The basic tools and materials you will need to assemble to fool your friends into thinking you actually know what you are doing is short, but specific. The first thing you will need is a chemical respirator. Although the toxicity of lead is common knowledge, the fumes from the hydrochloric acid in the tinning solution are equally dangerous
Prior to melting lead all over your feet, the base metal in the area to be repaired must be clean and free of rust and contaminants. Steve likes to wipe the area down with lacquer thinner and then, with a respirator on, scrub it with a wire brush dipped in Stay-Clean soldering and tinning flux. The tinning solution ensures a clean and etched surface that is ready for the tinning process.
There are some basics about lead that you need to know before you get your tackle box out and start melting a bunch of fishing weights into a puddle. The lead you need is not just lead. The lead used in auto bodywork is a special mix referred to as 30/70 lead, which is a tin/lead alloy. The number designation means the alloy is composed of 30-percent tin and 70-percent lead. Lead is available in other designations, so make sure you get the right stuff. If you use the wrong type of lead it may be hard to work with or too brittle. Another bit worth mentioning is that many guys try to reuse the lead that hits the floor after filing for something other than paperweights, but this is a risky practice. The chemical composition of the alloy may be altered when melted and result in a mixture other than 30/70 and potentially cause problems in future applications.
An oxyacetylene torch with a small tip (00-02) is necessary to produce a consistent source of heat that is easily adjustable and controllable. Typically, a feathery flame with very little yellow on the end and a bluish-white core about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long provides the best results. The base metal must be slowly and evenly brought up to temperature by being tickled with the feathery tip in a consistent motion over and around the area that will receive the lead. Never heat the base metal in one spot or make it red hot. This is where patience comes into play. The size of the flame and amount of heat introduced to the base metal is crucial to the effectiveness of the repair. If the flame is too hot the base metal can become overheated and warp, and the lead will simply melt all over the part and drip onto the tops of your shoes. If the base metal is too cool the lead will not properly adhere, and the entire repair will have to be redone. The whole process sounds intimidating, but practice makes perfect.
Next, you will need a least one wooden paddle and some bee's wax. The wooden paddle is used to smooth out the lead after it has been melted onto the panel. The paddle must first be heated and then coated with the bee's wax. The wax helps prevent the lead from sticking to the paddle and burning it. By smoothing the lead with the paddle you will be able to evenly direct the lead into the desired areas, which makes filing and sanding the lead much easier.
To finish the job you will need a sharp file that fits the contour of the desired shape. A grinder, though effective, is not recommended because lead is so soft that you can quickly remove too much material and have to start over. Grinding lead can also fill the air with toxic dust that will undoubtedly settle on everything you own. Files are available in many different shapes and sizes and, like potato chips, you can't have just one.
Now that Steve has shared with us the basic tools and materials needed to look the part of a professional, he will show us how the real work is done in the next installment.