stainless and short stickout (MIG)

Stickout is a bit of an art that is not normally discussed or even understood by people like myself. The light went on however when I ran some

1/16 diameter self shielding flux core wire at a demonstration. A few of us tried our hand at this wire all set up before the demonstrator arrived. The result was Swiss cheese no matter what we did. It was at that point we learned that this particular wire needed a 1.5 inch stickout. Between the guide tube that transferred the current to the wire and the arc there had to be a length of welding wire heated up by the electrical resistance prior to vaporizing in the arc. Your stainless wire would heat up faster than conventional carbon steel wires since it has more resistance to the current. The reason for the short stickout could be to prevent overheating of the alloy at the arc?? If you have an ammeter on your wire feeder you can see the radical change of your amperage when you reduce stickout. Cranking up the machine amperage has a similar effect but not quite the same for me. I notice that the highballers in my shop that can lay down more weld than I run relatively short stickouts on our wire . I am running the same settings but for some reason my speed/deposition rate is just not there. Randy

I wish I knew the science behind it. I do know that because of SS's reduced current carrying capacity you need to reduce the distance from the tip to the base metal.

I have been teaching it for 7 years, and it works. On some guns I have to make a special cup that is milled back a 1/4" to allow the tip to extend far enough.

how short of a short are we talking about ? regular mild steel I keep at 3/8 -1/2 inch ( stick out ) so less woul be 1/4 inch? that is pretty darn close... any contamination issues? (brass)

1/4" is about right. It does vary a bit depending on wire size and welding current. I have never had a contamination issure from the tips or the cups.