Not happening.

Can't see how a 6' whip would be very useful, but if you must go that route, contact Tweco or Bernard and have them build you one.

You'd be much better served just buying a spool gun.

EDIT: Didn't catch the 1/16" 5356 wire. With this wire, you should be able to push it thru a 10' whip, which should be readily available. To burn 1/16" 5356 you've got to have a "pretty serious" power supply. Are you using a 4 roller feeder? If so, how you set up your drive roll pressure can be a big factor.

 

cut off 9 feet

imsorry i couldnt help it

 

cut off 9 feet

You are correct! (I got impatient and tore one down.) :drinkup:

While I'd gutted "lookalike" Tweco-STYLE backend guns, turns out real Tweco heads are based on a convenient brass (see pics) clamp with two Allen screws.

Shortening the gun requires removing the liner, removing the screws that hold the grip halves together, loosening the Allen screws, then sliding the gooseneck out the front and the cable out the back of the clamp.

I thinned the steel clamp "ring" that holds the jacket with a grinder (avoid overheating!) and twisted it free, cut the two black trigger wires that go to the switch, and chopped off about 9 feet (NEATLY, don't crush the plastic gas tube) of cable.

I'll get a band (Oetiker-style or similar, though twisted safety wire would work) clamp to replace the ring clamp I chopped, and two eyelet crimp connectors for the switch tomorrow.

I advise taking a pic or two as you do this so you can strip the jacket and maintain the wire lengths conveniently.

I'll reassemble this week and post pics.

As for the length, having got different opinions and not having a ten-foot gun, I figured a six-footer would be a safe bet. It'll reach everything I'll need to work with since I can move my feeder up close. I have another fifteen-footer I can turn into a ten if needed.

As to power,I have an ESAB 450i cvcc and an L-tec 450 to choose from.
I'm going with 1/16" since I'll be doing 1/4"-and-up plate and consensus on the internet seems to be anything smaller will birdnest instantly and be a pain to deal with. I have near-zero experience welding Al and am setting this up for practice.

I have two roll heads (the Digimig and Digipulse heads use the large 2" rollers) with "smooth" rollers, and a four-roll head I'll need to get smooth rollers for. I'll never run flux core so I might get my machinist buddy to turn the serrated rollers that fit .045 wire into smooth 1/16" versions.

Partial pics:

http://weldingweb.com/album.php?albumid=158

Thank you both for your advice, and more of same is always welcome!

 

farmall,

I think you got some really bad advice.

Can't see how a 6' whip would be at all useful.

Still say a spoolgun would have been a better option. I use a Miller 30A w/.045 wire to weld 1/4-1/2' aluminum plate all the time.

1/16" wire is pretty big for 1/4" material.

 

The 6' will reach fine in this particular situation. I've other guns for normal work with steel. (Auctions are great for that. I'll keep an eye out for more original Twecos now I know I can amputate a kinked section. If it isn't stupidly cheap I pass. )

Already had the welders, the gun was nearly free, and (later on) the same setup will be put to use on thicker plate. Good to know a spoolgun will do 1/2" though, as I've an ST-23 too, though it only fits my Migmaster 250 at the moment.

Seems like the advice was bad (guess most people who tried push feeding screwed it up) but I do need to get a push setup running for some thicker (1 to 2") plate to come, and don't mind sacrificing a cable while sorting that out. Easy enough to use the parts elsewhere if needed.

Thanks again for the info.

 

It will be a fussy job but doable. Convert to a plastic liner. I worked on a shipyard project where they used Esab welders and two roll feeders with 8 foot leads. The wire was .045 aluminum. On such heavy plate you likely will need helium or at least a helium mix. Keep the gun lead straight or with only a slight curve and you should be golden.

 

It can be shortened. I do all the time on Tweco mig guns we repair. As long as it has the brass block and two set screw you should not have any problems.

If you are going to push alumium wire, here are couple of tips to make it work better.
1-Use a teflon liner
2-Use a contact tip that is one size bigger than the wire
3-tighten the drive rolls on the wire feeder so that if you stop the wire with your fingers the drive rolls slip.
4-Keep the gun as straight as possible.

Of course a spoll gun is always the better option.

Hope this helps.

Jim

 

I didn't know anyone sent out MIG guns for repair, but I'll remember you repair them if I meet anyone who needs the service. What OTHER welding equipment do you fix?

My gun is back together except that my Oetiker ring clip was a bit too thick to fit. I'll scare up a thinner one this weekend. Plastic liner on order.

 

I didn't know anyone sent out MIG guns for repair, but I'll remember you repair them if I meet anyone who needs the service. What OTHER welding equipment do you fix?

We really only do Tweco Mig Guns. Had a very large bus manufacturer that had hundreds of mig welders. They found it cheaper to have use repair the mig guns than pay a maintence man that made $20.00/ per hour to do it. Bad thing is they are closing the plant this month.

The main thing we repair is regulators, flowmeters and torch. We also sell new and rebuilt equipment.

Jim

 

The clamps cost a dollar via my local Airgas.

Airgas print catalog page 61, Cable Clamp 2060-2690.