A Lincoln MIG or wire feeder uses a spool of wire to form a weld bead. Correctly loading and securing the spool of MIG wire in the welder is essential to the proper operation of the Lincoln MIG welder and to the consistency of the weld bead. An improperly installed spool of MIG wire will cause the welding arc to jump or the spool of wire could spin off the spindle, causing the spool of wire to unravel, ruining the spool of wire.
Unplug the Lincoln MIG welder and open the welder's side lid to access the spool compartment.
Remove the wing nut thumbscrew spool holder, orient the four-pound spool of MIG wire so the wire pulls from the top of the spool, slide the spool onto the spool holder and tighten the wing nut to secure wire in the Lincoln MIG welder. If the wire pulls from the bottom of the spool, the wire will enter the wire guide at an angle that will cause the wire to feed poorly or the wire could snap as it pulls through the entrance to the guide.
Loosen the tension arm assembly and pull the tension arm down to release the pivot arm assembly.
Remove the outside wire guide by loosening the thumbscrews holding it in place and set the drive wheel to the diameter of the wire on the spool.
Pull and straighten six inches of MIG wire from the wire spool and slide it through the wire guide, over the bottom drive roll and into the wire drive outlet.
Push down the pivot arm assembly, slide the tension arm up over the pivot arm and turn the tension arm clockwise until the bearing of the pivot arm assembly applies light pressure onto the MIG wire.
Plug in and turn on the Lincoln MIG welder.
Depress the trigger of the MIG gun to feed the wire through the MIG gun lead. Close the lid of the Lincoln MIG welder when you see the spool of wire spinning.
Release the trigger of the MIG gun when you see the MIG wire extend 1/2 inch beyond the end of the MIG gun cup.
