Welding Equipment Maintenance
Tips to keep your welding equipment in good shape.
Watch for Signs
Your workpiece and equipment show signs when your welding tools need a little extra TLC. See if your arc becomes a little more erratic than unusual. Does the wire for your MIG welder have trouble feeding to your weld point? Is your equipment starting to run hot? These signs might indicate it’s time for maintenance. Properly maintaining your equipment helps your tools last longer, but it could also prevent bad work and injuries on the job.
Follow Manufacturing Specs
The best thing you can do from Day One is to follow the manufacturer’s specifications with your new welding equipment. For example, don’t use your welding for longer periods of time than necessary. Let your welder rest for at least 10 minutes in between duty cycles. If possible, work on projects that don’t push your welder past its design limits.
Examine the Cables
Most injuries and deaths from welding occur due to faulty cables that wear down over time. Your cables may look like they’re in good shape, but the high heat, sparks and small amounts of corrosion from superheated metal take their toll over time. Closely inspect cables, wires and hoses prior to each use. Look for holes in insulation that may cause shorts, overloads or failures. Replace any faulty wires or cables immediately if you see any damage. Make sure to buy cables with thick insulation so they last a long time.
Prevent Dust Buildup
Prevent dust and debris buildup by blowing compressed air into the mechanical parts of your welder at least once per week. This prevents shorts and fires. The best way to keep dust out of your equipment is to have a separate shop for woodworking and welding. You don’t want any fine sawdust building up in your welding equipment anyway.
Routine Maintenance
Follow a regular routine when it comes to maintenance. Once per week is sufficient, such as on a Friday afternoon before you close up shop for the weekend. Depending on your type of welder, you have different maintenance concerns.
Stick Welders
Stick welders require the least amount of maintenance among the three major types of welders because most of the components are self-contained in the equipment. The electrode on the welder and the grounding clamp require the most maintenance since they are exposed to the most heat from your welds.
Check for moisture and humidity that collects on the electrodes of your stick welders. Humidity can create corrosion and small cracks. That’s why it’s vitally important to keep your sticks in a humidity-controlled case that removes any traces of moisture. The best way to do that is to store rods in a rod oven.
It’s also a good idea to have a qualified welding technician check your equipment periodically. The tech disassembles your welder, cleans every part thoroughly for dust and debris, and returns it to you in tip-top shape.
MIG Welders
MIG welders require more maintenance since you have the gun liner, gun contact tips and a shielding gas hose exposed to your work. The wire can create dust and debris against the liner. Make sure the liner is cut to the correct length. If it isn’t, dust and debris accumulate in between the wire and the liner more readily.
The tips of your MIG welder are an important piece to maintain because they produce the powerful blue flame from the acetylene that shoots out of the torch. Keep your nozzles clean to prevent any interruption of the flame. Splatter from the weld makes the flame less efficient, and you have to work harder to produce the same results. Dip the tip in nozzle dip every once in awhile to condition and clean the nozzle.
The diffuser behind the nozzle distributes the gas evenly. Remove the nozzle and check the diffuser at least once a month to check for any buildup. Use a wire brush to keep the diffuser clean.
Store your tips and diffusers in the containers provided by the manufacturer. This prevents any damage. Remove the tips and diffuser from your MIG welder if you don’t plan to use it for a long time. This prevents any accidental nicks or dings to your vital equipment. Cover your machine when it’s not in use to keep out dust and debris as much as possible.
Make Welding a Smooth Operation
These maintenance tips help keep your welding equipment in great shape and your operation running smoothly. Another aspect of regular maintenance is your heavy-duty welding table. Keep the table free of extra items that may interfere with your workpiece. Maintain a clean work area and keep anything you don’t need far enough away to prevent any fires or accidents.
Don’t forget that good welding tables are made from cast iron so they stay flat a very long time, spatter does not stick to them and they generally hold up better than a solid steel table, as a welder, you’ll love them!
