If you want smoother and better welds, you must make efforts to keep your welding equipment in the perfect shape possible. You should know how to exercise proper welding machine maintenance and all the equipment that comes with it. This will avoid repairs and breakdowns that could have been avoided if you’d just kept your equipment in a proper condition.
Here’s how you can maintain your various welding tools:
Stick welding equipment:
This equipment requires the least amount of maintenance out of all. The electrode holder and the ground clamp only need a basic maintenance routine. When they wear, they only need to be replaced by going to Diffusion Engineers. Overall, the inside of the machine should be checked by a technician for any dirt inside, see if the wiring is intact, etc. a general check up of this nature will extend the life of your welding equipment.
In stick welding, your electrodes need to have a certain degree of maintenance too. Steel electrodes, if not stored properly, have a chance of rusting as a result of the moisture in the atmosphere. So welding consumables manufacturers always recommend that electrodes should be stored in closed containers and sealed properly. Some professional people even use a rod oven to store electrodes. Welding electrodes suppliers say that the electrodes need to be stored in an upright position so that the rods don't bump into each other and cause dents. Dented rods can be bad for welding.
MIG welding equipment:
MIG welding involves more items so it also needs more welding maintenance. However, keep in mind to always unplug the machine before starting any maintenance. The most basic measure to take in order to maintain your equipment is to always cover and store it well to prevent any dust from gathering.
Steel drive rolls don’t experience too much wear but they can gather up a lot of dirt and dust while welding. To deal with this, simply blow out the inside with compressed air often. A second option is to remove the rolls to clean with a wire brush.
The gun liner should also be blown by compressed air because it is connected to the rolls. Cement plant equipment suppliers think that this should be done atleast once a week. The gun liner should be cut the accurate length. A shorter than usual liner will get dirt build up. To maintain your gun liner, don’t roll or place anything over the gun cable to flatten it.
The gun nozzle shields the weld which is why it could be often filled with splatter. Use a nozzle dip to clean out the nozzle so that you can avoid blocking the flow of gas. The nozzle dip actually prevents the splatter from sticking to the nozzle. It is a jelly-like substance. Store the nozzle in the packing it came in.
Also, Read - An introduction to MIG Welding
Most of the time, we overlook the simple job of taking care of the welding equipment which can lead to unnecessary mishaps and expenditure. If you don’t clean and store them well they won’t last half their lifespan.