Leon Fisk]

On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 14:37:40 -0500
Terry Coombs <snag...@msn.com> wrote:

<snip>

>A new liner and drive roller came in the mail today from USAWeld .
>Under 30 bucks for both delivered , $9/liner and $14/roller plus
>shipping . The old liner has only had about 12-13 lbs of .025 wire thru
>it . I suspect the problem is from infrequent use and some flash rust on
>my wire . Try as I might , it's really hard to keep the humidity down in
>the shop - I do have a 6k BTU AC unit out there , but don't run it all
>the time due to the cost .

A lot of the liners are steel and can rust too...

You can try making some nicks with a pair of dykes in a piece of
MIG wire. Work this back and forth through the old liner and then blow
it out. It never hurts to try if you have the time and patience...

I feel your pain, Michigan is notorious for high humidity. Most of my
stuff is in the basement garage. I have humidistats set out and run the
dehumidifier when they creep above my comfort level. If I just let the
dehumidifier run at say 60% it wouldn't shut off for days if ever this
time of the year... Oily rags here and there, wipe everything down after
use. YUP, I'm a cheapskate :)

[Gunner Asch]

On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 14:02:47 -0500, Terry Coombs <snag...@msn.com>
wrote:

They can be cleaned..assuming its actually dirty enough to be an
issue. Most often..they have a kink in the liner somewhere.

Clean em by spoozing kerosene through the liner with compressed air,
after giving them a bit of a soak in a coffee can filled with kerosene
(or diesel etc etc)


---
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[Gunner Asch]

On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 14:37:40 -0500, Terry Coombs <snag...@msn.com>
wrote:

If you have a persistant rust problem...when done working with the
gun, fill a 50 cal ammo can or better yet..a 20 mm ammo can with
argon/c75 and carefuly coil the gun and hose in the can and close it.

It will be fine until the next time you use it.

Simply stick the gun in the can and pull the trigger for a minute or
so. It will force out the atmosphere and fill the can with argon/c75

[Terry Coombs]

On 8/9/2017 3:06 PM, Gunner Asch wrote:
> On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 14:02:47 -0500, Terry Coombs <snag...@msn.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I have one that's not feeding well , and wonder if it can - and
>> should - be cleaned . I have a new one on hand , but it's sized for
>> .035-.045 wire , and I usually use .025 solid . I have .035 flux core
>> loaded right now , but that was for an outside job that was blowing my
>> shield gas away and I'd much prefer to go back to solid - I also have
>> some .030 on hand but haven't yet tried it .
>>
>> --
>>
>> Snag
> They can be cleaned..assuming its actually dirty enough to be an
> issue. Most often..they have a kink in the liner somewhere.
>
> Clean em by spoozing kerosene through the liner with compressed air,
> after giving them a bit of a soak in a coffee can filled with kerosene
> (or diesel etc etc)
>
>

No kinks , I have it out of the lead . I was thinking maybe a
kerosene soak as you suggested . Per your post above , it's not rusty in
the liner/lead/gun , it's the roll of wire inside the machine that has
some surface rust . It doesn't help that this machine lives on the lower
level of the cart I modified to carry the TIG setup . And sometimes when
it rains really really heavy a little water comes in under the door .

--

Snag

[Larry Jaques]

On Wed, 09 Aug 2017 13:06:43 -0700, Gunner Asch <gunne...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 14:02:47 -0500, Terry Coombs <snag...@msn.com>
>wrote:
>
>> I have one that's not feeding well , and wonder if it can - and
>>should - be cleaned . I have a new one on hand , but it's sized for
>>.035-.045 wire , and I usually use .025 solid . I have .035 flux core
>>loaded right now , but that was for an outside job that was blowing my
>>shield gas away and I'd much prefer to go back to solid - I also have
>>some .030 on hand but haven't yet tried it .
>>
>> --
>>
>> Snag

What, you guys don't have 30' Q-tips or pipe cleaners where you live?

>They can be cleaned..assuming its actually dirty enough to be an
>issue. Most often..they have a kink in the liner somewhere.
>
>Clean em by spoozing kerosene through the liner with compressed air,
>after giving them a bit of a soak in a coffee can filled with kerosene
>(or diesel etc etc)

I found a cheap injector for kero and other cleaners in tight spots to
be the cheap blunt-needle medical syringes from Ebay and Amazon. The
Viton pistons are immune to most solvents. I've used them to inject
woodworking glue into a wood joint, grease into a hard-to-get-to
bushing, and remove excess brake fluid from master cylinders.
http://tinyurl.com/yc6lq7f8 10 for $5, delivered.
(100ml are a buck with free shipping, too, if you want it large)

-
I am a Transfinancial--A rich person born in a poor person's body.
Please stop the hate by sending me money to resolve my money
identity disorder. --anon

[dca...@krl.org]

On Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 5:10:07 PM UTC-4, Terry Coombs wrote:


> >
> No kinks , I have it out of the lead . I was thinking maybe a
> kerosene soak as you suggested . Per your post above , it's not rusty in
> the liner/lead/gun , it's the roll of wire inside the machine that has
> some surface rust . It doesn't help that this machine lives on the lower
> level of the cart I modified to carry the TIG setup . And sometimes when
> it rains really really heavy a little water comes in under the door .
>
> --
>
> Snag

Gunners advice seems good to me. That is putting the wire in a container with dry gas. Well I am a cheap skate and would use some desiccant and a big zip lock bag.

Maybe you could kluge up a wiper for the wire. Just some cloth to clean off the wire as it is being feed.

