Body Lead/Solder

Hey Chuck, Have you done any of this work on scooters?

I have a 7" Wide Rear Bobbed Fender, I have 8" between the frame extension on my sporty. I have metal to weld into fender.

Plan equals this: cut new metal into 1" strips (6X12 to start with), shape strips to appropriate part of replacement fender, split the replacement fender down the middle, tact weld formed 1" strips back into fender halves, slowly weld up the seam to prevent warping, smooth welds and clean surface, tin surface and lead the repair, finish and prep the lead repair for sealer/primer. All welding will be done with a MIG unit. I know I have to clean the excess tin up or it will start rust quickly, also aware I may have to use some plastic filler to take care of small pits/holes that form in the lead.

I asked Chuck simply because I know he is a modifier and painter, but if anyone else has experience with this I would appreciate your input as well.

Being a cheapskate has gotten me into all kinds of work, but it is teaching me a lot as I go too .

Thanx Chuck. I knew to go slow and that TIG was the real answer but like yourself I have a MIG in the garage and not the TIG. Thanx for the tip on the damp cloth. I knew to go really slow to avoid warp, but the damp cloth would have taken me many projects to figure out.

I have no prob taking pics of the work other than incriminating myself with crappy work LOL. Actually I plan to have pics of this bike all the way through. This is my first ever and I plan to make it MINE, no matter how much Harley don't want me too.

I have some experience with lead, but not in body work. From what I have seen and looked up it don't seem really that hard. More intimidating that hard. Again not done it so I am just guessing, but I am sure it won't be the biggest mess I ever get in LOL.

Again thanks for the replies, it is appreciated.

Go to a junk yard and get an old car fender or something to practice your leading on. It isn't too hard but you have to get used to the "heat spread" for lack of a better term. Don't forghet you have to use wood paddles to do the forming\spreading\shaping. I saw a guy try to use plastic bondo squegees once, it wasn't pretty.

Safest way with the welding is spot, it not stitch it. Meaning 1/4 inch at a time and move a inch or two and spot it again.

I'd like to see the progress as well. That is most definatly a dieing art.

Being as I used to be into the muzzleloading crowd, I have an idea of hot lead not mixing with plastic paddles LOL. I would like to have watched that one.

I have a crap load of old trucks I can steal some metal from to practice on. That is a good idea. Thanx for the weld tip as well. I was figuring since I have a wood shop at my disposal I would make my own paddles. Have a ton of beeswax left over from the muzzleloading days as well so waxing them won't be an issue.

Being as I have melted my own weight a hundred times over in lead I do know some of it's habits. Like the tin coming out forming a sludge like mess on the tops. This has me wondering. I know pure lead (or as much as you can get it) is WAY soft, if you actually melt it to liquid it will release major amounts of it's tin content. So when doing this fender my guess is you don't get the lead hot enough to go liquid. Just to a nice soft mushy state. Is that about right?

Chuck is correct it should not "flow" JUst be soft enough to shape and smush

Well it will be a bit longer before I start the project. Flippin weather just won't get bad enough for me to quit riding LOL. However, when I do I will take pics from start to finish. Probably of the entire bike project. I missed pics of the front fender I re-worked. Had to have it the next morning, was pretty tired of road tea.