leadwork show it off

[Blake150]

ive always wondered how the ancient skill of leadwork was done. anyone out there who has any pics in this field I do some restoration work but have never dabbled in lead but I think its really cool.anybody know of any videos or have done this theirselves please chime in.

 

[Kevin54]

It's fast becoming a lost art. My dad started teaching me when I was 13. But the hazards of lead, the cost of lead, and different products to replace lead, is putting the squeeze on it. You won't find too many pics or even videos of it. Maybe some YouTube clips here and there if you look. A pic wouldn't show you too much anyways as far as leadwork goes. You might want to do some internet searches of Bill Hines as he is probably one of the oldest lead men out there. He started young and still dabbles in it. Bill's fingernails are permanently black from lead in his body. His son stated one time a few years back that Bill would never make it through an airport detector from all of the lead in his body.

I did have the opportunity to watch him one time a number of years back at a led-sled show in Springfield, Ohio at the Fairgrounds. Him and what I assumed was an apprentice were chopping the top on a '54 Chevy. The car was going to be completed in three days. And it was. It was really fascinating to watch him work.

My dad was a lifelong railroader, but he was also a leadman at Miller-Meteor and also at Superior coach. Miller-Meteor made the Hearses and Ambulances. Superior Coach made the same along with also making buses. He worked at Millers for years and did nothing but leadwork. it was interesting to learn to say the least. From tinning the panel so knowing just when the lead was getting to the buttery stage where you could place it on the side of a panel without dropping off. Then working it without burning it or losing it to the bottom of the panel.

I think Eastwood's may sell videos. I know that in the past they sold lead for doing bodywork. But it's almost getting cost prohibitive The last that i did it was getting upward of $10/lb.

 

[Blake150]

Wow I will look him up. Does it put out dangerous fumes out or is it the actual handling of it in its liquified state.I think it's just very interesting to see how it used to be done. Bodywork now is more about profit than art wich is disenchanting to say the least

 

[Kevin54]

Wow I will look him up. Does it put out dangerous fumes out or is it the actual handling of it in its liquified state.I think it's just very interesting to see how it used to be done. Bodywork now is more about profit than art wich is disenchanting to say the least

I really don't think you want to handle lead in it's liquid state.

If you read up on lead poisoning, it will tell you that the largest danger is from handling, ingesting either through eating or inhaling. That's one reason why today all solder is almost lead free, plus any faucets and piping that has been soldered has to be lead free so you aren't drinking from the waterlines or bathing in them. As far as eating, older houses had lead in paint and a lot of small kids would eat it. So in older houses, the paint has to be removed up to something like 4' and redone with lead free paints.

 

[stylee]

Here's a couple, and you can follow the links from them for more.

 

[dr_clyde]

Lead is a nifty metal, with a bunch of useful properties. My grandfather was a printer and I ended up with all the lead ingots from his Linotype machine. I made a couple hammers and use it for ballast, mostly.

As far a bodywork is concerned, they make alloys of stuff that behaves similar, but is non toxic. It's kinda got the "nifty but not very practical" thing going for it.

 

[Blake150]

I just watched some of bill hines work on you tube is so awesome how lead is done. Really makes a guy want to try it

 

[Kevin54]

I just watched some of bill hines work on you tube is so awesome how lead is done. Really makes a guy want to try it

I didn't know whether there would be any video clips of him or not. But if there was anyone to learn from, Bill Hines would be it. There are only a handful of the old guys left that really know the trade. Ones like Jesse James may brag that he knows his stuff, but it takes legends like Darryl Starbird, Bill Hines, The Alexander Brothers, **** Dean, George Barris, Gene Winfield, Big Daddy Ed Roth, and a few others. There is so much wisdom in their heads, that there are only a few people today that can compare to them.

It takes a lot of vision to create basically what are masterpieces in the automotive world. Some are still around and still try to teach others. One example is Gene Winfield and Ron Covell with their courses in metal working. To take flat sheets of metal, and beat, hammer, weld, roll, and form the metal into a complete vehicle, is an art in itself. A lot of people go to their seminars to pick up tips, but to really learn the art, you have had to get started in it years ago to even come close to standing on the pedestal with those guys. And they all have made cars that are classics household....better change that to, garage names that will be heard and classified as the best of the best, for generations to come.

I did some searching and found this site http://www.legends.thewwbc.net/gpage23.html It has a lot of the famous builders and what the cars are that they built. Worth looking over if you are interested in the greats of car building.

 

[Blake150]

Thanks man I will check it out for sure. I got into collision because of custom but the collision industry has a way of stealing your soul of you know what I mean. Once you start doing it professionaly You almost loose your passion and it would be nice to get a refresher you know

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[K13]

Here is some lead work I did molding '40 Chevy headlights on the fenders of a custom 1937 Chevy pickup truck I am building.

Spread:

Not a great picture but this is after they have been filed:

And if you are interested in the history of customs there is one place to look and it is Rik Hovings Photo Archive. It is the most extensive collection of traditional styled custom car pictures that you will ever find.

http://www.customcarchronicle.com/custom-car-photo-archive/

 

[lilredex]

Look for Cowan's book on leading..

http://books.google.ca/books?id=ViU...AA#v=onepage&q=cowan autobody leading&f=false


20mb image hosting

As a kid in the fifties, I hung around an auto body shop next door where they did lots of leading. You weren't considered a real body man if you used Bondo. We thought nothing of sweeping up the dust or putting an air hose to the work on finishing up. As others have said, be careful with that stuff if you choose to use it. I still do a bit, for things that really matter. 30/70 is the one to use.

