Saw a 38 Cadillac 60 Special being restored. When it was just another used car it got in an accident and the driver's door caved in. Some body shop repaired it by cutting a big X from corner to corner with a cutting torch. Pulling the steel out more or less level. Tack welding it together. Then filling the whole door with lead. This all became apparent when they took off the door and looked inside. Since the repair was still holding up and not cracking, and they couldn't find a 38 Cadillac door, they replaced the hinge pins and put it back on. It took 3 guys to lift it into place. I worked on a 59 MGA that had the rear fender repaired when it was a fairly new vehicle. They never bothered pounding out the dents, just filled it with lead. The deepest crease was 2" deep. Both these repairs looked perfect. Whoever did the repair knew how to do the work. I have seen other sub standard lead repairs on old cars, like rust holes plugged with steel wool and leaded over. Just because the work was done with lead, does not mean they didn't do quicky repairs back in the day. There was a chopped 53 Chev hardtop called the Lucky Penny or Copper Penny. The owner said when they chopped the top they smoothed out the rear part of the roof with lead. But the heat made it warp and sink. So they kept adding more lead. By the time they got it level they had used 200 pounds (!) I guess there is no limit to how much you can use if you can afford it.
Your picture brings up a good point. Gene will tune up your technique, if you ask. Take one of his cl***es. Better, take both days. They are worth 1000x the price.
The tinning process is the most important. As to high speed wire brushes, they will leave a carbon trace behind that becomes almost impossible to tin if you push too hard or remain too long. You can use one but temper the time you spend cleaning. A fine grinding disc, like a 50-60, will rough it up to clean steel and tinning becomes easier, cleaner. I've never done the soda thing before fill, always after. If you tin it right you shouldn't need it. It should "chrome up" when it's clean and acid free. The rest, as has already been said is practice. Gravity is your enemy and comes out to play when you have too much heat. I've been told a heat gun on high is good for control during the final shaping process though I've never had the opportunity to try. Will be using lead on an OEM seam very soon. I'll take lots of pictures.
With modern fillers, I just can't see using lead anymore. Lead will eventually crack. On all my cars I have always removed the lead and used plastic filler. To me it just saves problems down the road
If properly done , it won't crack for a million years (well maybe not a million , lol !) . It's certainly more work than filler , but to me is far superior & very satisfying .
I have a '37 Chevy with original paint and none of the factory leaded welds are cracked, but then again, it's only been 78-years since it was leaded, so it may crack eventually, I suppose.
Im a painter and know that NO body filler including the cat hair (fiber gl***) reinforced fillers are better than lead. If the lead needs to be done again its because its seen severe heat or severe cold and its been about 100 years. Body fillers do not stick to metal permanently. None do. Its a very temporary job, like paint your car every 5 years 'cause the filler cracked and your sick of that old paint job and billet steering wheel. Lol, Hahaha.
And dont believe the hype about All Metal. Its basically metal epoxy (metal j b weld) filled with some alluminum. Good for maybe 6 years. Ask yourself if lead needs a hardener to work.
So, I had my first go at slinging lead today, on my chopped 49 Merc inner door window sills. I am using an acetylene/air torch & 30/70 Eastwood lead. The parts had been blasted. At first, I applied tinning ****er with heat, then rinsed & scrubbed well with water, then lacquer thinner before applying lead. The lead would not stick. I probably got the tinning ****er a bit hot. Then, I applied lead with tinning ****er on warm metal & had better results. I rinsed & scrubbed with water, then lacquer thinner afterwards, which caused light rust on the bare metal even though I blew it off with air immediately. I only did a few spots & may do it different as I do more of it. I have a no bondo rule for this car. Notes on BONDO & all other plastic fillers. They are best avoided for any long-term work. Metals & plastic expand & contract at different rates, and plastics, unlike metals, shrink over time. I used Dura-Glas fibergl*** filled plastic filler on my new Harley Fatbob tanks 20 years ago. No more than 1/8" thick. Lasts longer than regular bondo. I used Imron clear over good lacquer, lots of color, airbrush & pinstripe. The paint is perfect everywhere except where the bondo has shrunk & cracked, which is all the thin bondo on the top of both tanks. Plastic filler ruined my sweet paint job, **** bondo! Plastic fillers are easy to work with & ok if it only has to last 10 years or if it stays indoors & climate controlled.
