[Shotimes] My welding experience...

[Kevin & Cheryl Airth]

Don:
 The way to test your wire is use a clean white cloth and pull a section of
wire thru the cloth while pinching it. New wire will leave little or no
mark. The older the wire the bigger the "skid" marks are. I think the outer
layers on the bigger spools add some protection too. If you wire leaves skid
marks I would spool off some and test again.
.
.


> Kevin,
>
> I know your advice about wire is good, but I am an exception
> to that rule.  I bought a huge roll of wire with my Miller
> welder and that was about 10-12 years ago!  I still have
> well over half that roll left and it is in perfect shape.
>
> My garage is dry and heated in the winter (about 38 degrees
> most of the time just enough to prevent condensation and
> freezing) and cooled in the summer on the hottest days.
> That probably has something to do with it.
>
> When I mentioned this (old roll of wire) to my local welding
> supply store, they were amazed.  I will probably take your
> (and their) advice next time though and buy a smaller roll,
> especially since I don't use the welder that much.
>
> Just thought you might like to hear about the big roll that
> worked!  :)
>
> Don Mallinson
> PS Kirk used this welder and wire for several cam welds
> during the camfest at my place a year or so ago, and he had
> no problems at all.
>
> Kevin & Cheryl Airth wrote:
>
> > Buy the small spools of wire. Mig welding wire is copper plated steel.
The
> > longer you have a spool the more corrosion builds on the wire. Again
this
> > WILL degrade your weld and it's NOT obvious. Remember that you must have
a
> > complete circuit for electric welding to work so corrosion in any part
of
> > the circuit will mess up things. Everyone wants a big spool because it's
> > cheaper but I ONLY use the small 2 lb. spools. Don't buy a lot of wire
and
> > keep what you have in a plastic big. Most wire now comes in sealed
plastic.
> > Leave it that way until you are ready to use it.