16 replies to this topic

[mattvallins]

I need to rebuild the front of Womble, and want to fill the inevitable gaps left as well as fill over the top of patches with lead rather than P38.
I heard you talk about it before Bristolminimad, is it hard to do?
Cheers

[frostie]

an old guy i was talkin to mentioned this for when i weld my new scuttle on...he sed he MITE be able to fill the gap with this lead stuff. he sed u kind of scrape it in, like feathering the new panel if u was using filler.

he reckoned it was hard tho! think i'll probs just stick with the filler!

ok that post was pointless :erm:

[clubman katie B.F]

yeah you need to warm the lead to the consistency of spreadable marge, then work it into the joint with wooden paddles greased with pig fat or tallow. It is a mysterious nearly forgotten art, so why don't you want to use normal filler?

[Purple Tom]

there isn't anything actually wrong with filler at all. Providing it is applied over clean metal it is fine. Put it over rust and thats where problems begin.

[CharlieBrown]

My Dad used to be a welding lecturer and he could lead wipe. Its rather a specialist skill so im not sure if you would be able to find someone who can do it.

He used a special glove to wipe it on (No funny comments please ).

I think it is rather hard to do right.

[mattvallins]

Put filler over panel joints and it cracks in weeks. Put lead onto it and it doesnt (normally). Also, filler absorbs water, so promotes rusting. Filler is a different colour to steel, so needs a deeper primer/ undercoat layer. Lead is less brittle than filler, so it wont fall out, etc etc etc.

[Woody]

Heavy man!
i was taught to lead load as an apprentice , only done it a couple of times , difficult to get right ,
if you dont get it hot enuf it wont stick (even after tinning)
if you get it too hot it all falls(or runns) out
also lead is poisonous as a dust :gasp:

[Tarks]

its poss to use a tiger seal thats a very hard flexi compound simular to what chassis on lotus's are bonded with ive used it on my flip front along seems etc and then put a elasticoat additive in the laquor to help the paint bend with panel/seems

its worked a treat the best way of your cure for rust is to polly wheel it to pull away rust to a good surface then a red oxide based stopper the fill up the pitts!
then acid etch area then prime n paint etc using flexi seal on joint!
this you prob know already mind!

remember lead oxidises too! and can balloon paint as like p40! i had a little go lead filling on a mk1 cortina and your worth your weight in gold if you can do it well it took me ages and i only did the sills and a little around a rear light !

let me know what you need as family work for a large motor factor and cheep is good right! :wink:

[mattvallins]

As a hobby, I am a silversmith, so brazing and lead-soldering are easy enough. It will all be about getting the right stuff, and knowing how to apply it. I have a decent butane/propane torch that heats up good chunks of metal enough to silver-solder (700degrees).
Cheers for the offer Tark, I might takje you up on it
I'll let you know soon bout the trip by the way.

[Woody]

plumbers solder is not the same !
best to get the right stuff from a restoration place like Frosts or Eastwoods
they will also have the tinning paste ,paddles,tallow etc .

[mattvallins]

I realise it aint quite the same stuff, it should have no silver content and lots more lead. But hopefully the telltale signs of it being just on melting point are the same. :erm:

[Tarks]

Cheers for the offer Tark, I might takje you up on it
I'll let you know soon bout the trip by the way.

no worries and ill await details cheers !

[bristolminimad]

i learnt it the same as woody, it is a skill not many people master, but if you can do it properly it is lovely stuff to use, i've done it before but can't quite get it right. if any one knows some one who is good at this, let me know cus i'll need him/her soon! clubman katie got the method spot on. good luck matt!

[Al*]

I plan to teach myself to do this aswell.... just another thing I've always thought was cool..... I know a retired guy wit all the tools and know how to do this.... he sid that once you understood the technique it was easy except it's like you need three hands.

as said above though.... Very pricey!

Al

[Oldskoolbaby]

If any of you guys have seen Mark Evans on The Discovery channel restoring a seires 1 E-Type, you must have seen him lead load the rear wings. The bloke who was doing it used a rasp to form it in to shape and then High grit sand paper 2 finish it off. It looks a pucka job when done right.
As for doin it yourself, try a good plumbers merchants and they should beable to supply "plumbers lead" which come in thick sticks. I use these at work to weld/join lead flashing together and theyll be perfect for the job I think.
When it comes to wiping and smoothing it, you really want to use "Mole skin cloths" When flux is applied to the cloth, it allows you to smooth it to the point where you can not tell where the lead finishes or ends. I recon its a shame more people dont do this nowadays as the end result is excelent.