Cebora Pocket Mig Clean Up and Service

[Ed B]

So I have a Cebora Pocket Mig leant to me and I want to give it service

So the advice I've been given is

• Clean it. Whats the best solution to clean with?
• Buy and replace the tips (as can be seen the current one is not good) - Where to buy from and are there good ones and bad? How to fit?
• Replace the gas shroud unless it looks good - whats the gas shroud?! Sorry I'm a bit rusty on the different parts of the welder as my initial reading on the subject was a while ago...How to tell if its good or not?
• Replace the earth clamp if steel and old, which it is. Again how do I do this and whats is a good replacement?
• Change the liner - can I test whether this needs doing in any way
• Also the existing wire is a bit rusty. Should I chuck the whole reel?

That's probably enough questions to get started with!

Oh yeah! I plan to have a look and see if I can find a manual but if anyone knows the location of one then that would help too

 

[pedrobedro]

Buy a decent earth clamp with copper insert and bolt it on your cable, fit a new liner anyway they are cheap enough and get some fresh wire if you are seriously wanting to weld.

 

[HughF]

Fit a new liner using 4mm net curtain spring stuff, take the torch apart to fit this.

New roll of wire is a must

New earth clamp - I use the nevada 200 that I buy from my local welding suppliers, they are excellent

 

[cumbriasteve]

Personally and considering it's only on loan I would be wanting to try it and at least make sure it works to some effect before putting money into it, then improve it if required.

The gas shroud looks rough but does not look worn down so a wire brush and emery would clean that.

The earth clamp is certainly not the best but once again a wire brush will clean it enough to be useable for a test.

The wire once a layer has been removed and disposed of may be clean and useable.

The cost so far...£0

If it then welds nicely a wipe over with WD40 and a cloth will clean the casing and a hoover or air gun will clean out the wire compartment.

If it welds and is stuttery then yes it may be time for a liner and new tip, along with the replacement clamp to finish the job off.

 

[Paul.]

I acquired one of those in the mid 80s, still have it actually, although it hasn't been plugged in for a very long time it kept several old cars on the road for a good many years, I rebuilt a metro, started at the front and finished at the back all done with the pocket mig. not to mention the fiesta, the cortina 1600e the triumph PI and a few others that would have been scrapped much sooner it I hadn't bought it.

Get 0.6 wire for it, it will struggle with anything bigger don't bother with the gasless wire it wont run, I had mine fixed up to a large argon mix gas cylinder which made it run better, compared to the little disposables of the time.

The gearbox in the wirefeed squeals like a pig and always has done but it works just fine, I think its a feature to keep you awake.
The torch takes m5 contact tips, the swan neck on mine has stripped threads they are a bit delicate so be careful not to over tighten them, I may repair it at some stage and sell it, I'll have a look tomorrow to see if I've still got the manual, but as far as I can remember there was very little to it, just a picture of how to fit the wire and the usual safety information.

 

[RonA]

Which model is your Cebora? I have a Cebora 130 pocket mig but the drive roller arrangement looks totally different to yours?
Just noted the comments above I used to struggle with 0.6 wire but once I started using 0.8 no more problems
RonA

 

[Ed B]

Buy a decent earth clamp with copper insert and bolt it on your cable, fit a new liner anyway they are cheap enough and get some fresh wire if you are seriously wanting to weld.
View attachment 132242

Thanks for the link - and the how to. Seems easy enough to!

You can't see the tip in any pictures you've posted that I can see...

The shroud is the chrome bit, the tip is inside that and is what the wire goes through.

Ah of course! Duh

Personally and considering it's only on loan I would be wanting to try it and at least make sure it works to some effect before putting money into it, then improve it if required.

The gas shroud looks rough but does not look worn down so a wire brush and emery would clean that.

The earth clamp is certainly not the best but once again a wire brush will clean it enough to be useable for a test.

The wire once a layer has been removed and disposed of may be clean and useable.

The cost so far...£0

If it then welds nicely a wipe over with WD40 and a cloth will clean the casing and a hoover or air gun will clean out the wire compartment.

If it welds and is stuttery then yes it may be time for a liner and new tip, along with the replacement clamp to finish the job off.

Thanks, sensibile advise. I got it off my mate, how did try it, when he had some gas (his mrs made him get rid of it as she thought it was going to blow up the house) and it does weld, at least when he had it. Also it was his Dad's who upgraded and his Dad wouldnt have passed on an unworking welder, but I agree the best idea is to test things first and keep costs down. I dont have any gas though at the mo so what testing I can do would be limited I think to powering it up. Getting the gas (I plan to rent a bottle) will require some investment too - and I think I will need a regulator too so that means I may as well go 'all in'...Going off tangent a bit I'm wondering about rented gas bottle and how to transport one from the hire place...its just going to be the smallest kind but I dont think I can do that in a car can I?

