Lead
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 598
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From: Harrisburg, SD
Lead
Im doing a patch panel, and im looking to some lead for help. When I welded the patch in (even though I took my time and welded in diferent places i have some "sinkage" in the weld area. I want to use as little filler as possible but i have one spot where I think the filler would be too thick about a 1/4 inch thick. I was looking at eastwoods lead kit, to fill the areas where I welded so that I can use less filler and have more metal ( another post i described how I was burning through and the metal is so thin i was having problems)
So what im thinking is use some lead to fill the sunken area and then a small coat of filler over the top. Problem is ive never used lead and was wondering if theres anything I need to know IE- does it work well with filler over it as long as i prep it correctly? Thanks!
So what im thinking is use some lead to fill the sunken area and then a small coat of filler over the top. Problem is ive never used lead and was wondering if theres anything I need to know IE- does it work well with filler over it as long as i prep it correctly? Thanks!
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 598
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From: Harrisburg, SD
Having a hard time doing it. The metal is thin, and after I mig welded it it does not want to move. Its hard to explain, its on a miata I don't have a lot of access to most of the patch I welded in and did not anticipate the area I welded to sink as much as it did. I also made the new guy mistake of using too big of a grinder and made the area around my weld a little thin, hence the want for use of "lead" to fill and strengthen the panel
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 10,764
Likes: 39
Having a hard time doing it. The metal is thin, and after I mig welded it it does not want to move. Its hard to explain, its on a miata I don't have a lot of access to most of the patch I welded in and did not anticipate the area I welded to sink as much as it did. I also made the new guy mistake of using too big of a grinder and made the area around my weld a little thin, hence the want for use of "lead" to fill and strengthen the panel
Lead is an art ...
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,537
Likes: 27
From: Long Beach, Ms.
Here are some videos about lead working;https://encrypted.google.com/search?...Q&ved=0CCkQqwQ
Click on the first one for links to additional videos.
YouTube - Using Body Lead
]
Click on the first one for links to additional videos.
YouTube - Using Body Lead
]
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 10,764
Likes: 39
As it show's in one of the vids , there are other products on the market that are better for covering your seams than filler if you wish . Most are much better than lead for corrosion resistance ...USC all metal is the one I have used ...Very strong ...
You can even use JB Weld if you want ...
You can even use JB Weld if you want ...
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 459
Likes: 123
From: Maryland
The panel is forming a valley because the heat from the weld is shrinking the metal on either side of the weld. So looking at a cross section of your body panel, what used to be an arc (of a crowned panel) becomes more of a straight line from the shrinking effect, and thus forms the valley. Some hammer and dolly work on the welded area will stretch it back out to eliminate some of the valley for less filler. Described in more detail here:
The Garage Journal Board - shrinking effects- Welding in patch panels
We did a metalshaping and lead demo a couple months ago, here are some of the details, something in there may help you out as well...
The Garage Journal Board - panel fab for lead demo- Welding in patch panels
The Garage Journal Board - lead demo- Welding in patch panels
The Garage Journal Board - shrinking effects- Welding in patch panels
We did a metalshaping and lead demo a couple months ago, here are some of the details, something in there may help you out as well...
The Garage Journal Board - panel fab for lead demo- Welding in patch panels
The Garage Journal Board - lead demo- Welding in patch panels
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 598
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From: Harrisburg, SD
Lots of info, thank you all very much. Ill keep you posted as I go along, my eastwood lead kit sf should be here by the weekend. Im going to hammer n dolly the area tonight n see if I can get it closer
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Harrisburg, SD
Alright, got some work done this week. I hammered and dollied till my arms were numb and started on my lead ( which I must say is a blast to do, one of my new favorite things) the only hard part was that my patch is half horizontal and half vertical, the vertical side was tricky to do but as I learned i had to get the lead to just the right "molten" state to stick and not run down the panel
Anyway another question has come to play as I used my vixen file to level out the lead, I have a few spots that I should have had a bit more lead, whats the scoop on adding more lead to well, lead? Hopefully you guys understand what im asking, kind of hard to describe...
Im hoping I can just clean the area and simply add more lead, just was not sure if I had to do any additional steps.
Anyway another question has come to play as I used my vixen file to level out the lead, I have a few spots that I should have had a bit more lead, whats the scoop on adding more lead to well, lead? Hopefully you guys understand what im asking, kind of hard to describe...
Im hoping I can just clean the area and simply add more lead, just was not sure if I had to do any additional steps.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 459
Likes: 123
From: Maryland
As was taught at the demo I linked above, the. instructor said one of the hardest things to do in lead work is adding to existing as there is a real fine line between melting what's on your panel where it will accept more lead and watching it run off the panel. The best scenario is adding enough lead at the beginning and using The vixen to manage the excess (as I'm sure you can attest). At this point...with adding more you will want to be more sparing with the heat than you did with the first application. He did say vertical panels (obviously) were more prone to this difficulty, and in some instances you're sanity will be better served using a compatible plastic filler to manage the remaining low areas. The main purpose of the lead, sealing your seam, has been accomplished.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,219
Likes: 190
From: Colorado Springs
I used some lead (lead free soldier) on a vertical surface, and sanded it out perfect-except for a million pin holes which apparently need to be dug out, cleaned and filled with plastic anyway. what a waste of 250 bucks. I followed the instructions of heating, paddling, etc. and it sucked big time. Now to melt it all off...
Unfortunately, there is no way to hammer and dolly a T-joint to counter shrinkage. no more T joints for me.
Im also a perfectionist, so, if it is not going perfectly, I usually get pissed.
Unfortunately, there is no way to hammer and dolly a T-joint to counter shrinkage. no more T joints for me.
Im also a perfectionist, so, if it is not going perfectly, I usually get pissed.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,881
Likes: 1
From: North of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Good info posted above. I accidentally found that vid link yesterday, before i attempted my first lead job on my '78 tailgate. I found that grinding down to bare metal, wiping it clean with acetone, and then using pipe solder flux from lowes and clean fishing lead weights worked well. lol. I also tried one patch with the lowes lead free pipe solder. I could find no big difference in the way the lead or lead free solder applied. The big difference was that the lead free solder was definately harder than the lead weights i used. I found that gravity wants the molten lead to go everywhere. I used my wood block as a dam for the big patch to keep the lead close to where i wanted it. All in all, i think with practice and good ventilation and clean surfaces that anyone can learn to do good lead panel repairs. This stuff is fun. Gotta get back on my tailgate repairs today. Catch ya'll later.
I also tried one patch with the lowes lead free pipe solder. I could find no big difference in the way the lead or lead free solder applied. The big difference was that the lead free solder was definately harder than the lead weights i used. I found that gravity wants the molten lead to go everywhere. I used my wood block as a dam for the big patch to keep the lead close to where i wanted it. All in all, i think with practice and good ventilation and clean surfaces that anyone can learn to do good lead panel repairs. This stuff is fun. Gotta get back on my tailgate repairs today. Catch ya'll later.
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