[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (pedromorgan @ 1 Sep 2008, 04:18) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>i cant comment on the collett but i just want to add my weight to the warning about liquid lead. i have seen a beautifully built O gauge tank loco that had the boiler filled with lead. it had literally burst open and took a huge ammount of remedial work. not to mention a complete strip and repaint.

Peter

***Common sense says simply stop it corroding. There is NO real substitute for the lead.

Liquid Lead IS a very fine version of lead shot as far as I know... I've not seen any thats in liquid form but I suppose thats not to say someone hasn't made a soup out of it

Lead has been used for years but its more of a probelm now than it was before as the way its fixed (adhesive types) have changed. Metals have been stopped from corroding for centuries by covering them and stopping the atmosphere they live in doing the damage.

The trick is to either totally coat it with glue (make a "mash" of lead pellets and thinned rubber type glue or latex) then add it - OR you can add it into an enclosed space and add only a barrier to stop it dopping out.

Other things to fix it with... varnish or enamel or emulsion/water based acrylic paint actually works fine but it needs a good long time to dry properly too!

Any hard chemical adhesive like ACC, cheap PVA (usually quite acid) will create a problem long term if the stuff is not totally coated.. its L/Lead that is jammed in then only partially protected from oxidisation, or prevented from expansion while leaving it open to chemical attack that is the problem

like most things that go wrong, it is not the product but the way its used or the use made of it....

By the way - most "shotgun type" shot is no longer lead, and I suspect it'll be hard to buy in EU as genuine lead shot now. most sources have been changed to a steel shot! probably Expat in Dubai and Ebaykal in Turkey and definately myself here in Au can still buy the real thing, but its brand limited too - only "good ole USA based Remington" still use real lead for their shotgun pellets now as far as our local gunsmith is aware...

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (zmil @ 1 Sep 2008, 13:08) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi All
Another alternative, is to use some solder , a lead tin alloy that is common and corrosion resistant
Regards Zmil

***Except its not all that heavy compared to the original loco castings (solder is at best just on 40% lead) and still corrodes - a bit of solder and a bit of lead left in the same circumstances will both corrode similarly but a slightly different rate - depending on the formulation, there will be a slightly different set of compounds but in general a similar result will happen.

The answer really is most of all to be careful what you fix it into the model with.... and coat it all over so no moisture or air gets to it

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (34C @ 1 Sep 2008, 16:05) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Not seen this product yet, but a simple location which has worked for me in the past on similar items is to replace the chassis baseplate / keeper plate in lead sheet; or if this is not suitable in some way for replacement, to thin it down as much as possible and then glue on lead sheet. This puts the extra weight low down, never a bad idea. Evostick for choice as the adhesive, no reaction with the lead, strong enough but relatively easy to break the bond for removal should that ever be necessary. Paint the lead once installed, for your own and others protection.

Don't fiddle around with expensive commercial concoctions for your lead. Go to a builder's or plumber's merchant and buy a small piece of code 5 (N gauge) or code 7 (larger gauges) lead sheet. A merchant may well have an offcut handy, as many take back the offcuts for recycling. You get more density for your cash, and I have never known lead flashing to corrode when used in models, when you get it you will find it has a dark shiny surface and it stays that way. By comparison most lead shot has a matt light grey dusty appearance: that's lead oxide which is much less dense, and more readily absorbed into the environment to do damage as a toxin. If the sheet needs to be thinner for a particular application a few enoyable minutes with a hammer will produce it.

***Remington birdshot is actually also dark and shiny - I've never seen the light and dusty stuff, although I have no doubt that if its made for low cost, it'll be lesser quality.

I agree re using the sheet for most jobs by the way - I bought a couple of meters, and its lasted me for a very very long time.... it was an amazingly heavy wee parcel! I'd probably buy less now as lead was much cheaper before china decided they wanted all of it!! -

where locos can still come to grief with using sheet is via the rolling of sheet into a tube to go into a boiler.... When rolled tightly its already under some stress as its rolled, and a slight oxidisation + a high temperature shift expands it enough to distort the boiler - again the answer is don't pack it too tight, and do paint it all over to seal it.

Its better to buy a cheap pot, put it on the stove when nobody is looking and cast it to shape: That is, to a slug slightly smaller in idameter than the boiler it will fill....

Not hard to do - Use wood as a casting mould. First dry the wood thoroughly in the microwave (on defrost for a while does most of it it) then leave it at least a couple of days in the airing cupboard if U have one..... drill a hole the right size in the end grain of the block of wood with an Irwin or forstner type wood bit, and pour in the molten lead.

Drying it is very important - any water present and it'll explode the wood at worst, spatter molten lead or steam etc...

Have fun

Richard