Technical Body Lead

Hey folks;

Yet another body lead thread? Yikes. I know, I know, search the board. Did that. It's entirely possible my question was answered somewhere in here, but after reading at least a dozen different threads.....I either missed it or it really never was asked before.

I have found a local supplier for body solder (30/70) which was awesome as they're price competitive to the commonly known US suppliers, but without the added expense of shipping. The problem I'm anticipating (haven't actually tried it yet) is the bars come in the 1-lb form. Not the 1/4-lb sticks available elsewhere.

I'm worried about difficulty applying the lead because of the heat it'll take to warm up these giant bars. I figure I'll accidentally keep the panels too hot, or they'll cool to much.

I've considered melting them down and re-pouring into smaller bits, but I've tried to re-freeze ice cream before also, and it just never seems to be the same after that. Also, it's a lot of extra work.

Less extra work, I've heard, is shearing the bars into halves, or thirds if possible...that would be quick and easy, but I don't have that kind of equipment.

Does anybody have any anecdotes, ideas, or excessive internet criticism I can ponder? I can take it....

Thanks!!
-Mike

 

Perfectly ok to melt down to easer to handle size, won't hurt a thing..

 

You don't melt the sticks on the metal like a glue stick. You keep the stick slightly above the seam and work the end with the torch to keep it 'plastic' and work the torch on puddle - surface has to be tinned and just go with it. Its more about the surface prep than the size of the stick.
I am starting to think the heat is important, I've used my little oxy-acetelyne and I get contamination I can't account for. I'm wondering if it is from the oxygen reacting with something. I'm looking to switch over to a plumbers rig.

 

Seb - thank you; good to know if I decide to reduce size it won't affect the composition.

Oj....isn't it always?

I'm sure I'm over-engineering this in my head (one of my many faults...) but it's going to be tough enough to learn to lead without fighting myself based on 'I used what I had'. The way you describe it makes some sense to me...it might just take a little more heat to get the bar warmed up initially, then should be no different than the small rods I've seen used elsewhere.

As far as the heat goes, I've sat with Masterson and watched him do it...he uses just a regular oxy-acet rig with, I think, a #2 tip (can't remember exactly) and doesn't seem to have any contamination issues. I've considered that torch condom thing that Eastwood sells (then it's only acetylene consumed) but I get a 'janky' feel from it. One thing Brad did do, that I hadn't considered, was even in California where it's warm, he set up a propane infra-red heater and pointed it at the panel he was going to work. Kept it all toasty and didn't pull all the heat out of the lead. Keeps the car from being a big heat sink.

-Mike

 

The biggest issue you might find with the 1 lbs sticks is you apply too much at once due to the size of the sticks so it might be difficult to apply. No issues melting it down I melt down my little end nubs when I have enough so I can use them.

For future reference I believe Offshore in Lethbridge carries the 1/4lb sticks. Not sure how competitive they are on pricing.

 

Offshore?? No way! I'll have to give them a call. I used to work with one of the brothers of the family that owns it. Where do you get sticks up in St. Albert? I have plenty of contacts in Edmonton that could bucket-brigade them down to me if they're easy to get.

So using the big sticks I might find I'm going back and forth from stick to paddle too much?

On another note....beeswax vs. marvel mystery oil for paddle lube. Beeswax seems to be the 'generally accepted standard' but I've seen a lot of paddles sitting on a Marvel-soaked rag...

 

Chris or Brayden? Brayden is running the Lethbridge location now. I was getting them from George Moir up here he is in Stony Plain but he ain't cheap. I have access through the same place Offshore gets them (a paint and body wholesaler)but haven't needed any so haven't checked pricing lately.

 

Chris is my connection. I built oilfield equipment with him until I moved to sell hydraulics. They just changed their name from Offshore to Global.

The place I found in Calgary is $10/lb...no distributors, no wholesalers....they be the manufacturer.

 

Yeah they are one of my customers so I talk to them quite often. Don't see Chris as much any more but he and his brother are sharing a building next to the store so I see him once in a while. That is a good price you will probably be hard pressed to beat that.

