contact tip size vs wire size

[Tim135]

Hi, I just bought a Handler 135 and it is
set up to run flux core.030 wire. I was looking through Hobarts catalog that came with it and they show a .023 contact tip for use with solid core wire and gas. They then list the available wire as .024. Why don't they have a .024 contact tip available? Is the .023 tip an approximate size and can you use it with the .024 solid wire? This may be a dumb question but since this is the first MIG welder I've owned I figured someone on this forum would know. I looked on a Lincoln site and they list a .023-.025 tip.
Tell me what you can on this as the catalog leaves this ambiguity unanswered. Thanks, Tim.

[Ed Heimbach]

Tips have a little clearence built in, if they didn't the smallest amount of dirt that builds up
on the wire would clog the tip.
Some brands may have more clearence than others,
I.E., .026 bore on a tip for .023, which will work for .024 wire as well.

[Guest]

Re: contact tip size vs wire size

Originally posted by Tim135
Hi, I just bought a Handler 135 and it is
set up to run flux core.030 wire. I was looking through Hobarts catalog that came with it and they show a .023 contact tip for use with solid core wire and gas. They then list the available wire as .024. Why don't they have a .024 contact tip available? Is the .023 tip an approximate size and can you use it with the .024 solid wire? This may be a dumb question but since this is the first MIG welder I've owned I figured someone on this forum would know. I looked on a Lincoln site and they list a .023-.025 tip.
Tell me what you can on this as the catalog leaves this ambiguity unanswered. Thanks, Tim.

Ed give s good answer to the tip size, and I have used a larger tip than normal in a pinch, the draw back being, that spatter can get up inside and clog your tip, then the wire will 'bird cage' at the feed rollers, and you have a mess. So keep the tip size relatively close to the size of your wire. When it starts to jam too frequently, it's time to change tips.

Also, ther's no dumb questions here, on this forum...we all had to learn from somebody else, and there's a lot of somebodies here that will help you.

[Tim135]

Hey thank to both Ed and Rocky. I don't know why Hobart just doesn't make a ,024 size tip and be done with it but Ed is probably right and I will try a Hobart contact tip and see what happens. It should fit the Weldit wire that Hobart sells.

[Roger]

I have bought contact tips that had package label .025 with contact tip stamped .024. Have used those contact tips on wire that was labeled .023 but measured .022.

Changing to miss labeled undersized wire can make your settings all wrong. Stay with same known branded wire for a project is better.

[Hobart Expert Rock]

HI GUYS.....CONCERNING WELDING TIPS.......WE AT ONE TIME STAMPED THEM .023-.025 BUT SOMEONE GOT THE IDEA WE COULD SAVE IN STAMPING COSTS BY ELIMINATEING ONE SET OF STAMPS........ NOW TIM THE REASON FOR OVERSIZED TIPS SHOULD BECOME CLEAR IF I TELL YOU THAT COPPER IS A FUNNY ALLOY ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER THIS.......THE TIP WHEN WELDING AND ABSORBING THE HEAT WILL ESPAND ON THE OUTSIDE AND CONVERSELY WILL RESTRICT OR REDUCE ON THE INNER SIDE. THAT IS THE OPENING, IT ACTUALLY REDUCES IN SIZE DUE TO HEAT...............WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE CHEMISTRY OF IT I THINK YOU GET THE PICTURE........AND REST ASSURED THEIR ARE NO DUMB QUESTIONS HERE ONLY UNASKED ONES.........SO HEY WELCOME ABOARD AND FIRE AWAY WITH YOUR QUESTIONS......YOU WOULD BE SUSPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED EXPERTS ON HERE..............GOOD QUESTION......HAVE SOME FUN AND BE SAFE NOW..............ROCK
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