 

[Blake150]

Thanksfor all these great posts that 40s chevyreally looks ssweet. Iam very interested inthe history behind body workand we'llcheck out theselinks

 

[Blake150]

Thanks for these awesome replies. Is Rick hovings a member or just somebody to look up

 

[K13]

Thanks for these awesome replies. Is Rick hovings a member or just somebody to look up

I don't think he is a member here but he is a member of Ryan's other site the H.A.M.B..

He also has his own site dedicated to Customs.

The Custom Car Chronicle: http://www.customcarchronicle.com/

He lives in the Netherlands and is generally considered one of the most knowledgeable historians of customs cars on the planet. He is a super nice guy to boot.

 

[oldgoaly]

That book is hard to find, Terry Cowan (TN Cowan) passed away almost 10 years ago, he had plans to re-release a updated version and another metalshaping book. He was also the founder of Metalshaper's association http://allshops.org/cgi-bin/community/communityalbumdirectory.cgi is the old site which has reached it's limit, new site is here http://metalshapers.org/roundtable/ And my humble contribution to keeping his memory alive we are on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/groups/212009922153952/

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

Thanks man I will check it out for sure. I got into collision because of custom but the collision industry has a way of stealing your soul of you know what I mean. Once you start doing it professionaly You almost loose your passion and it would be nice to get a refresher you know

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Could'nt agree more. Collision definitely has a way of stealing your Soul. Been doing this 18 years (I'm 39) more if you count growing up around it and I can't see myself working in the Insurance side till I retire. Trying to figure out a way to make Custom stuff pay. For me the passion is still there but it gets covered up by the daily grind of working in the Insurance side of Auto Body. Stupid, greedy owners who don't care about anything but money, and definitely not their employees. Keep fighting the good fight.

 

[countryroad82]

Could'nt agree more. Collision definitely has a way of stealing your Soul. Been doing this 18 years (I'm 39) more if you count growing up around it and I can't see myself working in the Insurance side till I retire. Trying to figure out a way to make Custom stuff pay. For me the passion is still there but it gets covered up by the daily grind of working in the Insurance side of Auto Body. Stupid, greedy owners who don't care about anything but money, and definitely not their employees. Keep fighting the good fight.

See I'm opposite, I got tired of loosing my a$$ with customs/restorations, so I now rarely do them lol. In my area there just isn't the people that are willing to pay what it's truly worth!

 

[4EyedTurd]

Please excuse my ignorance but is leading basically soldering with lead? I mean would you consider it a structural bond? I'm a half *** decent welder and I've wanted to try soldering, and I've done a small amount of oxy/ac welding before

 

[Milton Shaw]

When I was working in a Fisher Body plant in 1966-1968, I got to see the lead workers working on the Chevelle bodies that the plant was making. The joint between the roof and the rear quarter panel is first mig welded, then tinned and then lead filled and smoothed with wooden tools to the shapes needed. When cooled off the lead was ground and then filed to get a smooth finish. Lots of skill needed and even then the men grinding were wearing moon type suits and working in a negative pressure booth to reduce the lead exposure. They would do the joint on their side in about 4-6 minutes as the car moved through two work stations, they did every other car at 40 cars an hour. A couple of other joints at the roof, door joints, windshield joints were also done with lead on that model.

 

[Hotrod Addiction]

I watched some of those videos on youtube and they are AWESOME. As I young guy (25) I missed rowing up in the good ol' days and seeing all this first hand. But I love to do things myself, by hand, and am always trying to learn too many things at one time. My wife says I'll never be satisfied until I know everything. My first experience with lead body solder was when we built a 69 Camaro for a customer when I was 18-19ish. He paid $30,000 for a car that was supposed to be show quality. In the end I ended up tearing it down to basically the inner structure and roof it was so bad rusted and full of filler. Turned into over a hundred thousand dollar car. But to remove the quarters I had to take out the solder where the quarter met the roof. I was fascinated by the way it melted and ran. Always wanted to try it. Now I will.

 

[red baron]

I rarely post but on this one I just have too as I do this at work quite frequently. Lead work is a lot of fun, what you want to look for is the slight color change when it goes into its plastic stage from the solid stage. There is a lot of prep work to do it correctly, but its very rewarding when its done and it gives a nostalgic feeling knowing that I'm doing this how they would have in years past.

If you can get your hands on that book it is a worthwhile read even if some of the materials mentioned in it are obsolete.

If you have any questions feel free to pm me and I will answer to the best of my knowledge.

Another person to check out is Paul Bragg who often times does lead demos at the cuesta college metal meet in san Luis Obispo

If you want to see my work go the metal workshop page @ cprclassic.com (I'm the one in the red hf welding helmet lol)

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

Please excuse my ignorance but is leading basically soldering with lead? I mean would you consider it a structural bond? I'm a half *** decent welder and I've wanted to try soldering, and I've done a small amount of oxy/ac welding before

Yes it is simply soldering onto sheetmetal using a lead bar. No it is not a structural bond. It is used to fill imperfections in sheetmetal such as seams.

 

[oldgoaly]

If you like videos here is a set of 18, The lead master is Don Hammer, video was taken by Gene Olsen a metal master extraordinaire! I think these were done at Dan Pate's place Rt 56 metal meet a few years back.

1st one check them all out.