Welding Forum web site

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by gordon

I love my little SIP Mig but I agree about the wire feed. I've been having a hard time with the repairs to my Dodge panel van, spending more time persuading the Mig to work than welding with it.

I was looking for a Lincoln 180 to replace it, but the latest retail price is ££££

Gordon

Gordon

If you read through the SIP sub-forum on that first web site, you will see many others had have similar problems. Some guys have come up with clever mods that result in a nice welder .

1. You can brace the feed rollers with a simple piece of metal, this simple mod reduces the rollers tendency to flex under load . The SIP wire feed mechanism is really a poor bit of design.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/sip-wirefeed.htm

2.The metal wire liner helps a lot apparently , they normally come standard with a plastic liner. For Aussies , the BOB the WELDER web site sells them.

http://www.bobthewelder.com.au/home....ction=0&page=2,

3.You can do the simple electronic mods. A capacitor across the wire feed motor helps to steady the voltage and smooth out the drive. And, there is a electronic switch mod. as well .

Mike

[gordon]

I like the little bracket across the rollers, and will go for a metal liner plus new swan neck spring, shield, and tip when I can get them.

The one time it always works is when I set if flat out, when it will happily weld 1/4" till it overheats and cuts out.

I think I killed the first SIP on Dusty DUKW, but this one has done everything since then, but with increasingly erratic wire feed since it has never had a new liner. I'm working on the rear doors of the WD21 van at the minute, where the repairs are actually quite simple if I could just get the MIG to run consistently.

Long tem the people on the fora always seem to head towards a Portamig so that might be worth a look too.

Gordon