I been using lead since 1963 and have had good results . I first clean the metal with 80 gritt . I then apply tinning ****er with a copper scrubbing pad . I heat it put it in the ****er and apply it to the area with a torch and cover an area larger than I want to do . I let it cool then clean it with water and backing soda . Rinse good and dry . Then heat your metal with your torch and roll some lead on area . Use your torch just enough to keep lead workable . Then I take my paddle and treat it with bees wax that I have on a Kleen cloth . Take your paddle and spread your lead where you want it , applying only enough heat to do the job but keep hole area hot . Don't know if this makes since . Best to practice on some clean sm till you get the hang of it . Good luck , Blue
At first, I applied tinning ****er with heat, then rinsed & scrubbed well with water, then lacquer thinner before applying lead. The lead would not stick. I probably got the tinning ****er a bit hot. Not sure if you did the tinning ****er correctly. You can apply it to cold metal, but then you have to heat it up until the ****er turns brown, and bubbles up. Then you wipe off the burned flux with a cotton rag. Should be very shiny at the areas it's tinned. This is when the flux is working to adhere the lead powder to the metal. If you heated it up, but not to the burning point, you probably didn't get the tinning lead to adhere to the base metal. I've never washed after tinning, but seeing that some guys do, and are successful, I guess it is an option.
You don't need to wash anything with water or lacquer thinner. Grind it smooth and shiny. Make sure there is no spec of braze flux or weld splatter in the seam and no pin holes. Tin the surface, when you have it completely coated with solder start leading. Go back and watch Bill Hines. Listen as he says the surface must be "clean, clean". Watch as he tins and leads. That's all there is to it. Notice he does not wash it. About your window surrounds. They don't need lead just primer and glazing putty. But, I see why you want to practice on them.
My Dad did lead years ago and he never washed the surface after tinning. None of his lead ever fell off or rusted underneath it.
I'm thinking I will try some leading. I'll start on the frame where it will be exposed to get my feet wet. I could use a shopping list and sources
The secret is tinning. You have to get a coat of shiny lead solder to adhere to the steel. Then the lead fill will adhere to the tinning. Getting the right amount of heat is the secret. If the surface is not tinned the lead will not stick. For the tinning to take the steel must be hot but not too hot. Hotter than for leading. Notice when Bill is tinning, the lead is almost running off. Later when he is working the lead he uses almost no heat, just enough to make it slightly soft. The lead must soak into the surface then wipe off the excess. After you wipe, if you see any spots that are not tinned you have to go back and do them again. There is a knack to it, once you get the hang of it you won't forget. It just takes a little practice.
I may have said this previously , but after tinning , I wash the area with a water and baking soda mix to neutralize the acids of the tinning process. It's the way I was taught and I have continued to do it the last 20-plus years at our resto shop. It even tells you to do that on the Eastwood tinning ****er container. Actually , I believe it even tells you HOW to tin the metal (as I suggested before) - clean the area , spread tinning ****er over area , heat with torch till brown , and wipe with clean cloth. It will be shiny at this point , meaning you did it right. Next is when you wash the area with water and baking soda (I use a toothbrush to scrub it on). No need to flood the area. I usually blow the moisture off with shop air afterwards. Then I continue on to spreading the lead.
Watch the Bill Hines video again. See him brush on the flux then tin the surface, wipe it off and melt on the lead WITHOUT washing it. "I learned how to do this in 1941 George" You should clean the area after filing and sanding, but before you spray on the primer.
Although I learned to neutralize the lead fill area after application I see no problem with doing it before the lead is applied. I guess I prefer afterward because the boiling water I use also helps remove the paddle lube wax. With all due respect, Bill and George are not the only lead masters.
Rusty , I've watched that video many times in the past . It's a good one . All I can tell you is how I was taught , and how I have done it for more than 20 years (and what the instructions say on Eastwood's package , which the original poster said he has) . I also agree with John Worden (user above) - Bill and George are not the only guys slinging lead . I won't be so self-absorbed as to say I'm a master , but I have been restoring vintage English cars full time for more than 20 years , and I've gotta say - I've worked a lot of lead in those 20 years (all our exterior repairs are leadworked) . Bill's an old-school guy , and his methods & products won't change , nor should he after all this time - they work for him . There ARE , however , newer products & methods other than Bill's - and maybe , just maybe , they require DIFFERENT techniques ... just sayin'
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