conventional style Push Pull gun

[Hood]

Talked with Matt and the Nano Feeder is only usable on Lorch welders due to the way it synchronises, so that is not an option.
He did mention a company called Translas who were making a liner that had rollers in it. I did some searching and came up with this http://www.translas.com/en/developments/microliner-mig-torch/ looks interesting and supposedly usable to 10m

I also saw Kemppi WeldSnake Torches and wondered if they were the same but looks like they are not and also the Alu Gas cooled version only goes to 6m on them.

 

[Richard.]

Those bearing liners are used quite a lot in automated cladding systems.
The wire is pulled through the liner all day every day and the coil spring type tend to block up quite quickly with all the powder and grime associated with flux cored hardfacing wires. Zero friction allows wire to be pushed or pulled a bleeding long way.
2 down sides to it mind I’ve noticed through seeing it in action
1) it’s mega expensive stuff
2) it’s obviously not very flexible when compared to a coil spring.
Good gear mind.

 

[Richard.]

the Alu Gas cooled version only goes to 6m on them.

I think you should be water cooling your Mig torch anyway mate. Gas cooled is low current or lighter duty imho. Neither of which really apply to you or a 300 amp Mig.

 

[Hood]

Those bearing liners are used quite a lot in automated cladding systems.
The wire is pulled through the liner all day every day and the coil spring type tend to block up quite quickly with all the powder and grime associated with flux cored hardfacing wires. Zero friction allows wire to be pushed or pulled a bleeding long way.
2 down sides to it mind I’ve noticed through seeing it in action
1) it’s mega expensive stuff
2) it’s obviously not very flexible when compared to a coil spring.
Good gear mind.

Think I will shoot off an email to them and see what kind of money they are talking about fora 10m torch, if it is approaching Kemppi Supersnake prices then I will forget all about it.

I think you should be water cooling your Mig torch anyway mate. Gas cooled is low current or lighter duty imho. Neither of which really apply to you or a 300 amp Mig.

I don't know, really just short run welds for the most part and as I found out a while back, when doing the penetration tests, the current is much lower than expected, 150-180Amps for 5 to 6mm Alu.

 

[Hood]

.........2) it’s obviously not very flexible when compared to a coil spring.........

This is supposedly it, plenty flexible for me if it is like that, it is more flexible than the push pull I have.

 

[Hood]

The info on it seems to be contradictory, one minute they are saying 10m the next it is 6m for Alu

 

[Richard.]

if it is approaching Kemppi Supersnake prices then I will forget all about it.

I bet it isn’t far off. It was some time ago I saw it but over £100 a Mtr rings a bell in my mind. Could be way off but I seem to remember someone telling me this.
It’s not very flexible at all. It is full of rollers and iirc it doesn’t go round corners like a push pull torch. Might be ok for you but just saying like.

 

[zeppelin builder]

Just had a thought, I wonder if I could get a male and female Euro connector and make up an extension, shouldn't be too hard to do and really not too bulky especially if I turned the flange off of the female socket.
Still doesn't help with the pistol style torch and access but .....

Look up kemppi weld snake

 

[Richard.]

Look up kemppi weld snake

He’s been looking at that one.

 

[Hood]

I bet it isn’t far off. It was some time ago I saw it but over £100 a Mtr rings a bell in my mind. Could be way off but I seem to remember someone telling me this.
It’s not very flexible at all. It is full of rollers and iirc it doesn’t go round corners like a push pull torch. Might be ok for you but just saying like.

The pic I posted above is supposedly it and looks very flexible, certainly more so than the Binzel. It may not be that good however as you know what sales pitches are like.

Look up kemppi weld snake

Yes I have but seems 6m is the max for gas cooled with Alu and only 1.2mm at that.

 

[Hood]

I think what I need to do is take the plasma to the EWM and chop off the wire feed section and then take that part with me

 

[Richard.]