I acquired one of those in the mid 80s, still have it actually, although it hasn't been plugged in for a very long time it kept several old cars on the road for a good many years, I rebuilt a metro, started at the front and finished at the back all done with the pocket mig. not to mention the fiesta, the cortina 1600e the triumph PI and a few others that would have been scrapped much sooner it I hadn't bought it.

Get 0.6 wire for it, it will struggle with anything bigger don't bother with the gasless wire it wont run, I had mine fixed up to a large argon mix gas cylinder which made it run better, compared to the little disposables of the time.

The gearbox in the wirefeed squeals like a pig and always has done but it works just fine, I think its a feature to keep you awake.
The torch takes m5 contact tips, the swan neck on mine has stripped threads they are a bit delicate so be careful not to over tighten them, I may repair it at some stage and sell it, I'll have a look tomorrow to see if I've still got the manual, but as far as I can remember there was very little to it, just a picture of how to fit the wire and the usual safety information.

Thanks for tips, interesting contrast with RonA experience. I guess you just have to try them both! If you do find the manual it would be better than nothing

Which model is your Cebora? I have a Cebora 130 pocket mig but the drive roller arrangement looks totally different to yours?
Just noted the comments above I used to struggle with 0.6 wire but once I started using 0.8 no more problems
RonA

A 110 I think.

 

[Paul.]

I cant find the manual, but you're not missing much, this thread prompted me to dig out the welder (if you can call it that) I think its a 110 and probably the reason it struggled with 0.8 wire, my comments above might have given the impression that this is a good welder, its not and my success with it was probably down to me being an experienced welder, a beginner would definitely struggle with it, but it served a purpose at the time, and now has a new job as a doorstop and decoy in case of a break in.

The data plate


Mickey mouse wire feed




I might have been wrong about the tip size, best to check before buying some, I ran a tap down this and now it takes an M6 one.


And a strange sticker on it.

 

[Paul.]

I knew I had some info these machines, you'll need a pdf viewer to read them

 

[arther dailey]

I like the idea of a sacraficial decoy!

 

[Jim Davey]

My advice is don't break anything on it as the spares are no longer available, so use with caution, especially if it's on loan.

 

[arther dailey]

Mine still has its Daveys sticker on it !

 

[Ed B]

My advice is don't break anything on it as the spares are no longer available, so use with caution, especially if it's on loan.

Thanks I will be careful, although I know of at least one that's being used as a doorstop/decoy.. maybe parts are available from breaking up unwanted devices if I get desperate...lets hope that does not happen!

 

[Ed B]

So I finally found some time to go and actually look at it and follow up some of the suggestions. Its been cleaned now at least

Also I tried to see if it would feed wire and it wont

The gas shroud fell off the gun when cleaning the gun (not sure its supposed to do that but I could see a thread so I assume its supposed to stay in place through being a close fit?)

I removed the tip and could see the wire seems like it might be rusted to the liner, which is why it wont feed

I assume the springy part sticking out with the wire is the liner?

 

[Ed B]

Fit a new liner using 4mm net curtain spring stuff, take the torch apart to fit this.

Not sure what this is. Do you have a link?

 

[HughF]

Not sure what this is. Do you have a link?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Curtain-Wire-Metre-Length-Hooks/dp/B002Z8N0KC

 

[HughF]

Springy thing is the swan-neck liner, which is in backwards...

 

[Ed B]

Springy thing is the swan-neck liner, which is in backwards...

Can I remove this by pulling it with a pair of pliers without damaging the gun - and hopefully the neck liner?

 

[HughF]

Can I remove this by pulling it with a pair of pliers without damaging the gun - and hopefully the neck liner?

To rebuild that torch properly, take it apart via the screws at the side. Then you can properly access the liner/gas hose and swan neck etc. Cebora shrouds are push on, they don't have a thread, they have a spring ring inside that locates in a groove on the outside of the swan neck.

Given the state of that torch & the cost of cebora shroud, I'd change the swan neck to a standard MB14 frontend - or MB15 if you can find a swan neck that will screw on.

If you were closer I'd say run it over and I'd refurb it for you - if you want to ship it to me I'll do the labour for beer money on the promise you don't sell it on afterwards

 

[Ed B]

To rebuild that torch properly, take it apart via the screws at the side. Then you can properly access the liner/gas hose and swan neck etc. Cebora shrouds are push on, they don't have a thread, they have a spring ring inside that locates in a groove on the outside of the swan neck.

Given the state of that torch & the cost of cebora shroud, I'd change the swan neck to a standard MB14 frontend - or MB15 if you can find a swan neck that will screw on.

If you were closer I'd say run it over and I'd refurb it for you - if you want to ship it to me I'll do the labour for beer money on the promise you don't sell it on afterwards

That is jolly decent of you. Let me have a think and I may take you up on it