welding and LEAD!

Ron.G · 02-19-2006, 01:40 PM

What is the best way to remove lead from a panel to be welded?
I'm repairing my rocker panel and there is a coating of lead on the area that I am butt welding.

Heres what I have tried.

Grinder: can't go to far because I don't want the metal to be to thin. Just seems to move the lead around.
Wire wheel: NG
Torches: To heat and then tried a wire brush and a rag while still hot.
This lead is giving me grief because MIG welding just isn't gonna work untill it's gone....

Any help on this one would be great!

Thanks! as usual...................................

dweymer · dweymer's Garage

heat, then use a tongue depressor(waxed)?

Ron.G · 02-19-2006, 02:40 PM

So wood might scrape it off after it's heated?
what am I missing??

Ron.G · 02-19-2006, 03:03 PM

Is there any other ways to get it off the panels?

dweymer · dweymer's Garage

thats how some custom rod guys put lead in, with wooden paddles. When it's down to just a light coating I would say more heat to melt it off, you are using oxy-acetylene?

911pcars · 03:42 PM

Lead is basically solder without the tin. Heat the area with an acetylene torch (soft flame and keep it moving) until it's soft (a propane torch should work as well), then while in the plastic state, scrape it off the panel into a container. Use a wooden paddle (or tongue depresser if you will) dipped in some ATF so it doesn't stick.

Wear eye and hand protection and don't breathe the fumes. Do this outdoors if possible. After the area cools, they'll still be a thin layer of tin on the sheet metal. You can sand this off using regular mechanical methods until you get down to the base metal. Again, don't ingest any lead dust otherwise you'll be thinking of nothing but Porsches from now on.

Hope this helps,
Sherwood

Ron.G · 02-19-2006, 04:27 PM

I guess it's to late on the dust/fumes thing.
I was using acetylene to heat it, so i guess I'll try the tongue depressor Thing. I take it that ATF means automatic trany fluid?

I'll give it a shot and let you know how it works out. I might go buy a butaine torche so that I don't warp the metal to much.

real550A · real550A's Garage

On the Model A's and '32 Fords, we used bees wax on the wooden paddles to keep the lead from sticking. No poisonous fumes.
Lead just takes practice, and is far better than any body filler IMO.
Most body lead was in 50/50 bars. Lately, they're leaning toward 30/70 tin/lead.

aigel · aigel's Garage

Lead is not good for you. Especially if you are in the reproductive age, be careful not to breathe or ingest the stuff. It can lead to birth defects in your offspring.

Maybe you can soak the lead into a copper strand, like you'd do when removing solder? A large ground strap should be fine enogh for surface tension to suck the liquid lead in?

George

randywebb · 02-20-2006, 10:54 AM

good idea re the copper - it might wick it up esp. if clean copper strap is used

when I was a kid we used to melt lead wheel wts. to make boat anchors all the time -- may be what is wrong with me...

Ron.G · 02-20-2006, 11:41 AM

Well I tried a torch and wood paint steerers. Then I used sand paper. Then I hit it with the sand blaster again.

It seems to be a very thin coating of the stuff. The welder doesn't like it so that blows two days of prep and nothing to show for it.....
gotta love this stuff.

cnielsen · 02-20-2006, 12:27 PM

You have to use a hotter gas...MAP gas works well. Then use a wire wheel on a Makita grinder.

Fud · 02-20-2006, 12:29 PM

Wearing welding gloves, wipe it off with a big pad of steel wool, once it starts to flow. It will take several pads, but it should get most of it off.

Tim K · 02-20-2006, 01:15 PM

3M Clean N' Strip disks.

Tim K

ChrisBennet · ChrisBennet's Garage

Lead effects more than your just reproductive systems. I used to have to watch my lead levels (I used to shoot a lot). I asked the doctor what the signs for lead poisoning would be and she said the signs are a tingling in the extremities (it does something to the nerves) or dragging a leg.
-Chris

Ron.G · 02-20-2006, 02:32 PM

Ok, I have a couple more suggestion to try out tomorrow.
I used a low flame so I wouldn't distort the metal. maybe to low to get it flowing. There is not alot of lead on the panels. Just enough to keep the welder from doing it's thing. It's even hard to see the stuff.

I will pick up a couple of the 3M pads and some steel wool and give that a try also.
If I have no success with this I might just roll it out of the garage and toss a match on it and call it a bad day.

Thanks for all you help. i'll keep you posted.

911pcars · 02-20-2006, 03:18 PM

Just to be sure. Are you sure it's lead? Lead has a very low melting point and an acetylene torch on a low setting shouldn't have much trouble doing the job. Your results lead me to think otherwise.

Sherwood

Hugh R · 02-20-2006, 03:46 PM

Go to Home Depot and buy a 3M "HEPA" dust mask, they're pink in color. Wash your hands before you eat, drink or smoke (like your mother told you).

randywebb · 02-20-2006, 03:49 PM

and... shower well with soap and shampoo

but I'd avoid creating dust to begin with... the entire area will be full of it, and kids, dogs, cats will track it in to the house where everyone will contact it. It is really bad stuff for a kid or preg. or lact. woman...

Remmeber, Lead is an element so it will never degrade over time.

Ron.G · 02-20-2006, 04:10 PM

I've been very carefull with the stuff and wear a mask when working on a area of the car that has it.. I also clean up the area with a shop vac every time I work on the car.

I did not have this kind of problem when I did the drivers side door latch panel. But it is acting just like when there is lead present.

The arc has a greenish color and will burn through the base metal while not putting down any material. It is also hard to get it to arc sometimes and the wire will start to burn back while welding.

I have my ground cable close to the work and have tried several different locations for a good ground.
I don't know what else it could be.