Welding wire?

[Puff]

When it comes to wire spools for welding, is there a grade system or such a thing as crappy wire versus great wire?

The 4" spool of Hobart .030 that Miller sent with the welder has got about 15 feet left, barely enough to pass thru the drive roller. The steel store I go to for metal supplies is where I had gotten all of my 7018 and 7014. I see now on the boxes it is made in China. Not debating the made in America issues... I'm a Harley rider for 39 years ..Maybe it's good stuff and maybe it's not.

I am basically looking to put all of the advantages in my favor. If it pays to buy a specific type of .030 wire, for a couple of dollars more, it may be worth it. Especially if it makes the work easier.

Any suggestions or thoughts on this?

[Smokeone]

I am not a huge welder but i use Hobart or Lincoln myself.

[Rev.Mike]

i use the lincoln .030, and it works good for me, tried several types, and keep going back to the lincoln or anchor wire

[Gizmo]

Buy from a local supplier and buy the wire(s) he recommends and sells the most of. He has to take all the complaints (if any) about the wire he sells and he has very likely already figured out which one to stock that works best for ALL his customers. This is one of those times where the word of the local dealer means a lot!

imho

[Rev.Mike]

[Puff]

I absolutely agree in supporting local suppliers and dealers. The supplier I buy from is a major resource in our area. He has only weld-cote from what I have seen on the shelves but they are a GIGANTIC facility... their shelves are stocked with polished aluminum diamond plate of all sorts of precut sizes and bent corners as well as round bar stock from quarter inch to 3 inch.... That does not include their acres of shed storage area... This place is three times larger than a gigantic supermarket. I'd never seen anything like it before.

I like the idea of using a quality wire as some of the "tools" I have in the shop are from Harbor freight and you know it. while some tools like my hammer, make no difference... Their MIG pliers...are mediocre compared to the ones I bought at Lowe's.

So I guess my real question is if there's no difference in the actual wire composition then I'm assuming the name on the package makes no difference. And I believe that is the case in some products, on the other hand it is truly a bad choice to skimp in other areas. You know that old saying " you get what you pay for"... Funny how all these old sayings are finally catching up !

Geez what a rambling statement

[Puff]

FWIW: bought an 8" spool of Lincoln L-56 .030 wire. Works fine. But I THINK the Hobart wire was cleaner. I have no experience other than the nozzle interior being splattered a bit more in less usage. Any truth to that?

Also, what makes the 035 wire $8.00 less per box ? Is there less of the heavier wire on the roll?

[Rodcrafter]

Yes, there is less feet per pound. Like fishing line.

[Puff]

I was having a problem with a roll of wire. it is Lincoln L-56 .030. It seems that after three revolutions the wire is lying underneath a wrap of wire and then binds up until I take the spool off unravel it and go another two or three revolutions. The problem is that the first entire half of the roll was perfect. it is an 8 inch roll. Is this common or is this a problem roll of wire? It certainly is frustrating as heck.

[Pete Mazz]

maybe add a little tension to your feeder?

[Puff]

Hey Pete,

I did that but this fouling was the rolled wire being crossed in the winding process I think....it was mystifying and really agravating since I might actually weld about 3/4" and then have to stop, take the spool off, cut the wire and pull 10 ft of cut wire through the tip and then re-thread it. It did this at least 10 times. It has finally straightened out for the last hour I was working with it. But.....

Know what I mean?

[Big T]

It sounds like it was a real PITA, I haven't ran across that problem but we use the 30lb spools.

[Pete Mazz]

I hear ya Puff. That would absolutely drive me nuts!

[Puff]

Well thanks guys...clearly not too much of a common problem ... I'll just call Lincoln ...scream a little and see what they say. It's almost as if the original winding tension was so tight, that the wrap layer itself in between other grooves and the on the un-wrap, it got stuck in there and now the wire is lying below the surface?...

I will let you know

[Rodcrafter]

Bummer Puff,

That is not generally the case. I've never had that happen to me, I use the large 40 lb spools too. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not but I hate for you. I know your just getting started with a mig, but it shouldn't ever happen again.

[SmokinFF]

Just a question. Is the spool on the right way so it feeds straight?

[Puff]

Yes it's feeding from the bottom of the roll and it not random wound but kind of like a fishing reel , all next to each other.

Happened two other times today. I was ready to run out to Lowe's and buy a small spool to finish what I started today but that was more energy than I had....

[Miketheforester]

Puff, I have had this problem on my Miller 135 extensively. I never really have got it figured out for good, but it hasn't happened as often on 20 pound spools. Some spools of wire are much worse than others, and actually the worst I've had was a roll of Forney wire that was rolled so tight it actually split the spool in half so that the sides spread and it would bind against the welder every half revolution. Even with good spools I have had a persistent problem with wire sticking. The guys at the local welding shop suggested replacing the liner in the stinger, but that didn't help much if at all.

[Puff]

Hi Miketheforester,

You said it ....the wire seems rolled so tight it has trouble unwinding as the drive is feeding it through. I don't believe it would be time to replace the liner as the Miller 211 is new and only the 4" spool that came with it and 1/2 of this 8" replacement have passed through it so far and a tiny but if .023 that I have. I bought extra tips for both sizes and glad I did. I tried not to skimp on a wire of quality but that does not seem to have been the case

So you know from experience what a pain it is because it also then sticks the wire to the tip since the wire feed slows considerably. In thinner gauge metal it blows a hole into the metal from the heat and gas flow.

[Blazer]

puff, just a few things I can think of to check. How tight is the tension nut on the spool ? Drive roll's correct size? Also when welding try to keep your lead as straight as possible, having it coiled up can cause problem's. You can test the feeding of the wire by holding resistance on the wire as it comes out of the nozzle ( gloves on and ground laying in the floor PLEASE.) One last thing. Some of these machines come on straight polarity for flux core wire. make sure you are on reverse.

[Puff]

Blazer....good thought on the tension nut. I have the other points of your comments covered. Minimizing any bend and twists in the gun line. I'd noticed that on more rusted stuff, where it has poor contact, the wire feed is strong enough push the gun away from the work with gusto.. But when the wire jams up and gets stuck...well you know.

But I think you have touched on something with the tension nut. I will check it ....thanks. I'll let you know

[tj1717]

We have had this happen before, most likely the spool was dropped in shipping. If your dealer will take it back exchange it for another spool. Lincoln L-56 is a top line wire but pretty expensive, see if your dealer can get Lincoln S-6 ( not all dealers can). It is the same wire as L-56 without the coating but will run fine in a mig and is much less expensive. (The coating is only necessary in automated feeders running high feed rates according to our Lincoln rep)

[DonaldE]

i also mostly use Hobart or Lincoln myself.

[Tracker401]

I'm new to this site, not new to welding. I run an HTP 2400 Mig machine and for the last 4 years have run mostly the "weldusa" mig wire. You'll find them on the internet. Most of what I've run was .035 wire (er70s6), but I am currently running a 10# spool of .030 and kinda like it better. The weldusa wire is precision wound wire vice random wound wire. It feeds well and once you set tension it is right till the spool runs out. Shipping is fast and seems like the last time I got 2 spools for the same shipping cost as for one. These are the same folks who sell HTP welders, and customer service is top of the line. I don't know where the wire is made, but it seems better than the "radnor" brand wire I used in welding class they got from Air Gas. Just my .02...YMMV

Tracker401

[weldingxpert]

i also mostly use Hobart or Lincoln myself.

So what do you say which one is better in these two???