19 replies to this topic

[a_bunes]

so what tools do i need?

how hard is it?

how does it work?

and how do i do it???????????????

:)

[Tupers]

Buy a lead loading kit and watch some videos about it on youtube.

[sonikk4]

Go and have a look on youtube. There are some very goods vids there.

Frosts do a lead loading kit which is about £120 or so.

Damn you Tupers, beat me to it.

[Tupers]

MWA HA HA HA HA HA

[tiger99]

Just be sure NOT to use lead, which is now seriously illegal. The "body solder" that you should be able to obtain is likely to be mostly tin, with a few other metals added to lower the melting point and improve its mechanical properties.

A BIG advantage of going lead free is that you CAN use power tools to sand it if necessary. Tin is non toxic. Never do that with anything containing lead, if you value your life and health.

[Brams96]

I've got some old lead roof flashing rolls I was going to melt with together some Tin from Amazon to make my own 30/70 soldering sticks. Would this not be a good idea?

[tiger99]

It would be seriously criminal. Weight in the lead, which will be sent to China, so they can put it in kids toys, as they do.....

Or, use it for roofing, one of the few places where it is still legal.

Edited by tiger99, 25 May 2012 - 11:14 PM.

[Brams96]

Are you saying it's actually illegal to lead load your body panels with proper lead but you can still use lead free solder?

[mini-luke]

It's still legal to use leaded solder for plumbing in some circumstances so I can't imagine it's illegal to use it on a car.

[tiger99]

It is not legal in plumbing, and all plumbing solder has been lead-free for years.

[mini-luke]

It is not legal in plumbing, and all plumbing solder has been lead-free for years.

You might want to tell City Plumbing and Wolsley UK that then, as they still sell it. Or did yesterday anyway.

I assume it's for non potable water and gas work, but would have to check.

Edited by mini-luke, 26 May 2012 - 03:20 PM.

[mini13]

Illegal or not if your going to attempt body soldering I'd sugest that you go out of your way to get hold of some leaded sticks.... I guarentee lead free sticks will turn the process into a nightmare... lead free solder is poo poo poo! has nothing like the same flowability, but the major issues start when you want to re melt it, you need a much higher temp, and it goes all hard and gritty,

also i reckon you can get away for a lot less than the 120 quid kit, all you really need is the sticks, and the brush on tinning paste, for the tallow and spreaders that come woth the kit ordinary cookimg lard and wooden cooking spatulas work a treat.


As for the legalitys, although I havent checked, I suspect that it is legal to use in certain situations, ie restoring cars befor a certain year, certainly with electronics there are several loop holes, depending on usage, critical systems are exempt.. ie anything for the MOD, high voltage circuits like car ignition systems, repair to equipment that already has lead in it, temerature critical items....

[Brams96]

But once you've lead loaded, skimmed with filler & painted then who's going to know? Certainly not the MOT tester.

[tiger99]

Actually many of the exemptions in electronics have now gone. Lead-free solder is diabolical, because it grows tin whiskers, which cause many serious safety and reliability problems, which makes my day job twice as difficult as it should be. Electronics was one place where lead should not have been banned.

The whole thing was done without a democratic vote by any parliament, just by the stroke of the pen of an unelected Brussels beaurocrat, without considering just how many people might be killed as a result of his actions. Some of the Toyota brake fatalities are known to be caused by tin whiskers, and it is only a matter of time till something much more serious happens.

Regarding use of lead in body solder, there is no exemption for the age of the vehicle. The only places lead is still allowed are in the very few situations where there is no acceptable substitute (certain gaskets on steam locos, for instance), but these exceptions are all being closed down, sometimes even when there is no substitute. But existing lead can remain in place where it is, the law is not retrospective.

If you are caught, expect a very large fine, so it may be best not to say anything in public on any forum about what you are doing.

[mini-luke]

But existing lead can remain in place where it is, the law is not retrospective.

Which is of course a massive loophole when all Mini's were built before the legislation (sometime around 2005?). Why is it still acceptable to make a roof out of lead but not to solder some wires with it. Madness.