A welder knows that aluminum is a challenging material to work with. It's normal for any average welder to practice a few passes on this delicate metal piece to get the right weld finish. But sometimes, it can take too many tries that it gets frustrating.
A lot of factors come into play when welding aluminum. But one crucial aspect is the welding gun's precision and ease of use. A welding gun tool such as the one offered by Hobart gives you the capacity to cut down the frustration and increase your welding meticulousness.
What You'll Get with Hobart SpoolRunner 100 Package
Getting Hobart's spool gun gives you more than what you expect. So we'll unpack the details of the items inside the Hobart SpoolRunner package. This will give you a "feel" of the product before it lands in your hands.
The Case
The case is made of industrial plastic. It has gone through the blow molding process to create a hollow interior that firmly secures all the items in the Hobart Spool Runner package.
It looks like a briefcase painted black and tapers at the top end to keep the items from shaking. The case is held together with an easy snap-lock mechanism you can easily flip.
Cable Lead
One of the items in the case is the cable lead. It measures 10 feet in length (3 meters) and is spooled to fit the casing. The cable is held together neatly with a velcro material. This gives you good cable management when packing up the Hobart spool gun while on the go.
One of the cable lead's end has a spring strain relief that protects it from wear and tear for long-lasting use. On the opposite end of the cable is the plug that goes to the Hobart machine. It has a specific pin design built for the Hobart welding rigs.
Extra Contact Tips
In a small plastic bag, you'll get five extra contact tips. In total, you'll have six, including the one already installed on the spool gun's tip.
Three of those contact tips are for 0.030 inches (0.8mm), and the other three are for 0.035 inches (0.9mm) wire. These contact tips are threaded and designed to give your Hobart spool gun an improved weld efficiency.
Threaded Nozzles
Another consumable included in the package is the threaded nozzle. What's outstanding about the Hobart nozzle is its effectiveness in preventing shielding gas from leaking out of the gun's edge. This saves you resources, making your shielding gas stock last longer.
One downside of the Hobart threaded nozzle is it can be difficult to remove.
Drive Rolls
Drive rolls stabilize the wire feeding into the spool gun's nozzle. It smoothens the flow for a better weld yield.
In the Hobart spool gun package, you'll have two drive rolls. One default and the other is a push-roll. They are made of rubber for better grip.
The SpoolRunner 100: Hobart Aluminum Spool Gun
Completing the Hobart spool gun package is the main item: the SpoolRunner 100. A spool gun that's designed to make working with aluminum easy. Check out the features of this tool.
Made Exclusively for Hobart Handler 190 and 210 MVP
The SpoolRunner 100 is designed to connect to the Hobart 190 and 210 MVP. These are heavy-performing metal inert gas (MIG) welding machines. Hobart's spool gun can handle these welding rigs on a 230V input power.
It Can MIG Weld 18 Gauge or 14 Inches of Aluminum Sheet
Welding with the Hobart spool gun lets you work on thicker and trickier sheets. You can weld up to 18 gauge or 14 niches with ease. This gives you a wider option for welding projects using aluminum as the primary metal workpiece.
It Has a Spring-Loaded Tension-Release Arm
Loading up a spool wire brings convenience. The tension release makes it easy to insert the wire's tip through the gun. It also provides enough strain to keep the wire steady on the nozzle as it comes out.
Enclosed Compartment
The SpoolRunner 100 has a compartment that fits a 4-inch (102mm) wire roll exactly as it is measured. This helps in the seamless rolling of the wire spool.
In addition, the enclosed compartment has a transparent cover to protect the spool wire from falling off the gun. The cover also lets you see how much spool wire you have left to work on.
The Strength of the Hobart Spool Gun Aluminum
If there's one thing the Hobart SpoolRunner 100 is notable for, it's precision. It starts with the small components, such as the rubber drive rolls that keep the wire feed smooth and flowing. Then, you have the spring-loaded tension that keeps it steady.
Finally, the enclosed compartment ensures the spool is rotating as it should and keeps it free of bird-nesting. All these features synergize to create an amazing spool gun that makes it precise and easy to weld aluminum.
Drawbacks of the Hobart Spool Gun
Hobart's gun is only meant for Hobart machines. The cable lead has a different pin specific to the Hobart spool gun and MIG welding machine. As a result, attempting to use it on a Miller or a Lincoln Electric MIG rig may not work or may cause the wire feed efficiency to be drastically affected.
Check first your welder machine. If you have a Hobart, check if it's a Handler 190 or a 210 MVP. If not, check the technical specs of Hobart's spool gun and see if it will be compatible with the one you have.
Hobart's Spool Gun for the Perfect Welding Pass
Mastering aluminum welding takes practice. But getting better at it doesn't mean you have to do plenty of trial and error per session.
This is what Hobart SpoolRunner 100 offers to you. It is easy and precise, so you can cut to the chase. It reduces your number of tries by giving you precision so you can aim for that perfect pass until you get it right the first time.
More amazing spool guns are worth looking into when you browse our website. You also get more reviews of other welding-related products that will make you a well-informed aluminum welder. Check them out now.
August 10, 2022