Knurled welding roller

[Janger]

Hi gang
My mig welder has an option for knurled rolllers - the dealer wants $20 each and I need two plus shipping. $60 all in. This is for running flux core wire. A lot of money for such a simple part-except I don’t know how to make the tooth pattern. Any thoughts?
Thanks John

 

[Bofobo]

Look up "making a worm gear" on Youtube for my suggestion

 

[Janger]

 

[PeterT]

Its a good thought except (without really knowing the scale) I'm guessing that might work out to a pretty small tap? Maybe hold a bolt or tap up to the existing part to gauge it. If it works out to say 4-40 or 6-32 might be getting on the small side & harder to support the other end of tap like the video. Also might have to figure out appropriate groove depth/circumference so the teeth meet once the wheel returns to beginning position. The video is a gear hobbing principle (or whatever they call it).

I'm guessing the notch is somewhat critical to feed specific wire diameter, or is it just providing positive gription?

I'm wondering if you machined a Vee & then entered a knurling wheel in from either edge at 45-deg? But most wheels I've seen have beveled edges vs sharp. Hmm... that's a tricky one. I'm guessing they have a skinny knurling like form tool they feed into the groove.

 

[Tom O]

I'm thinking along the lines of the hobbing with a tap idea but instead of hobbing the machined space you could hob a shaped piece that would be used as a knurling tool.

 

[RobinHood]

Are those teeth really necessary?

Here are links to shopmade feed rollers. They are made without serrations... Perhaps a different application/type of wire?

http://www.shdesigns.org/Craftsman-12x36/feedroller.shtml
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/making-wire-feed-rollers.4166/

Not sure if these would fit; Banggood has them for around $7.50 Canadian...

https://m.banggood.com/Mig-Welding-...MIz6rhy-jW2wIVjtlkCh2WdQ7xEAMYAyAAEgK_jfD_BwE

 

[Johnwa]

On one of the hobby sites someone used the wheel out of a bic lighter to make a mini knuckling tool. I don’t recall how successful it was.

 

[PeterT]

Do you think if you made a roller with a simple rectangular groove & glued in some O-rings they would have enough traction to grip the wire in its natural center section? Is there a roller on the opposite side of the MIG wire? Not sure about exact dimensions but hopefully sketch helps visualize.

Another idea (PITA but here goes)
- turn the wheel blank
- knurl the OD, maybe consider a fine DPI straight vs. diamond pattern
- turn down either side of knurl, say 0.080"depth leaving band width of knurl
- Loktite 2 rings on either side of say 0.100" thickness which raises the OD again. This leaves a knurl pattern in the middle at a recess depth. Its a flat bottom vs. a V groove though

Bangood is looking pretty good LOL

 

[Dabbler]

Net hobbing video - I think feed rollers need to be hardened, however... I hope the hobbing can be done in a hardening steel...

 

[John Conroy]

I think the knurl would need to be a specific depth and sharpness to avoid flakeing the flux off the outside of the welding wire?

 

[Bofobo]

Ita a tube with flux inside it

 

[Janger]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Wire-Feed-R...935854?hash=item2a652ae2ee:g:8M8AAOSw-RRXB2Tm

$12 CAD including shipping. I guess that's my easy answer.