The pic I posted above is supposedly it and looks very flexible, certainly more so than the Binzel. It may not be that good however as you know what sales pitches are like.

Possibly different liner then. The ones I’ve seen you can coil them up but no where near as tight as your pic. Perhaps this particular one has much smaller rollers in it spaced further apart.

 

[Richard.]

Yes I have but seems 6m is the max for gas cooled with Alu and only 1.2mm at that.

If going water cooled allows you those extra vital meters of length surely it’s worth doing despite what currents you run.

 

[Hood]

Possibly different liner then. The ones I’ve seen you can coil them up but no where near as tight as your pic. Perhaps this particular one has much smaller rollers in it spaced further apart.

As said that is the pic they have on the page for the microliner torch but whether it is actually it or not may be a different matter

If going water cooled allows you those extra vital meters of length surely it’s worth doing despite what currents you run.

I am just not sure the hassle of additional water coolers would be beneficial for an extra 2m of torch length especially if it does not feed quite as well as the push pull does.
As I said earlier I tested out the Binzel with an extra 3m MB25 lead attached to it and even with the whole lot coiled up it seemed to feed OK. To test properly I would have to adapt things to get the gas connected as it ran through the MB25 lead where the Binzel has a separate hose, I would also need to get some plugs and sockets to make up an extension for the Pot/Motor wires as I don't want to hack up the Binzel one. Only then would I really know if it was working fine as the test would be the performance when welding.

I think in reality I am just going to have to continue taking the welder on to boats when working on them around the harbour, was hoping I could find a way of leaving it in the car and just taking the torch onto them as it makes life easier as I wouldn't have to struggle getting a welder on/off the boat and back into the car, looks like it is not to be though.

 

[henry Kadzielski]

^^^ Just a stupid thought. Gun leads are available as a spare, yes?. Even if they are not, get the length you need 'chop' or remove the gun, get a female 'machine' socket, connect up the wiring, gas hose, wrap up the joint and cast in cable repair resin. It will be held in place, be enviromently and electrically secure. Presto longer welding gun which can be removed when not required. Have I over simplified this?

 

[Hood]

That is basically what I did this morning with the MB 25 torch. I got a Euro socket from Amazon on Sunday and adapted it to fit the M10 x 1.0 Torch end of the MB 25 cable. I was then able to plug the Binzel Euro into it and then fit an 11m liner through the whole lot and feed the wire through.

The problem was the MB25 cable is gas through so I would have to alter that and also make up an extra cable length for the Pot and feed motor wires. No big deal really but I would have to get a plug and socket so that I am not hacking up the Binzels wires and also make it so it is quickly detachable if required.

 

[Jim Davey]

I can sort you out with an in-line cable socket with the motor wires connected up and a plug at the other end. Just give me an overall length you’d like to go with.

 

[Hood]

I can sort you out with an in-line cable socket with the motor wires connected up and a plug at the other end. Just give me an overall length you’d like to go with.

Will give you a PM nearer the time Jim, need to find a suitable power cable/gas line first before I know what length I would want, likely 3m or possibly 4 at a stretch, it would also need the POT wires.

 

[Jim Davey]

That’s easy enough to accommodate.

 

[zeppelin builder]

That is basically what I did this morning with the MB 25 torch. I got a Euro socket from Amazon on Sunday and adapted it to fit the M10 x 1.0 Torch end of the MB 25 cable. I was then able to plug the Binzel Euro into it and then fit an 11m liner through the whole lot and feed the wire through.

The problem was the MB25 cable is gas through so I would have to alter that and also make up an extra cable length for the Pot and feed motor wires. No big deal really but I would have to get a plug and socket so that I am not hacking up the Binzels wires and also make it so it is quickly detachable if required.

What about using a seperate suitcase wire feeder
You could have a toggle switch to disconect the current drive motor and bring in the line contactor add a female dinse connector twinned off the current positive output
Add 2 lengths of cable
And it would work
And no wire feed birds nests (sic)