[Otto Nobedder]

Speaking of feeding problems, do those Lube-Matic pads work as advertised? Anyone tried them out?

I only use the dry "wiper" pads (available from lubematic), to keep dust and grit from entering the liner. These are a great help. I've never found a positive value in either the lube pads, or the lubematic liquid they sell to douche your pads with.

Steve S

[MFleet]

The potential to cook things makes sense. You should be ~300+amps at that point. The gun Lincoln ships is 200A 60% for mixed gas and 300/60 for co2.

I looked at the gun I use for steel on the comparable 350P out of curiosity. It is rated for 400A 100% with co2.

I agree with everyone on the wiper pads. I only use the dry red type from lubematic or a piece of scotchbrite clipped on.

[Superiorwelding]

Levi,
I have ran 25' guns for years with no real problems, except the obvious when you have it kinked. No matter which gun you get, you should step up to Lincoln's higher amperage consumables. They will fit on your factory gun and will allow you to weld longer. I don't know all the numbers off hand but you will need the diffuser, nozzle, isolator and contact tips that handle the 450 amp range. The contact tips are KP2745 series while the factory diffuser uses the KP2744 series tips. You will notice a difference for sure. The only drawback is they are physically larger in size but no big deal. That Magnum gun is heavy anyway.

I recommend that anyone having trouble burning up contact tips and/or nozzles to seriously look into water cooled guns. Once I tried them I don't want to go back. My consumable life had well over quadrupled just switching to water cooled. I use Abicor Binzel if I am purchasing new guns but choose whichever you like best and makes sense for you.
-Jonathan

[cherwolf]

In the beginning...I had water cooled gun. After just a week of heavy welding and having little finger under constant weight of a hose and trying to hold a gun through thick welding gauntlet, a joint between finger and palm was in pain. I immediately switched gloves to thin ones and got uncooled gun. Welder mate didn`t and had surgery in a month of welding. He still has health related problems with that finger.

Longer gun is handy, especially if you have a portable feeder, just grab and drag it for 5 meters.