Does Lead Free Body Solder Rust?

[jmlcolorado]

Im working on my 51 binder chop and before i got the truck, someone removed all the paint ad let it patina for a number of years creating a beautiful, even rust patina over the entire truck.

Now that im chopping it, im removig the rust to clean metal in order to properly weld the roof sections back together. I am a newby at welding sheet metal so there are alot of areas i want to fill to make look right again.

Bondo is out of the question and i have experiance usingthe lead free body solder from eastwood which i LOVE.

Im wondering if i can get that material (70% lead 30% tin ifi remember right) To rust. I figure even if it DOES rust, it wont look anything like the origional steel on the truck but it might be a start.

A last resort is gonna be spray bomb "rust paint" to get things to look a little more even.

Any advice or sudgestions?

Thanks folks.

 

[Blue Eyed Devil]

No, the lead filler won't rust.

If you really want it to be even, practice your welding before your chop and do some nice metal finished weld seams. It's not that hard to do if you take your time...

 

[zzrodder]

Ummm, maybe I'm missing something, but it seems to me that 70% lead content is not lead free....[S
Iron and steel rust, lead fillers corrode, though not at the same rate or manner as steel, it will always stand out as different when bare.
Finishing welded panels without filler requires patience, practice and skill [ , I've been welding on car bodies for 35 years, and I still can't get to that level, though some guys get it right away. Don't feel bad if you have to use filler, even Chip Foose lays on the Bondo !!

 

[darkk]

A little hard for the inexperienced but not impossible. You could hammerweld it, grind it and pick and file to get the area where you need it. Then artificially rust the area in to match....

 

[fuzz]

One of the best kept secrets in welding sheet metal [bodywork] is a mig wire called "easy grind" by a company called "Esab" [ google them for a dealer near u ]. Most welding supply shops will sell you mig wire #70-s6 which is 70,000 psi but easygrind is 30,000 psi so it welds at much lower heat settings & is easier to grind so heat build up is reduced. Of course a very good fit of the two pieces of tin you want to weld will help you weld them together faster with less filling necessary and therefore less heat buildup. There is 3 other things you need to know..patience, patience, patience!!!!..[cl