End of spool

[Fil]

What do you do with the last bit of wire when the spool runs out and it won't feed anymore? Seems too wasteful to me. Who's got the cool diy on what to do with those three feet of wire that you gotta pull out before you load the new spool?

[smithdoor]

I use fluxcore it goes in the trash can.
If you solid wire it will work for tie wire.

Dave

What do you do with the last bit of wire when the spool runs out and it won't feed anymore? Seems too wasteful to me. Who's got the cool diy on what to do with those three feet of wire that you gotta pull out before you load the new spool?

[52 Ford]

What do you do with the last bit of wire when the spool runs out and it won't feed anymore? Seems too wasteful to me. Who's got the cool diy on what to do with those three feet of wire that you gotta pull out before you load the new spool?

Three feet?

If it's larger diameter stuff (especially fancy wire, like 312, 316, nickel, etc) it might be worth saving and using as TIG filler.

Otherwise, use it as tie wire or throw it away.

If it's flux core don't even bother using it as tie wire. Breaks when it bends.

Regular MIG and FCAW wire also rusts really bad if exposed to weather.

*I just had a thought. Like I said, MIG wire rusts really quickly if left outside. Maybe cut it up into short pieces put it at the base of your rose bushes?

I know blacksmiths who dump the water from the quench tank on their roses and it does wonders for them. The quench tank water ends up with a LOT of iron in it.

Personally, I add a lot of soap (currently using Borax, usually use Dawn) to my quench tank to keep mosquitos away and reduce the film of dust on the top of the water, so I just dump mine out behind the shop once or twice a year.

(Edit: Roses like iron)

Sent from my Lincoln Buzzbox using Tapatalk

[Fil]

Thanks for the roses idea. But it is flux core so in the bin it went.
Next.... Does anybody file smooth the wire so as to make a smooth entry? I did it beats telling your welder " I Love You"
Oh and how do you clean your magnets that get all the slag and cut wire ends stuck on it?

[Welder Dave]

If you consider how many inches to the pound of wire, there is very little waste at the end of the roll, about 15ft. would be the most. Compare that to 1 1/2" or more at the end of every stick electrode. Then compare a 50lb. can of stick electrodes to a 50lb. spool of wire. Makes you want to reevaluate why you are using stick. You're paying a lot for what you throw out.

Sometimes you have cut the wire a specific way or possibly file it so it doesn't get caught up feeding it fresh off the roll. What magnets are you talking about? Only thing I've ever seen work to clean magnets was using a strong blow gun.

[John T]

What do you do with the last bit of wire when the spool runs out and it won't feed anymore? Seems too wasteful to me. Who's got the cool diy on what to do with those three feet of wire that you gotta pull out before you load the new spool?

I save them
And when I have enough I will Use my spot welder and tack them all together to make a new roll.

I have special copper welding tips for the spot welder, specifically for this purpose.

[Welder Dave]

And when you have 500 ends of the roll have about a 1/10lb. roll?

https://www.thewelderswarehouse.com/...n-a-mig-spool/

[smithdoor]

I agree 👍 💯 🙆*♂️

Dave

And when you have 500 ends of the roll have about a 1/10lb. roll?

https://www.thewelderswarehouse.com/...n-a-mig-spool/

[John T]

Hook/Line/Sinker

[old miner called Pop]

Many years ago I worked in a shipyard...i think it was Pascagoula Mississippi. This old boy I was workin with never pulled the wire out of his gun. He just clipped an inch or 2 off the end of the wire inside the machine...pulled it through til it was about an inch or 2 inside the gun..loaded up a new roll...cut the end off of at the nozzle...fed the new wire into the gun and commenced to welding again.

How he did it I dont know...I tried it 3 times and made a mess of it and quit. He laughed and said it was trade secret. he did it on my wire feeder and it worked fine...what he did different I dont know but I could never figure out that trick myself and gave it up tryin

[Welder Dave]

Hook/Line/Sinker

I was being sarcastic too. If it's solid wire it's not uncommon for it to be used as a Tig filler rod.

[farmersammm]

If you consider how many inches to the pound of wire, there is very little waste at the end of the roll, about 15ft. would be the most. Compare that to 1 1/2" or more at the end of every stick electrode. Then compare a 50lb. can of stick electrodes to a 50lb. spool of wire. Makes you want to reevaluate why you are using stick. You're paying a lot for what you throw out.

Sometimes you have cut the wire a specific way or possibly file it so it doesn't get caught up feeding it fresh off the roll. What magnets are you talking about? Only thing I've ever seen work to clean magnets was using a strong blow gun.

Yabutt.....................stick welding makes for very solid welds when your wire welder isn't up to the challenge. It's like insurance, and you gotta pay for insurance

But basically, I agree..........wire is vastly more efficient in terms of time, and material.

[farmersammm]

Many years ago I worked in a shipyard...i think it was Pascagoula Mississippi. This old boy I was workin with never pulled the wire out of his gun. He just clipped an inch or 2 off the end of the wire inside the machine...pulled it through til it was about an inch or 2 inside the gun..loaded up a new roll...cut the end off of at the nozzle...fed the new wire into the gun and commenced to welding again.

How he did it I dont know...I tried it 3 times and made a mess of it and quit. He laughed and said it was trade secret. he did it on my wire feeder and it worked fine...what he did different I dont know but I could never figure out that trick myself and gave it up tryin

Didja watch the dood when he went to the Portapotty, and did he take the feeder in there with him????? He mighta been pulling your leg. Never know what magic happens in the crapper.