Soaked my MIG gun tip in brake cleaner on a tip from a 30-year vet

I was fighting with spatter on a job down at the Port of Houston last Thursday, and the old guy next to me said to try dipping the hot tip in a cup of brake cleaner. It sizzled off all the buildup in seconds, no wire brushing needed. Saved me probably 20 minutes of cleanup across the shift. Has anyone else tried this or got another cheap trick for keeping nozzles clean?

2 comments

2 Comments

susan4244d ago

OH man, I feel your pain on that spatter battle. It's SO frustrating when you're trying to get a clean weld and the tip keeps gunking up every few passes. That brake cleaner trick is a game changer, I'm honestly surprised more people don't know about it. I've been doing it for about a year now since a buddy showed me, and it really does save a TON of time compared to brushing or chipping. The key is to make SURE the tip is hot before you dip it, otherwise it doesn't work nearly as well. Just don't breathe the fumes, that stuff is nasty and will give you a headache fast.

clairec7810h ago

Honestly, "just don't breathe the fumes" had me laughing, @susan424. That's a wild warning to tack on at the end like it's no big deal. Ngl, I'm totally gonna try that trick now though, even if I have to hold my breath the whole time.