Re: Lead vs Bondo
[Re: MadMopars]
#2009605
02/11/16 12:38 AM
02/11/16 12:38 AM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,653 Cut and Shoot, TX
kentj340
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,653
Cut and Shoot, TX
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Here's some discussion I found on the WWW. BTW, it's called lead, but it's actually solder.
Question Would you elaborate about preparation regarding lead body repairs? Any good books on the subject that you would recommend?
Answer Preparation is pretty straight forward. All galvanized coatings must be completely ground off, all paint must be removed, all rust completely sand blasted out. Lead actually likes sand blasted steel. I highly suggest having some heat sinking putty around the spot. Play-Doh will work, but dries out quickly.
First, you need to tin the area with acid core solder. Go beyond the area you intend to lead. Then, you apply lead. You work and smooth lead with heat and wooden lead paddles. The paddles are occasionally dipped in beeswax to keep lead from sticking, and to cool the paddles. The wax comes in a little tub, it's hard like a candle. It must be melted with the torch, but just enough to sorta dip the paddle in.
Lead is a joy to work with. Unlike Bondo, it can be reworked once it's hard. Just heat it up and paddle it out. I like to work it with a body file, it cuts fast, and body files were made for working lead. You can also sand it conventionally with sandpaper, and should final sand with some 180 on a DA if you do all the work with a metal file.
Once you are done, the area must be wet sanded with 320 wet or dry paper to remove any acid from the tinning process. Hope this makes things a little clearer for you. I don't know of any good books on the subject, sorry. I was taught by an old pro, and he was taught by his uncles.
If you don't see two dolphins, you need a vacation.
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Re: Lead vs Bondo
[Re: stumpy]
#2009710
02/11/16 04:12 AM
02/11/16 04:12 AM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,653 Cut and Shoot, TX
kentj340
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,653
Cut and Shoot, TX
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Now days the metal is thinner and lead doesn't work to well. The heat necessary to lead is too much for the thin metal and makes it warp. I'll challenge that. Car bodies from the muscle car era until the present day are made of 0.032" steel. I guess pre-war cars were a little thicker. I do believe some body parts of older Japanese cars may have been a little thinner. I was a mill sales rep for cold rolled steel sheet in coil. "Automotive gauge" steel is 0.032" thick, and the auto industry is the 800-pound gorilla in the cold rolled market. For this reason just about every cold rolled mill in the world is optimized to roll "oh thirty two". .032 is "base price" or the cheapest thickness to produce. That's why clothes washers, water heaters, refrigerators, filing cabinets, etc. are mostly .032. My '69 Barracuda is .032 in the fenders, doors, wheel tubs, floor pan, and all the rest of the body panels. So is my '05 GTO from Australia. If I buy a new Challenger it will be .032 too. Whenever I have 'miked' steel on my cars, it usually was about .035 or so due to paint. Take off the paint, and it's .032. I cringe when people want to talk about gauge numbers for steel thicknesses. Gauge numbers were abandoned by mills and customers early in the industrial revolution. Every steel mill in the world rolls to decimal inches or millimeters, not to any gauge number. And steel mill customers order and buy in decimal inches or millimeters, not in any gauge number.
If you don't see two dolphins, you need a vacation.
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Re: Lead vs Bondo
[Re: kentj340]
#2009733
02/11/16 08:54 AM
02/11/16 08:54 AM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 10,847 Oakdale CT
gdonovan
I Live Here
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I Live Here
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Oakdale CT
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I do believe some body parts of older Japanese cars may have been a little thinner.
I have dealt with some 90's Japanese cars and can confirm that at least as far as Mitsubishi goes some of the sheet metal is thinner. The stuff I was in contact with in the shop was like tinfoil. There is a rotted '88 Shelby Daytona sitting in the yard, I'll have to take a mic to it in a few spots and check. I'm of the opinion too that at least since the 80's the sheet metal on cars is thinner. When the windshield company put new glass in my '87 CSX he dented the roof with his elbow! Had to get the dent wizard out to fix it. I have never seen a "classic" mopar dent that easy. BTW- I have done some lead work too filling pin holes that were in the donor tunnel ram hood for my GTX. It came out real nice and would use this method again.
"I think its got a hemi"
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Re: Lead vs Bondo
[Re: kentj340]
#2010081
02/11/16 08:34 PM
02/11/16 08:34 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 10,847 Oakdale CT
gdonovan
I Live Here
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I Live Here
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Oakdale CT
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Whenever I have 'miked' steel on my cars, it usually was about .035 or so due to paint. Take off the paint, and it's .032.
FYI this is correct, as far as an 87 GLHS goes. I'll check a 75 Dart tomorrow.
"I think its got a hemi"
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Re: Lead vs Bondo
[Re: MadMopars]
#2010622
02/12/16 06:37 PM
02/12/16 06:37 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,528 Southeast PA
5wndwcpe
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,528
Southeast PA
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Lead is readily absorbed through the skin as well so gloves are a must. If you're going to sand it (and you will) a good respirator is also a must. As dogdays so noted, lead dust can and will saturate your clothes so be mindful of what you drag into the house with you. Take precautions and enjoy the spectacle of Pb.
Last edited by 5wndwcpe; 02/12/16 06:38 PM.
1968 GTX hardtop 1968 Sport Satellite Convertible 383/4spd 1933 Plymouth coupe 2002 Ram 2500 oil burner 4x4 2015 Grand Cherokee 2013 Challenger 1957 Chrysler Saratoga
Man...I need a bigger freakin' garage.
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Re: Lead vs Bondo
[Re: mikemee1331]
#2010752
02/12/16 09:39 PM
02/12/16 09:39 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,251 fredericksburg,va
cudaman1969
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,251
fredericksburg,va
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My choice on beat up metal or welds is neither. I use a first fill of epoxy. JB weld or PC7. i never would have thought of that! I don't think it would stay flexable enough.
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Re: Lead vs Bondo
[Re: Sxrxrnr]
#2011039
02/13/16 12:52 PM
02/13/16 12:52 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157 Mass
DAYCLONA
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I Live Here
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Mass
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Any truth to the rumor that using lead will give off fumes that can be harmful to your health and that protection is advised? Any substance can cause issues with health, temporarily, or permanently, so use commonsense, as to some of the worrywarts comments posted here on lead, unless your going to be opening up a lead smelting shop, I wouldn't be concerned over the SHORT term usage you may intend Then again you are in California, so EVERYTHING has a health warning label on it
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