In the latest issue of Custom Rodder, there was an article on using lead-free solder as body filler. Article said old schoolers used to use lead solder before Bondo was invented. But because lead is yuck-o-licious these days, they use lead-free stuff instead. Anyone have any experience with this?
I haven't seen the CR article, but from my experience with the stained gl*** hobby, I would bet lead free soldier would be very difficult to work with. No doubt there are HAMBers with body leading experience, but I believe it was common to use plumber's lead for most work-large blocks of lead that were melted in a cast iron crucible. For plumbers. it was cheap(and dangerous) and was used with oakum to seal the joints in cast iron drain pipes. Lead solder is not pure lead, but an alloy. Comes as 50/50/,60/30 etc and the mix dictates the melting temperature and flow rates. Lead-ree solder is largely tin/copper or tin/copper/silver and melts at a much higher temp-making it harder to work with and it doesn't flow, blend or finish as well. It is also expensive. Might be okay for small holes,but very difficult for a large project. I swiped this off another web site-- "No doubt lead-free soldering does offer its set of challenges. The lead-free alloys being proposed as the main choices for general ***embly are new and less data is available as to their process limits. The two main alloys are variants of Tin-Silver-Copper and Tin-Copper. These alloys have higher melting temperatures and wet metal surfaces more slowly, the joints also look different in that the surfaces are not as reflective as tin-lead joints. The flux chemistries that worked well with a leaded process are not the best fit for lead-free soldering." What did the CR article say? I'll be following this to see if anyone has really tried it-got some tempting spots on my A I'd look at using it.
I saw the CR article also, and from what I remember, it is a special alloy 3M (I think) developed back in the 70s. From the tone of the article, I gather it is essentially applied and worked just like lead is; the only difference being it doesn't make your unborn children grow gills. I would also like to hear from anyone who has used it. I am working in a garage with kids in and out and I have a lot of concerns about using lead filler in that situation. Tucker
This might be a good place to start reading. Good pictures,anyway. http://www.carcraft.com/howto/3065/
I have used 70/30 lead w/ some sucess. The only issue, like it was mentioned before, are the acids. If the acids are not cleaned, from the tinting process, your primers and paints will bubble. There's nothing wrong w/ fillers...there are so many good products out there from super-fine fibergl*** spreads to polyester fillers, you cant go wrong... Just remember, Prep is everything!
lead must be bad for you...I hear Bill Hines is really only 48 and has been leading his whole life (while smoking a big ol cigar too)!
I have a friend who watched Bill lead a chop on a shoebox once... He said the metal was real straight and would require a skim-coat of filler. Bill took one look at it, went to the back of his shop, returned with a big-***ed ball-peen hammer and proceeded to wail on the top for a little while untill the surface was much like a golf ball. When my friend asked him what in God's name he was doing? Bill said, "It gives the lead something to grab onto." Bill then built up the surface with a ton of lead and filed it to shape. My friend is actually someone who is well respected in customizing and is a friend of Bill Hines having been to his shop lots of times. So I believe his story. And I have NO desire to lead anything anymore...
I just received an e-ad from EastWood describing there 'new' lead free body solder kits ... http://http://www.eastwood.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=14771&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=516&iSubCat=519&iProductID=14771 later, papa al PS I have not used it .........
The Jalopy Journal
