Best method for spooling welding wire

[4x4mike]

My welder can only handle the 2lb spools but I find my best deal on the 10 lb spools of wire. My intent is to spool up the small rolls from the big one. What is the best method of doing this? I was going to start the other night but didn't get too far before I started making a mess. I think all I'll be able to do is make a rats nest of wire that will jest get caught up while feeding.

My idea was to take a dowel and clamp it in the vise. I'd put the big spool on the dowel and then mount the small spool my a drill motor via another dowel. I'd set the drill to a slow speed and pull it on. What do you all think about this? Just thought I'd pick your brains before I ruin a bunch of wire by tangling it.

Mike

[miniyota]

wow, 2lbs, that would kill me. i use 33 lbs spools

anyway. i think that would work. the more wire you buy the better price you get per pound.

My welder can only handle the 2lb spools but I find my best deal on the 10 lb spools of wire. My intent is to spool up the small rolls from the big one. What is the best method of doing this? I was going to start the other night but didn't get too far before I started making a mess. I think all I'll be able to do is make a rats nest of wire that will jest get caught up while feeding.

My idea was to take a dowel and clamp it in the vise. I'd put the big spool on the dowel and then mount the small spool my a drill motor via another dowel. I'd set the drill to a slow speed and pull it on. What do you all think about this? Just thought I'd pick your brains before I ruin a bunch of wire by tangling it.

Mike

[Wyoming9]

No it won`t work!!!

If you have ever seen a good sized bait casting reel , for deep sea fishing.

You need something to move the wire up and down or side to side depending on how you have your spool . Without out that you get a big mess .

That is why 2lb spools are so expensive.

If you do get it to work there are lots of people that would love to know how.

It just wasn`t cost effective, the time spent far out weighed the difference in price if you buy the wire by the case.:shaking:

[PAToyota]

What welder do you have that only takes a 2 lb spool? My old 110V Century came with a 2 lb, but I stuck a 10 lb in there as soon as I burned through that first one.

I agree with Wyoming - you're going to have more hassle and probably waste more time and money trying to respool the wire than it is worth. If the 10 lb definitely won't work, I'd consider fabbing up something that held a 10 lb spool outside of the case of the welder before I'd consider respooling the wire.

[EarlKann]

What kind of welder?

I bought my Miller 135 used and it was only set up for the 2lb spools. I was able to buy the parts to adapt for the 10lb from the welding supply for about $25

[LCexplorer]

A ready welder only takes 2 pound spools, which kind of sucks but then again that far outweighs not having a welder for me.

[4x4mike]

No it won`t work!!!

If you have ever seen a good sized bait casting reel , for deep sea fishing.

You need something to move the wire up and down or side to side depending on how you have your spool . Without out that you get a big mess .

That is why 2lb spools are so expensive.

If you do get it to work there are lots of people that would love to know how.

It just wasn`t cost effective, the time spent far out weighed the difference in price if you buy the wire by the case.:shaking:

I was thinking I could move the drill up and down as it spools. The idea would be to keep tension on it so it doesn't start to unravel. Towards the end it might a 2 person job. I guees I could work something that would hold the larger spool outside of the welder. BTW it's a cheap HF welder. It gets the job done so it's still around.

[MT4Runner]

If the 10 lb definitely won't work, I'd consider fabbing up something that held a 10 lb spool outside of the case of the welder before I'd consider respooling the wire.

/thread


..and if you're going to the trouble of building an external spool holder, make it hold a 33lb spool!!

[Chief yelling alot]

drill a hole in the back of you welder and make a simple stand for the 10 LB spool and run the wire threw the hole

[4x4mike]

Best idea yet. I think this is what I'm going to do. If I did it my way the chances are high that I'd ruin a brand new spool full of wire.

Thanks guys

[guidolyons]

Is there room for a 10lb spool in there? I had one of the 110V HF MIG welders, all I needed was a $10 adapter to put a 10lb spool in.

[Stupid frnch jackasS]

33lbs on a smaller mig
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4271246&postcount=59

[Wyoming9]

If you end up making some sort of external hub make sure to include a brake to stop the roll once the trigger was released.

I have seen no end to all kind of messed up brake adjustment:shaking:

[murphbug]

for a while at work the only mig 220 was a spool gun to use on a particular item. we would reload those small ones from a 10lb spool. we would use the drill with an extension through the spool and spin it full going back and forth a bit. major pain in the ass but did work, we now run a mig that uses the 33 pounders.

my personal craftman mig came with the 2 but does accept the 10's without an adapter.

[4x4mike]

I can put a 10 pound spool 'on' the welder but I think it'll have trouble while spinning. That and I'd have to have the lid open all the time. I guess I have some options now, thanks.

[Duallie]

Back in my boatwright days, we ran 50lb spools of aluminum wire in Cobramatic wirefeeders. We later got a 1lb TIG spoolgun and used the MIG wire in the TIG. To do that, we set up axles for both spools on a chunk of channel and fabbed an arbor that would chuck into a variable speed drillmotor and register on the 1lb spool ribs. One guy was the 50lb spool brake, other guy would be the levelwinder/wirecleaner (with acetone). Took about 3 minutes per spool.

[guidolyons]

I can put a 10 pound spool 'on' the welder but I think it'll have trouble while spinning. That and I'd have to have the lid open all the time. I guess I have some options now, thanks.


Yeah on my POS HF I found that the 10lb spool fit, but would drag on the cover. It fed fine once I pulled the cover off. It didn't have any feed problems with the larger spool. HTH