Wire Spool Runtime Calculator

Feet of wire and how long a spool lasts

Enter wire diameter, material density, spool weight, and wire feed speed to get length on the spool, arc-on hours, and an optional deposited weld-feet estimate.

Also try our Weld Deposition Rate Calculator and MIG Welding Calculator.

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MIG wire & gear for spool planning

Spools and machines matched to deposition and runtime workflows

Top Pick

ER70S-6 .035 MIG Wire Spool

Common 10–11 lb shop spool size
Pairs with 0.035 in diameter calc
Solid-wire ~95% deposition efficiency

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Machine

Lincoln Electric MIG 211i

Stable WFS control for runtime plans
Handles 0.030–0.035 wire well
Shop and light fab workhorse

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Weigh

660 lb Digital Platform Scale

Track spool weight remaining
Verify net wire vs label
Useful for deposition studies

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Wire length and spool runtime formula

Wire length comes from mass and cross-section. With density ρ (lb/in³) and radius r (in):

Length (in) = Weight ÷ (ρ × π × r²)
Arc-on minutes = Length (in) ÷ WFS (IPM)

Steel ≈ 0.283 lb/in³, stainless ≈ 0.290, aluminum ≈ 0.098. Flux-core packs less deposited metal per pound of spool because slag and fill reduce deposition efficiency — use the 85% option for FCAW.

Frequently asked questions

Why does aluminum show more feet per pound?

Lower density means more length for the same mass at a given diameter.

Does liner drag change runtime?

It can lower effective WFS or cause birdnesting, but the theoretical feet on the spool stay the same.

Wire Spool Runtime Calculator