Spoolmatic 30A with hard wire

[NorthernLights]

I bought the Spoolmatic 30A to run with my 251MM. I still haven't hooked it up yet, but bought some 100% argon gas and aluminum wire (1# spool). I also bought some hard wire (2# spool) for a project in a tight area where my standard MIG gun will not reach. It's guite a bit of welding so I'd rather run MIG than stick. The manual states that you can run hard or flux core wire through the spoolgun, but does not say anything about weight limitations of the spool. Is it alright to run this 2# spool? Will the heavier 2# roll wear out the drive mechanism in the spoolgun faster than the 1# spool?

[klsm54]

Weld away NorthernLights... ..It is just the nature of the steel being heavier than aluminum that makes it come on a 2# spool versus 1# for the aluminum. I have customers who have run literally tons of steel, on 2# spools through 30A's and other spool guns without a problem.

[Thor Odinson]

I'm guessing the hard is steel wire and the soft is the aluminum. I have a 30E and haven't really looked at a 30A. I thought running aluminum contaminated the liner. So you needed two guns w/liners. Then again maybe that was SS. Mine was a used rig when I got it a zillion years ago with a 3 phase power supply. Now single phase.

[NorthernLights]

When I said "hard wire" I was describing carbon-steel solid welding wire like (E70S-6) and flux core like E71TGS Flux Core/Carbon-steel welding wire used on steel.

The spool gun looks like it will offer me great versatility also. I can keep my 33# hard wire reel in the machine on the standard MIG gun, then utilize smaller rolls of wire in the spoolgun for different, less frequently used wire like aluminum or stainless or even smaller wire sizes.

I know there was a reason other than aluminum for buying the spoolgun Now I just have to buy a TIG machine and find all the reasons/uses for it also