[Bills Auto Works]

Originally Posted by dataway

Bill, this topic got me going on trying to correct some feed issues on my early 90's Lincoln Wire-matic 250. I'm now running into the age problem (not that one), but the one where parts are getting hard to find. Liners, diffusers, drive wheels etc. I can no longer get the .025-.030 liner or diffuser, just the .035-.045, which is OK as I use .035 most of the time, but it's a sign that before too long parts for the older models are going to get scarce.

Lincoln will sell me a new Magnum 250 gun ... for $700, typical Lincoln behavior. Almost all the replacement parts are import clones now.

I priced some current Lincoln machines equivalent to the Wire-Matic ... $4000+. Sooo, my next machine will mostly likely be an import if I can't get the old machine feeding like I want. I suspect it's the liner, I've never changed it, so either worn out or I've dropped something on the cable or run over it with something.

WOW,

That is heartbreaking about the lack of availability of the thinner liner as that is what I was going to replace when I got time! I have never changed mine either, but have been having the same kind of issues. I wonder if the bigger liner would work with the smaller wire? Heck I might be using the bigger liner already & did not know it! I changed the tip & feed roller to a .025 from a .035 & never even thought about the liner being different!

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...closed.614419/

[jerry455]

The more you use the liner the more it will need to be changed. I was a welder for a long time and welded 8-10 hours a day. The wheels would "shave" bits of the wire, never tried shielded wire, and it would build up in the machine and liner. The more bends in the hose, the more the wire erodes the liner. If you are a hobbyist and are not welding every day, they will last a long time. You can remove it and inspect it.

[dataway]

Bill, I was/am running .030 wire in my .035-.045 liner, which could also be an issue. The more room the wire has to "bunch" in the liner the more friction it will have.

When I pulled the liner and tried hand running some .030 wire through it .. it would go, but there was a tight spot not far from the gun, which is where the cable is bent the most frequently while welding. I blew it out with air, didn't get much of anything out of it.

New liner should be here any day now, I'll load up some .035 this time and see how it behaves.

I've run a few rolls of the .045 Lincoln "Outershield" wire through it in the past, works great. It's a shielded wire, but you also have to use gas with it, makes some outstanding welds in thicker material.

For many years I've been running .035 in the machine, not sure why I put that last roll of .030 in it, probably ran out of .035 at some point and grabbed what I had.

I'd guess it's possible that you could find a .025 liner intended for a different gun that could be cut down to fit, or made to work in some way. The Lincoln gun is a Tweco 2 style gun and will use Tweco parts ... so maybe try to find a .025 liner for a Tweco 2 ? I think OEM length is 15'

[Bills Auto Works]

Originally Posted by dataway

Bill, I was/am running .030 wire in my .035-.045 liner, which could also be an issue. The more room the wire has to "bunch" in the liner the more friction it will have.

When I pulled the liner and tried hand running some .030 wire through it .. it would go, but there was a tight spot not far from the gun, which is where the cable is bent the most frequently while welding. I blew it out with air, didn't get much of anything out of it.

New liner should be here any day now, I'll load up some .035 this time and see how it behaves.

I've run a few rolls of the .045 Lincoln "Outershield" wire through it in the past, works great. It's a shielded wire, but you also have to use gas with it, makes some outstanding welds in thicker material.

For many years I've been running .035 in the machine, not sure why I put that last roll of .030 in it, probably ran out of .035 at some point and grabbed what I had.

I'd guess it's possible that you could find a .025 liner intended for a different gun that could be cut down to fit, or made to work in some way. The Lincoln gun is a Tweco 2 style gun and will use Tweco parts ... so maybe try to find a .025 liner for a Tweco 2 ? I think OEM length is 15'

Thank You Sir,


I appreciate the info & the advice. I can weld & have done many major projects I.E. Lengthen frames, shorten frames, installed floors, rockers, dozens of quarters, etc,etc but I do NOT know much technically about welding itself like most others who do a lot of welding do!

I just today used my welder for the 1st time in a month probably....Just about out of gas, my shield & tip are whipped, but it worked good enough to weld the "cats" back together on the Avalanche after I removed the rotten egg smell! LMAO

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...closed.614419/

[GTOken]

I bought this welder from Amazon back in May. It requires an Argon tank which I have not taken the time to acquire yet so I have not used it yet. I'm not a good welder and never used TIG so I thought I would try out this cheap rig. Has good reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DRYGZPNV?th=1