How many of you out there use lead in your body work?? I am restoring a Mopar and I am doing it in lead, its something I was taught in the early 70's and as an old guy I am really enjoying getting back to basic old school body repair... Today I even soldered some trim holes closed on my 47 kustom...Life is good..now if I just had my old binks 69 spray gun................
I would say that is falling into the category of "lost art". I have never tried it, but a late friend who was an expert bodyman I was trying to learn from was very good at it. He had an old lead gun that had an acetylene hose and an air hose, that would spray molten lead. He said it made a helluva lot of smoke and mess! It is kind of a neat old bodywork artifact. I should take a picture of it and post it. He figured it was a pretty rare item. Not valuable, but uncommon.
I still break out the paddles once in a while. But only if I think the effort is really necessary. Edges, factory overlapped, deep seams, areas of high abuse, etc. With good metalwork, a skim of plastic will last almost as long as the car will.
I was taught leading by my old autobody teacher in '80 & '81. I've only done lead repairs 3 or 4 times since. It really is an art.
Still do it and glad I still have 70 pounds of lead from the eighties. Think I paid $1.20 a pound at the time, now the cost is out of control.
Every chance I get, I prefer doing lead work over plastic anytime. Unfortunatly cost of the lead is the biggest factor, my customers love the idea of lead till they find out how much. Some of them like the owner of this 32 are willing to pony up.
I've recently been looking into learning how to do it. I've noticed people using everything from propane to mapp gas to oxy/acetylene. are there advantages to using one over the other?
Been using lead on my project. Love working with it. Once you get the hang of it, you'll refuse to use plastic again. Like said before, the price of lead is getting costly though.
I use lead on parts that need to take a beating like doors and hood edges etc. I've also used it to dress up frame horns and the like. It doesn't want to crack out like poly fillers when the operable panel is flexed. I've been hearing about the negative effects of it for years but I'm still kickin' so who knows. I will say the "new" lead I get from Eastwood is very nice to work. It seems to melt at just a slightly higher temperature and is just a tad harder than the old stuff but paddles and files like ****er. Just my 2 cents!
I used it in the past but only when working on old cars that had lead fill before. Does anyone remember when cars had a leaded seam in the sail panel and it was usually lumpy? The factory ground it smooth but not flat. It used to bother me, if I had time I would take them down with a vixen file. Chrysler products seemed to be the worst but some Pontiacs were almost as bad.
Kelly, the last time I used any body lead was at the last shop you and I worked at. I do still have a Binks #62 and a Devillbis mbc 510. I use HF gravity feed and when they quit working,look for a coupon and buy another. I will buy some lead for my "A" project because I think it definetly make a better repair. The only concern is neutralizing the acid residue and I know it will out last me. Who has the best price on body lead?
Hey, I think you're gonna find an oxy/acetylene torch easier to control heat wise. Yeah, in a pinch I've used a propane torch, but I wouldn't suggest it to someone with limited experience or go that route on a low crown panel. Using lead in a repair isn't a problem, finding someone who will cover your actual costs for labor or materials,that's a problem! " Humpty Dumpty was pushed "
Im using it now, very happy with results. Im going to use it on my frame horns also so that we can powder coat the frame...
What ratio of that Eastwood stuff are you using 60/40 or 70/30? I've found that the lower the tin content the easier it is to work because it doesn't melt so quickly. I've used a little 50/50 but it was way too much trouble to keep on the car vertically. You just barely wave the torch over it and it was on the floor, it doesn't seem to hold the plastic state long enough to paddle. Horizontally it is usable. Dave.
When I s**** old junk radiators out, I save all the solder that melts out, and pour my own sticks. Radiator solder is also 30/70 alloy, that works well. I have enough saved for my current and future projects. ---John
I've never had real good luck using reclaimed solder for lead work. The solder undergoes a change in the alloy when reheated making it rough to flow & work. Too, some of the acids trapped in the reflow of used material have caused me paint problems over the years, that's not something I've encountered with fresh solder.
Well here's a deal for someone....(I know... wrong location to post this) But, I've got a good 3" diameter circle of lead sticks left over from the 70's (maybe even earlier) that I'd part with. I'll make someone a package deal with all my lead files, paddles, and beeswax...Send me a PM if you are interested
I never learned or tried it so I'm gonna have to learn how to do lead work, or just find someone near me that can finish lead good. My '32 Olds original lead on the A pillars has some small cracks and the previous owner tried to fix the lead above the trunk lid. I can easily see he didn't know how to work lead properly, just like all the welding he did on this car.
I use it often on Motorcycle GasTanks ( Old Bikes were ***embled by soldering Tanks ) and Also when needed on Cars
I lead quite a bit, esp those holes in a dash where toggles switches etc were added. I saw an old gas tank that the ends were leaded, it almost looked like a TIG weld with nickles. I haven't had anything near clean enough to try that technique on but i was impressed. I expect the guy had the area just hot enough and heated the stick to put a dab of lead then moved ahead with another dab..just like a tig weld..and he must've just p***ed the torch over it to 'soften' the sharp edges. It looked terrific.
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