 

Oil or wax, either will "float" to the top once you've heated and paddled it into shape. Here's a little trick from your old Uncle Highlander, heat gun. A good commercial heat gun goes from 350 to 750 degrees. On it's lowest temp setting it will preheat your 1 lb sticks enough to help them melt on the panel a little quicker but not fall apart before you're ready. Really helpful on vertical surfaces. Some jobs I've done are so minor that I don't always use the heat gun deal but for something big it helps. You'll actually like the bigger sticks when you get used to them.

 

That's a neat idea. Wonder if an old rod oven could do the same?

 

Here is my favorite leading video. George Barris shoots his mouth off while Bill "Leadslinger" Hines works, just like the old days. Note how Bill heats the end of the lead stick then smushes it into the trunk lid. "I learned to do this in 1941"




Then there is the mush pot technique you never hear of anymore. That is where you pick up the leftover lead and melt it in an old hubcap, then scoop it up and paddle it on.

The smaller stick will be easier to work especially where you don't need a lot of lead.

 

Then George forgets Brad's name. I love that video. I've watched it a bunch. One of my other favorites is the 'basic lead' video Piero put on Motornation.

Out of all the vids I've seen tho, nobody is using the big sticks...so that's why I was asking if and how...

 

Hi .... I'm with the Highlander these days..a good quality heat gun is a lot easier to use to control melt point and paddle the lead into place...plus here in Australia cost of oxy/actl is to expensive to use anymore....

 

Back in the day, they'd sweep up the lead shavings, put them in a cast iron pot, and remelt them. Then pour them into molds, or some other rigged thing, to make them into thin sticks again.

 

Why not melt it into whatever size of long skinny stick you like?
Get somebody to run a ball endmill down a chunk of aluminum and heat the lead in a coffee can on a camp stove and pour it in? An old glass cook pot works good too.

Guys making cast bullets or fishing weights do it all the time.

 

The Old Man worked a lead paddle for years at Generous Motors Truck & Bus. Chunks of lead would come home in his pockets. They in turn were melted on Mom's 3-burner propane camp stove, and poured into molds he made using a short slab of oak and a 1/2 round chisel.

And that stuff eventually got recycled too.

I know of one very rusty 4-door pea green 1960 Valiant that I learned to gas torch bits of tin in place - good enough to paddle some lead over. Probably got my ass beat for using up the acetylene too.

Oh, and that camp stove got "borrowed" by my buddy Dan when he wanted to start casting bullets.

Which is a good thing, because that "cast-iron camp stove" weighed a ton!

 

Thanks everyone. I think I'll go for the heat gun preheat first. If that doesn't jive for me I'll reduce down to two-bars or something.

Hell, I might even be able to get the supplier to do it since they already make 50/50 in tri-bar. Just might have to buy a certain amount and wait a while.

 

This is my favorite leading how to video with Gene Winfield.I started out using the small sticks that eastwood sells. The 1 lb sticks are available locally and I like working with them better. I use map gas for heat.
Im going to have to try the heat gun trick though..

 

I would be interested in some as well if they will do them and you want to sell some off to offset the costs or just the quantity.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

This is what I do. I bought a smelting pot and save the lead and reuse it. Not worth it but last time I did it netted about 20 1/4 lb bars.

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The easiest thing for recycled lead is to pour it into a piece of angle iron propped up on its' edge. Make the sticks as thick as you like.

 

What oj said. I've done that too, just pour it into a piece of angle, of course not tinned...

 

Some great tips here guys, thanks for starting the thread muldo.

 

Agreed. This is the kind of minutiae that doesn't seem to get brought up often. "Get lead. Apply lead" whoa whoa.....what about in between there!!??

I'm so grateful for this community. Priceless resource.

I'm still in the metalwork portion of my project. Can't wait to put the ideas above to use though.

-Mike

 

i'd heat the angle iron with a torch before the pour to get rid of any moisture or it will spatter or blow back at you.