MIG welder troubles..

[CWLONGSHOT]

First off, I am no expert welder. My machine is a new HOBART Handler140 115V MIG. Nice little machine I picked up last year when my long time used Snap-on unit crapped out.

 

I used up the first roll 5# roll of factory .030 wire yesterday. That's where my problems started... I loaded a 2# roll of .035. About half way thru I began feeding problems. seems the wire was distorted. So that it wouldn't fit thru the tip. I was almost done with the project and figured it was the off brand wire. I planned on picking up name brand wire in the AM and continuing.

 

WELL, even with the new wire, I had more welder problems today... As I said, I ran out and picked up Lincoln .030 wire. Loaded machine and started to weld... about 6" later SAME PROBLEM!!! The wire is freakin' split... Literally split in two and flattened, like the tension wheel had flattened the wire.

I remove the tip and run it thru the gun. Once I get to round wire, I can feel still the variations in diameter. I checked and readjusted the feed wheel, tension and cleaned the bearing. SEEMS like the tension is WAY too much. But its only set of 3-4. It SHOULD be fine, right?? I set it so its only enough to feed wire, then a little extra. Maybe its the wire???

 

I had ZERO troubles with the wire that came with the machine... Lincoln SHOULD be good wire, no??

 

BTW, I am using reg (flux-core) wire shielding gas not necessary. Although I run both, this reg wire works better for the thicker steel welds.

 

Any experts out there care to offer some tips or a solution???

 

CW

[jbhill]

hmm sounds to me like the flux core wire is the prob(tho what you used with the machine was prob flux core to..) id try contacting miller in the morn to see whats up, but deff seems like the feed is to tight.

[DirtyComanche]

Out of round rollers? IDK. Seems really weird to me. I've never had feed issues beyond my own stupidity, and I run lots of different brands/sizes of wire (no flux core though).

[BJA814]

I run the Hobart handler 125 with .035 flux core as well. Not sure if they share the same feed system, but the only thing that comes to mind is the spring or roller for the wire. If it is too restrictive, you would need alot of tensionto move the wire. Make sure the nut/spring assembly isn't too tight on the wire roll.

 

But come to think of it, I've cranked the tension down pretty good to get the wire moving after a kink, and never had the type of problem you have. so..... :dunno:

[IDXJ]

I run lincoln welders so, I'm not familiar with Hobart. The Lincolns have 2 different grooves in the feed roller for different diameter wire. Are you running the right size groove for the wire diameter? That's really all that comes to mind other than different tip orifice size.

[BPB]

Have you changed tips? Running the 035 through the 030 tip could have fubared the tip. I would try using lincoln tips. I run lincoln 035 flux core with lincoln 035 tips with no issues. It seems like it would take a lot of force to smash the wire.