Welding Tips and Tricks

What is a reasonable number of contact tips to go through while using a spool gun to weld aluminum?

I just started doing this job using a Magnum SG spool gun with 3/64" (.045") 4043 wire to weld 6061 1/4" plate. I used 3-4 contact tips per 1lb roll of wire. I have hear that you use a lot of contact tips with a spool gun but this seems excessive. Any constructive help is appreciated.

That’s excessive. Is the wire burning back to the tip causing you to damage the tip and replace it? If so, increase the wire speed. I’ve used the same tip across 16# (4x4#) spools before without issue. I’ve also used 3 tips in an inch of welding. (Proof that’s it’s the Indian not the arrow often).

Defender Chassis wrote:What is a reasonable number of contact tips to go through while using a spool gun to weld aluminum?

I just started doing this job using a Magnum SG spool gun with 3/64" (.045") 4043 wire to weld 6061 1/4" plate. I used 3-4 contact tips per 1lb roll of wire. I have hear that you use a lot of contact tips with a spool gun but this seems excessive. Any constructive help is appreciated.

It doesn't burn back or damage the tip it just won't weld. The wire just melts into little balls and will not fuse to the base metal. When this happens a new tip gets it back to normal.

Possible that it’s a wire quality issue. If the wire diameter isn’t uniform then it could be causing the issues.

I'm way new to MIG + spool guns & Aluminum so don't be put off if what I'm posting isn't what you want to hear...

0.045" wire seems large from what I've read; I'd been messing with 0.030" 4043 with 0.030" tips for 3/16" (0.190") 6061 recently.

Seemed to work well enough but suggestions for more amps (cold welds) lead me to pull back to 1/8" 6061 as my 140MP Forney box won't do more amps.

Maybe 0.035" wire would work better for you?

Suggestions I've gotten tell me Aluminum wire expands with heat, can stick in tips sized the same as the wire size. Need to go to next larger size to get work done, otherwise it jams / burns back quick.

I'll keep using the 0.030" tips / 0.030" 4043 wire I have as my project's welds aren't more than 2" long.

Until I need more....

(That balling you refer to has me intrigued... you set up for DCEP for Aluminum? Ground needs to be (-) so those electrons blow the oxide away when jumping off the metal to your wire electrode. And 100% Argon gas? Or are you using any Helium?)