Looking to get into body soldering, but don't want to spend the money on the eastwood kit. Would rather buy the ****er and solder elsewhere and make the wooden tools. Does anyone have any or know where to get some simple templates for the wooden spreaders and paddles?
There's none that I know of. I just mimicked the ones it comes with and went from there. You'll find it's easier that way as you go along you'll need one for a specific shape or contour. Just remember to use a really hard wood so it burns slower. I think mine are cherry (they smell better too when it burns). Epay, not sure how to spell it would be good but it's really hard and pretty pricey but the burn rate is almost like steel from what I heard.
you can usually pick used old lead stuff up at your local swapmeets pretty cheap. Thats how I got most of my stuff.
The paddles are not that exotic. You should be able to make them fairly easy. I'd make them out of a hard wood though. You're just going to use them to paddle the lead into a shape, so you can then finish it off.
At the price of hard wood locally ( KC Metro) it would be cheaper to buy a starter kit and build from there.
I agree, but sometimes people have s****s of this stuff laying around. Personally, I would just buy them and spend my time doing something else.
If you do make them you need to use a close grained wood they are simple enough in shape and you should be able to make some by looking at photos. Good body files are important too. I personally would never use one of the metal adjustable blade holders. Buy or make wooden blade holders. I have some footage of lead loading on you tube. click the link below if you are interested and also check out my other clips. David
Dude, they are only $16.00 for three paddles with free shipping. Wouldn't you rather spend time on your project instead of making paddles?
Hey, I wouldn't suggest anyone buy a kit for anything as simple as a lead paddle & flux If ya ain't got the wedge to cover the cost, you can make these from s**** hardwood. I once made some from a rail from an old pallet. A closed grained hardwood such as maple or birch would be best. Study the shape of these from a tool catalog or old book. A 12'' 2''X4'' block, a pencil & a jig or coping saw, a double cut wood file, a little time & bada-bing, ya got two paddles I'd make a flat one and maybe a 1/2 round one for reverse crowned areas. Get a lot of pratice leading on s**** panels BEFORE you try your hand @ roof, deck or hood panels! " Humpty Dumpty was pushed "
Just get a putty knife, no matter what deal you agonize over for proper paddles, you will end up just s****ing the solder off the floor.
I'm probably not the norm here... but I don't just have hunks of hardwood laying around to make a paddle out of. Nor do I know any woodworkers. I also don't care to have my sand belts clogged with wood pulp. For the price of the Eastwood kit, it seems like it'd be quicker and easier just to order up the stuff and hit the ground running, and spending time modifying the supplied tools to come up with unique shapes you might need as your skill level grows. -Brad
I agree with a couple of the folks - just pony-up & buy a starter kit & spend that time practicing slopping the lead on & watching it drip off (cause that's what you'll do for a while , lol) . You can get a couple paddles for not that much jingle . Hell ... ask for the paddles for x-mas , ha ha ! The lead's like 40 bucks for 10 sticks , so spread it on smoothly so all your money isn't filed off onto the floor . The better you get , the less will drip & shave off - that'll be a good feeling .
Geeeez! Doesn't anyone buy great, old used tools any more?????? I picked up about 6 different shapes of paddles, and 4-5lbs of lead at a swap meet for aoubt 12$ once. I see old lead working tools on Eball all the time, as parts of sets, with files, hammers, dollies, sometimes. The only things that seem to be expensive are the curved vixen files. Everything else is very reasonable.
Brad I have a 4x4x6 inch block of maple that someone gave me as a present to make a shift knob (or two) I had priced a maple block about the same size at the local hard wood place 32 bucks. That's why I say the kit is a deal. The piece I priced was a s****. Pallets go for about 14 bucks apiece here also, I would just about bet my time to tear a hard wood pallet apart and make a paddle is worth 2 bucks. I'm just saying.
Hey, I completely get the checkbook/plasticcard line of thinkin', but....................what's the saying by Mark Twain about the man who picks up the cat by the tail learning something he can learn in no other way? Learning to use hand tools, any hand tools is a good thing in my book! The cutting & shaping of wood and lead isn't that different. The development of the eye to the hand will speed your sucess paddeling & filing lead to shape- a checkbook or credit card will do none of these for you! Truth be known, you could probably get by with yellow pine or douglas fir, well shaped, sanded & lubed " Life ain't no Disney movie "
Check with your local auto body supply store. You might be surprised to find they may have a selection of lead working tools. I bought a few paddles along with a pound of lead and some liquid flux at a local store....
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