Tag: troubleshooting
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Plasma Consumables Wearing Out Too Fast
If plasma consumables are wearing out too fast, the cause is usually not one part alone. Short life often comes from air quality, incorrect cut settings, poor torch handling, or a worn…
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Plasma Cutter Not Piercing Cleanly
If a plasma cutter is not piercing cleanly, the usual cause is a setup problem rather than a major machine fault. Start with air quality, consumable condition, ground connection, torch angle, and…
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MIG Weld Spatter Too High
If MIG weld spatter is running high, start with the basics: voltage, wire feed speed, shielding gas, stickout, and gun angle. Spatter is usually a setup issue, a consumable issue, or both.…
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Spool Gun Wire Feed Problems
Spool gun wire feed problems usually come from drag, tension, poor setup, or damaged consumables. Aluminum wire is soft, so small resistance changes can stop feed, cause birdnesting, or make the arc…
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Why Weld Beads Look Inconsistent
Inconsistent weld beads usually come from variation in heat input, travel speed, arc length, wire feed, shielding gas coverage, or joint preparation. The visible bead pattern is often the result of one…
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Exothermic Cutting Rod Will Not Stay Lit
If an exothermic cutting rod will not stay lit, start with oxygen delivery, rod condition, and starting technique. Most ignition problems come from inconsistent gas flow, a worn consumable, or a poor…
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Carbon Arc Gouging Produces Ragged Groove
When carbon arc gouging produces a ragged groove, the cut is usually being driven too hard, too fast, or with poor torch control. In carbon arc gouging, groove shape is controlled by…
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Carbon Arc Gouging Rod Not Striking
If a carbon arc gouging rod will not strike, start with the basics: current path, air supply, holder contact, and the rod itself. Most no-strike complaints come from loss of contact, poor…
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Why TIG Arc Wanders or Starts Hard
TIG arc wandering and hard starts call for a systematic check of the work connection, tungsten preparation, shielding gas and torch consumables. Start with the machine and torch manuals, identify the affected…
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Best Contact Tips for MIG Burnback (What to Buy + What to Avoid)
If you’re fighting MIG burnback, you can’t “buy your way out” of bad wire feed or mismatched settings—but you can reduce downtime by using contact tips that maintain consistent wire transfer and…