Welding Tips and Tricks

I have tried to use the small 4lb spools on several of the small 120V machines. Lincoln, Hobart, Miller and even some of the "Off Brand" stuff. Each machine exhibits the same problem: If you tighten down the nut that holds the spool on the spindle, it locks the spool. You have to leave the nut loose, which produces another problem. If I place the spool so it feeds off the bottom of the spool, leaving the nut loose, as the spool revolves the nut that holds it onto the spindle will tighten up and lock the spool. I have to stop welding and loosen the nut, then repeat the process over and over again. If I place the spool so it feeds from the top, the rotation will loosen the nut until it and the spool fall off the spindle. The only way I can get the small spools to work is to tilt the machine away from the nut so the spool stays against the inner spring flange and leave the nut loose, thereby allowing the spool to rotate freely without tightening the nut as it revolves.
Seems like this is an inherent design flaw on all of the small 120V machines. Anyone else have this problem and how do you deal with it? I thought about sourcing some nylon spacers/washers the same diameter as the spindle with a center bore equal to the threaded shaft on the nut. This would allow me to have some space between the seat of the nut and the spool.
Thanks for any information anyone can provide. Have a safe and Happy New Year.

Is there not a nut inside the mounting spindle, that alters the tension of the whole thing?

I dont have this problem on my multi voltage machine. Small or large spoils, works just fine. Perhaps you have the spring assembled in the wrong sequence?

My Hobart HH135 has a small spring that the nut tightens slightly against to give tension on the roll. It works well enough. Too much pressure it binds too little and it can birds nests.


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Exactly my thoughts, I heard no mention of the spring. I bet one was not installed. OP, you need to use a spring between the nut and the spool, preferably also with a washer if capable. Basically in this order (from the outside ►in): Nylock►spring►washer►wire spool. That way you can just barely snug down the nylock nut, and it pushes the spring which in turn pushes the washer ever so slightly on the spool so it doesn't free-wheel and un-wind on you. Pictures of how you have it set up right now??

The truth is you really do have to be careful how much you tighten it Or it doesn’t work right. There’s no reason you can’t just go buy any simple spring at the hardware store as it’s not such a critical thing because you just adjust it with the nut and your fingers. I’ll try to think when I get rolling around and go downstairs and take a picture of mine for the close-up of the spring so you can go grab one. It’s literally nothing but a spring a garden-variety washer you can get at the hardware store.

One other thing you might look at closely is your liner. Pull it out and let it hang looking for a slight kink. Only a very small one will make it drive you nuts though still working. It’ll just misbehave and give you poor welds. All you Gotta do is step on it once the wrong way or maybe drive a car tire over it .

drizler1 wrote:The truth is you really do have to be careful how much you tighten it Or it doesn’t work right. There’s no reason you can’t just go buy any simple spring at the hardware store as it’s not such a critical thing because you just adjust it with the nut and your fingers. I’ll try to think when I get rolling around and go downstairs and take a picture of mine for the close-up of the spring so you can go grab one. It’s literally nothing but a spring a garden-variety washer you can get at the hardware store.

One other thing you might look at closely is your liner. Pull it out and let it hang looking for a slight kink. Only a very small one will make it drive you nuts though still working. It’ll just misbehave and give you poor welds. All you Gotta do is step on it once the wrong way or maybe drive a car tire over it .

Here’s how the Hobart handlers mount their spools.
Scroll down to page 21, I can’t copy paste the pdf file......

https://www.hobartwelders.com/files/own ... 4G_HOB.pdf



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