The Camaro Club (UK)
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lead or filler ?
http://classiccamaroclub.mfatw.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2556		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  firebird68 [Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:56 pm ]
Post subject:  lead or filler ?
Have been busy on the areas around the edges of the roof on my '68 ,welding now complete , but to tidy up the repairs I am undecided as to which option would be better .
Bondo is easy to apply and saves time and effort ... but might cause trouble later on ...
Lead will take a lot more skill and time to apply and finish but if done correctly should last longer .
What do you think . Also if I go for lead what is best method to make sure all flux is gone [ to avoid paint reactions later .]
Author:  evilzee28 [Tue Oct 16, 2012 11:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: lead or filler ?
Personally I'd lead load the repairs as I did with my car. However, if you seam weld the repairs & don't leave any pinholes in the welds, then you'd probably get away with filling it. To remove the flux from the repairs, once leaded, liberally wash the leaded repair with something like "Panelwipe" or some other automotive degreaser. If you leave it as bare metal for a few days, if there isn't a slight surface rust build up around the edge of the repair, then you've removed all of the flux. hth

cheers...Nige
Author:  firebird68 [Tue Oct 16, 2012 3:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: lead or filler ?
Thanks for the quick reply Nige ,I was thinking lead was the better choice but always tempted to go for the easy way out...not the right thing in the long run.
I will start on one of the smaller repairs with the lead and see how it goes .
Author:  78 Camaro [Tue Oct 16, 2012 9:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: lead or filler ?
Quote:
Lead will take a lot more skill and time to apply and finish but if done correctly should last longer .
I did some lead repairs - and if i can do it, you sure as hell can :)

I think that Frost.co.uk now do a lead free lead solder, not sure how good this is.

It's a much more desirable repair as it will expand/ contract at the same rate as the steel vs. filler. Also as Nige mentions pinholes can be an issue with filler due to it being porous, whereas lead will obviously not have an issue if moisture gets to it. My lesson learnt was to get more info - there's a few youtube vids now that give you a few hints and tips - the main thing is surface prep / cleaning before and after. Also get a good flexible body file - it will massively help :)

If you can afford the time to, i would say go with lead where you can. It's fitting to the era of the year of the car and also it's a lot nicer to work with once you get the hang of it. as you know filler can cure too quick / slow, get pinholes, dusty when sanded etc. Lead you can keep remolding and reworking until you're happy with it.

Enjoy!
Author:  firebird68 [Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: lead or filler ?
Well I started a couple of areas and have built up a layer of lead over the surface of the welds, so at least it has sealed the welds in case of pinholes.
Tried lead once before but finding it hard to make look 'neat',it is fairly hard to keep the temp right to get the lead hot enough to move and smooth but not so hot that it runs away...
The look at the moment is a bit uneven and rough looking but I will try adding a little more lead to the surface and trying to get a smoother surface . Might have to finish with a top coat of body filler :x .
Round a couple of the edges there is a little residue of flux that I don't like the look of, will sand down and wash to remove[ it is mainly in the rain gutter at the edge of the roof .
Author:  evilzee28 [Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: lead or filler ?
Quote:
Well I started a couple of areas and have built up a layer of lead over the surface of the welds, so at least it has sealed the welds in case of pinholes.
Tried lead once before but finding it hard to make look 'neat',it is fairly hard to keep the temp right to get the lead hot enough to move and smooth but not so hot that it runs away...
The look at the moment is a bit uneven and rough looking but I will try adding a little more lead to the surface and trying to get a smoother surface . Might have to finish with a top coat of body filler :x .
Round a couple of the edges there is a little residue of flux that I don't like the look of, will sand down and wash to remove[ it is mainly in the rain gutter at the edge of the roof .

I did a piece on lead loading on the forum here, but the pics seem to have gone AWOL. Here's a link to a thread I posted up on Rods n Sods showing how to lead load.

http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/tech-f ... g-how-6901



The aim is to put on more lead than you actually need, so that it can be filed smooth, hopefully requiring only one application of lead, thereby avoiding the possibility of the lead running if reheated to apply more lead. hth

cheers...Nige
Author:  firebird68 [Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: lead or filler ?
Thanks for the added information Nige ,I was able to build up the lead today and get it looking better.
On a couple of the repairs it is looking reasonable but other areas need a bit more work.
It really needs someone a bit more experienced than me in the art of lead work ,but it is satisfying to know that it is solid and will stand up to vibration and damp better than filler.
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