Why is it that every other MIG welder I see has the side cover etc. removed exposing the spool and rollers.

My MIG welder below is a prime example, I left the side down because it went through a stage of birds nesting, its stoped birds nesting, but I haven't put it up for fear of it doing it again.
Rescued attachment Locost build 002 small.JPG

Your spool is set to the inside of its roller support, and the wire feed rollers are on the outer edge of the machine, no wonder you are nesting. There should be a spacer to set the spool at the end of the support roller.

It's there to keep shite of the wire, leave it off and your liner will be full of grinding dust and spatter.

The 5kg spool only fitsa on that side. The spring clip will not hold the spool on the out side.

That spool is 0.8 wire, it was a 15kg spool of 0.6 wire that was birds nesting, so spool was full width of shaft.

Baby migs usually struggle with 15kg spools, its the flywheel effect of the spool that tries to keep turning after the wire feed motor has stopped. If you increase the tension on the spool, the wire feed motor cannot cope with the strain - catch 22.

I am surprised that your machine has no spacer/adaptor to move the 5kg spool to mthe end of the support roller

At 220 amps, I wouldn't call that MIG welder small, let alone baby. Then again you might be using 3 phase in which case you probably used to welders that do 220amps 100% duty.

The welder is second hand so might of had a spacer origionally.

The last one I used professionally could use 1.6mm wire, and was rarely used below 400A, there are migs and migs. My home mig is only 140A, a baby.

I suspected as much.

Was planning on getting a cheap used 3 phase welder before I got that one (I occassionally weld steel 1/4" to 3/4" from time to time), but they want 3 grand plus to run a 3 phase supply 50m and add a meter.

[Edited on 27/2/05 by clbarclay]