wire feeders

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has anyone used a miller vs or rc feeder or a lincoln ln-25 or other feeder to do aluminum or really any other feeder besides a spool gun just wondering i need another feeder but i have some aluminum work coming up and would rather buy a feeder than the spool gun. it will be run off of my trailblazer 302.  feel free to elaborate with any pros, cons, or complaints.  thanx63' Lincoln SA200 2008 miller trailblazer 302fibre-metal pipelinermiller camo BWEand all the guns and ammo a growin boy needs
Reply:I have used Cobramatic feeders (MK3A's and a 150) and push-pull torches (Cobra Goosenecks and Pythons) to weld thin aluminum in a production shop, as well as at home on various aluminum projects.   I also used a Miller XR feeder and push-pull pistol-grip torch in the same shop, as well as at home.  Push-pull is the BEST way mig aluminum.   It is also VERY EXPENSIVE to acquire the equipment.   Expect to pay about $2000 MORE for a push-pull feeder & torch than you would for just a spool gun.  It is worth it if you plan to mig ALOT of aluminum.  It works well enough that, once you have been spoiled by a push-pull gooseneck torch, you will never want to use a spool gun to mig aluminum again.     I will also add that the same is true for pulse.   Once you have pulse-mig'd aluminum with a GOOD pulsing mig, you wont want to do it without the pulse, at least not on light gauge material anways.   Ask your local Miller dealer to let you spend some demo time with a Millermatic 350P with the Python torch, or an XMT or Invision 350 Pulser with an XR feeder and Python torch on some light gauge aluminum sometime.  Last edited by DesertRider33; 04-29-2008 at 12:51 AM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Hey! I've got a used cobramatic set-up $700 + shipping from 14420 http://rochester.craigslist.org/tls/658127906.htmlThanks!
Reply:Dank, that's a cool Prince XL gun, is it a flex neck or do they come in bent neck too?  I've only seen them with the straight barrel.  Your MK3A looks clean too .MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:damn... wheres the extra money when ya need it...
Reply:Hey! It's an angled neck (solid)  it could be switched to a straight or I think there are longer ones Thanks!
Reply:I use a Miller XR push pull system with gas drive welders for everything. Yes, its more expensive than a spoolgun- but it is similar in price to a spoolgun AND a regular suitcase style wirefeeder, but it does both.Big advantages over either- 15 or 30 foot reach. Thats how long the gun leads are- so you can still add 100 feet of welding lead between your gas drive and the wire feeder, too, if you need to.But I find that most of the time, 30 feet is enough to reach most mig jobs from the truck.Another advantage- takes full size spools of any metal, and runs just like a regular wire feeder.If you have ever used a spoolgun, you know they are fiesty little guys- even when everything is dialed in perfectly, they still screw up periodically just to let you know they are there. The XR push pull doesnt seem to have anywhere near the problems. I have run spool after spool of aluminum thru it, with virtually no birdsnesting- whereas my old spoolmatic gun will birdsnest aluminum wire if you look at it wrong- hard to believe how much it can screw up the wire in a mere 6", but it manages too. And the spoolguns seem to have a way of burning back and clogging and ruining the tips real often too.So, even though I have owned a spoolgun since 89, I am no big fan of it.Whereas the XR push pull is a pleasure to use, with steel, stainless, or aluminum wire. Its lighter than the old cobramatics I have used, although it is heavier than a new bernard or miller wire gun.Its plug and play with trailblazers and above, maybe even the new bobcats.
Reply:Gremlin, i have the TB302 with a 12vs feeder. my spoolgun arrived here today. i was just tired of tigging all my ali. set-up was too long in the field using the HF251. i moved the freq box to the shop and went with the spool-gun. bang for the buck, plus most of my work is done with esab dual-shield. not alot of ali in earth moving. but my business in the trucking industry is picking up. you wouldn't believe the number of steps and fuel tanks that get wacked by those concrete pole barriers.i called both the national welders shop and praxair, both of my reps said you couldn't run ali on the wire feeders. i didn't have time to check, but millers website on the feeder comparison page says it can. i figure a push/pull on the feeder in CV mode would work with the right drive rolls and liner. let me know how it works out."Retreat hell, were just fighting in the other direction"Miller Trailblazer 302, Extreme 12 VS, Dimension 400, Spectrum 375, HF 251D-1, Milermatic 251 w/ spoolgun  Hypertherm 1000Lincoln sp 1702000 F-450 to haul it
Reply:the XR stuff is out of my price range but one day i might win the lottery lol thanks for the info fellas63' Lincoln SA200 2008 miller trailblazer 302fibre-metal pipelinermiller camo BWEand all the guns and ammo a growin boy needs
Reply:I have used a Miller 3045FC to push .045 5356 on .25 al.   Used the TB 44G and also the 360 B/P.   Wasn't exactly the cat's meow, but did get things burned(stuck) together.  Definitly don't use over 10' gun!!!!Have it as straight as possible----keep the feeder pushed away and pull back to use on each weld---tight (straight) gun.
Reply:I have used an LN-25 quite a bit for Aluminum and it works quite well.  Only "special" thing is to keep the gun length short, 10 or 12' works best.  Also, you will want to install a Teflon liner.  Run smooth drive rolls and back off on the tension, and you're good to go.When it's time for steel work again, switch out your gun and wire and you're ready.I'm not one for keeping a lot of extra equipment around that I seldom use - I like to maintain a fairly high utilization rate.  It helps to keep down the overhead.Just my $.02, 'cause you asked.Hope it helped.Later,Jason
Reply:thanks for the input fellas i might have to give that a try. i still plan to get a 12RC in the future and will give that a spin. i spoke with the guys a miller and they said its "not recommended" but it is possible to run a short straight gun on 5356 through the 12RC.63' Lincoln SA200 2008 miller trailblazer 302fibre-metal pipelinermiller camo BWEand all the guns and ammo a growin boy needs
Reply:Originally Posted by RiesI use a Miller XR push pull system with gas drive welders for everything. Yes, its more expensive than a spoolgun- but it is similar in price to a spoolgun AND a regular suitcase style wirefeeder, but it does both.Big advantages over either- 15 or 30 foot reach. Thats how long the gun leads are- so you can still add 100 feet of welding lead between your gas drive and the wire feeder, too, if you need to.But I find that most of the time, 30 feet is enough to reach most mig jobs from the truck.Another advantage- takes full size spools of any metal, and runs just like a regular wire feeder.If you have ever used a spoolgun, you know they are fiesty little guys- even when everything is dialed in perfectly, they still screw up periodically just to let you know they are there. The XR push pull doesnt seem to have anywhere near the problems. I have run spool after spool of aluminum thru it, with virtually no birdsnesting- whereas my old spoolmatic gun will birdsnest aluminum wire if you look at it wrong- hard to believe how much it can screw up the wire in a mere 6", but it manages too. And the spoolguns seem to have a way of burning back and clogging and ruining the tips real often too.So, even though I have owned a spoolgun since 89, I am no big fan of it.Whereas the XR push pull is a pleasure to use, with steel, stainless, or aluminum wire. Its lighter than the old cobramatics I have used, although it is heavier than a new bernard or miller wire gun.Its plug and play with trailblazers and above, maybe even the new bobcats.