alumapro shavings in contact tip

[lpfullmetal]

Hi, Im using a alumapro with a deltaweld451 and i using 1/16th wire with the correct 1/16th tip (its about 1 mm bigger than the standard 1/16th tip). My problem is that im getting aluminum shavings right where the teflon liner in the gun meets up with the back of the contact tip. And the shavings are binding up the wire so it cant be fed through which causes it to burn back. my liners are clean and my drive rolls seem to be set right. but i can only seem to weld anywhere between 10"- 2' before it gets clogged again. Does anybody have any ideas? Would really apreciate any feedback...thanks guys!

[aametalmaster]

How old is the spool of wire you are using? I ask because someone gave me a case of new old stock wire and it did the same thing. When i pulled some off the spool it would kink about every inch and looked like
corrugated roofing...Bob

[bubbaweld]

alumapro shavings in contact tip

I'm sure you are using the U-grove drive rollers for aluminum, because your liner is clean up to the contact tip. So I would guess the drive rollers in the gun are to blame. The wire must be slipping just slightly. But before tightening them, first make sure the wire spool turns easily. Also make sure the tapered end of the nylon liner is facing the contact tip.

[diamondback]

Which brand of Aluminum are you using? It actually does matter.

[Meltedmetal]

I don't know squat about this kind of equipment so feel free to ignore this comment. Is it possible that your primary drive rolls are too tight and running just a tiny bit slower than the rolls in the gun causing the gun rolls to slip and peel off shavings? Maybe loosen the primary rolls a bit and check the tension on the gun rolls.---Meltedmetal

[Portable Welder]

Melted metal, I'm with you, If the aluma Pro is a push pull set up then you have a timing issue and the wheels in the gun are pulling to hard.

[lpfullmetal]

Wire brand

Which brand of Aluminum are you using? It actually does matter.

I don't know what brand or how old. We just upgraded to the 1/16th set up and got new everything . But who's to say how long the wire has been on our vendors shelf. I'll take a look when I get into the shop this morning.

[lpfullmetal]

Roll adjustment

I don't know squat about this kind of equipment so feel free to ignore this comment. Is it possible that your primary drive rolls are too tight and running just a tiny bit slower than the rolls in the gun causing the gun rolls to slip and peel off shavings? Maybe loosen the primary rolls a bit and check the tension on the gun rolls.---Meltedmetal

The drive rolls in the box are on a tension scale of 1-4. They say 3-4 for 1/16 and the drive rolls in the gun are pre set for either 4xxx or 5xxx. So I can't really adjust there. But I will loosen the drive rolls in the box and see what happens.

[lpfullmetal]

wire brand

Which brand of Aluminum are you using? It actually does matter.

Im using "Radnor" wire.... no clue how old it is...no markings on the package or spool. Do you know if "Radnor is a brand i should stay away from?

[aametalmaster]

Im using "Radnor" wire.... no clue how old it is...no markings on the package or spool. Do you know if "Radnor is a brand i should stay away from?

The Radnor alum wire I use at work says made by Lincoln on the label...Bob

[bubbaweld]

alumapro shavings in contact tip

For steel welding, the normal practice is to have a V-shaped groove in the drive rolls. For aluminum, it is recommended to substitute a U-shaped groove so that there are no sharp edges to shave off the aluminum wire. Also, the tension on the drive roll should be reduced compared to the typical setting for steel to prevent crushing of the aluminum wire during feeding. You can test the tension on your drive rolls by pulling the gun off and just press the jog button to feed some wire out. Have the Drive Rollers set to the minimum and slowly tighten until the wire feeds smoothly with no shavings or scratches on the wire.
The two settings on your gun 4xxx or 5xxx refer to wire type used, such as 4043 or 5356.
Be sure to purchase contact tips specifically designed for aluminum, or poor electrical contact may result. Warning signs of an improperly-sized contact tip are wire shaving or scratches on the wire, unusual arcing behavior and irregular wire feeding. For 1/16 wire use an aluminum .062 contact tip that has a .078 inside diameter. If your using a contact tip 1mm larger that may be too big. Use one that is about .015 bigger and you will have better luck.
Be sure the brake tension on the wire spindle is set more loosely than it would normally be set for steel. Have it set so that you have just enough tension that the wire will not come off the spool. This way, less force is required to pull the wire off of the spool.