Dan

[et...@whidbey.com]

On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 16:10:03 -0500, Terry Coombs <snag...@msn.com>

Even slightly rusty wire isn't so good for welding stuff that matters
strength wise. It's OK for building up wear surfaces though, like the
worn bottom of the hoe on my backhoe. I know this because I used the
rusty roll of wire that came with my used SP-125 Plus welder to do
just that. A whole spool of fluxcore costs at least twice as much as a
plastic liner though. So maybe you should buy a liner made for
aluminum and use it with the rusty fluxcore. Then flush it with clean
water and use it for aluminum wire.
Eric

[David Billington]

I seem to recall it was Gunner that recommended folding up a Scotchbrite
pad and running the wire through that to take off surface contaminants,
works for me on the CCMS MIG wire. Living in the UK it's not exactly dry
and I've changed the wire liner once since 1986 and that was just
preventative maintenance, I've run a few 15kg wire spools in that time.

[Bob La Londe]

"Terry Coombs" wrote in message news:omfo28$aeb$1...@dont-email.me...

On 8/9/2017 2:20 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:
> On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 14:02:47 -0500
> Terry Coombs <snag...@msn.com> wrote:
>
>> I have one that's not feeding well , and wonder if it can - and
>> should - be cleaned . I have a new one on hand , but it's sized for
>> .035-.045 wire , and I usually use .025 solid . I have .035 flux core
>> loaded right now , but that was for an outside job that was blowing my
>> shield gas away and I'd much prefer to go back to solid - I also have
>> some .030 on hand but haven't yet tried it .
> I've heard of guys doing it but usually it's just for finishing a job,
> like on a weekend and no-obtanium till Monday...
>
> I was working on a Miller 250MP last winter for a friend and I could
> find replacement liners for ~$12 on Ebay. This was a liner for .024
> to .035 wire. The only hard part was identifying the part number
> needed. His gun wasn't easily recognizable and had the part numbers
> worn off.
>
> I think you should check replacement pricing first, don't think it will
> be that much. Probably around $25 or less...
>
A new liner and drive roller came in the mail today from USAWeld .
Under 30 bucks for both delivered , $9/liner and $14/roller

**********************

I like USA Weld for replacement parts. Usually have atleast one of about
anything in stock and they are always an exact fit.


--

Snag

[Gunner Asch]

On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 16:10:03 -0500, Terry Coombs <snag...@msn.com>

Oh hell yes..rusty mig wire. I keep my small spools in 5 gallon
buckets with quick removable tops and a fill with argon/C75.

Only thing that doesnt get loaded into an inert gas is stainless.

I started doing this about 6 or so yrs ago, when one morning in mid
winter I opened my wire cabinet (and bandsaw blade storage) and found
this...

https://goo.gl/photos/ZaAFAHAwLzqupsSS6

Even here in the desert (18% humidity today..moist!) wire will rust if
not taken care of.

Gunner

[Larry Jaques]

On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 16:10:03 -0500, Terry Coombs <snag...@msn.com>

Perhaps it's time to put a knobby on your Harley and trench for a
drain in front of the shop, Snag. I used to borrow my buddy's Husky
450 for those needs, but I doubt you have one.

[Steve W.]

Pull the liner, coil it up and soak it in some evaporust for about 2-3
hours. Remove it and blow out the excess.

For the wire, make a wire scrubber an attach it just before the drive
rollers. Mine is a chunk of brake line tubing with a flared end and
filled with stainless steel wool with some lube-matic weld wire lube.
Wire goes in sort of dark and scruffy, comes out the other end nice and
shiny and feeds like crap through a goose...
I have the same issue, the MIG sets in the corner and gets used maybe
once a month.

--
Steve W.

[et...@whidbey.com]

On Thu, 10 Aug 2017 20:39:36 -0400, "Steve W." <csr...@NOTyahoo.com>
wrote:

Thanks for the wire cleaning tip Steve. Since my first roll of rusty
wire (it came with the welder) that I used for practice and build up
of wear surfaces I haven't had a problem with rusty wire. But I bet in
the future I will and your idea could save a roll of wire and a small
pile of frog pelts.
Eric

[Bob Engelhardt]

On 8/9/2017 5:10 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:

> ... it's the roll of wire inside the machine that has
> some surface rust . ...

11 years ago, I posted here about the shitty MIG welds I was getting and
the problem was surface rust on the wire. After replacing the wire (or
maybe just unspooling down to clean wire), I made a little compartment
around the wire in the MIG and fitted it with a packet of silica gel. I
have had zero surface rust since. And I do so little welding that a 2
lb spool lasts years and years.

http://i.imgur.com/OOpBeWU.jpg

The wire feeds out of it's box through a slot with two rubber flaps as a
seal. The box is sealed with RTV on the back and the MIG cover/door has
foam weather stripping that seals the front. The silica gel is in a
pouch, in the plastic chamber in the upper left corner.

Some time after, I realized that I could have used a plastic food
storage box and avoided the necessity of isolating (electrically) the
wire from the box. Would have been all-round easier.

Bob

[Bob Engelhardt]

I can add that my shop is very humid and in spite of running a
dehumidifier, I got surface rust before adding the compartment and
silica gel.

[rangerssuck]

Nice. Do you ever change the silica gel or does it just dry out on its own during less humid times?

[Bob Engelhardt]

On 8/11/2017 11:17 PM, rangerssuck wrote:

> Nice. Do you ever change the silica gel or does it just dry out on its own during less humid times?
>

I think that I've changed it a couple of times (in 11 years). It
changes color when it's water-laden & I check for that occasionally. I
think that the tight enclosure keeps enough moisture out that the silica
gel doesn't have to work too hard.

[Ed Huntress]

You can rejuvenate silica gel in several ways, which you can find
easily by doing a Google search.

I've been doing it for years, using the slow-dry method in a kitchen
oven.

--
Ed Huntress