Sealing lead came...

HI John If they're really 'real' leaded panes then the proper way to fix them would be to dismantle them & re-make them.

However - that's a lot of work.

A 'quick & dirty' (but surprisingly effective) solution, where time, budget etc doesn't allow the 'proper' solution is this stuff

It'll probably need several applications, until no more is absorbed.

I've used this on church windows, where sections have been repaired / replaced, but there's no budget to replace the whole window.

Regards Adrian

The sealant for new leaded glass is just chalk whiting and linseed oil - li= ke an extremely thin putty. At the same time, a mechanical caulking of the = lead flange by rubbing it down with a bone. However it's also recognised th= at doing this to old (brittle) lead is a bit of a fruitless task. In many c= ases, by the time the window has got to the stage of leaking, it's actually= doing this through cracked joints in the lead. The only real solution at t= his point is to strip the glass apart and rebuild the panel with new lead (= not actually too expensive, compared to cutting glass for a new panel).

Captain Tolley's is good stuff though, and worth a try.

Would wood hardener be any good as the creeping sealant?

Yup pretty sure they are real... however, can't see the idea of taking out the front room windows for a strip down and rebuild going down well!

Ah, now that looks like it might do the trick. Thanks.

HI Ian The Ronseal stuff ? Might do - but the Captain Tolleys is designed to be very 'thin' and wick into any gaps it finds.

The other things I forgot to say were

- beg/steal/borrow a small syringe with a non-pointed needle, and use that to get the product where it needs to be

- expect to make two or three repeated applications

- wipe off the stuff immediately if / when it goes where it shouldn't, as it can cause staining of the lead and the glass

Much easier if you can get the offending panels out and flat... but still do-able of you can't...

As Andy says, it's not as good a solution as doing it the 'proper' way - but it's still effective...

Adrian

At last I've found an application for all those syringes I've amassed from all the printer ink refill kits I've bought!

I've always been a perfectionist, which has meant that there have been many DIY jobs that I have 'never got around to', because I knew they would take too long.

However, in later life, I have eventually learned that a well-planned and well-executed 'kludge' (if that's the word) is often more than satisfactory, and will probably more than see me out.

Ideal! Can't remember what the solvent is for the Captain's stuff - but you'll want to wash the syringes out between applications as otherwise they'll seal solid!

Yes - I know what you mean

Amen! Take it gently with the Tolleys and you'll be fine. The bottle comes with an applicator nozzle - but it's far too 'fast' for your application & you'll end up with it everywhere!

Good luck Adrian

One thing that _doesn't_ work is trying to re-solder lead joints in old lead. If you do have cracked joints, then either live with them, or rebuild the whole panel on new lead. Trying to re-solder a failed joint in an old panel is near impossible.

ead. If you do have cracked joints, then either live with them, or rebuild = the whole panel on new lead. Trying to re-solder a failed joint in an old p= anel is near impossible.

Resoldering oxidised metal certainly is. Would it not work ok if cut with a knife each side of the crack, to expose clean lead?

NT

If you do have cracked joints, then either live with them, or rebuild the whole panel on new lead. Trying to re-solder a failed joint in an old panel is near impossible.

Trouble is , you very quickly get into 'diminishing returns'

Ideally, you want a nice 'butt joint' between the two pieces of lead before soldering.

If you have any significant gaps (more than a couple of mm) then you'll find that the solder will 'neck' in and look terrible. Again, in an ideal situation, you want solder to stick to the flat surface of the lead came. Andy's right, no amount of wire-brushing / sandpapering / wire-wool work will be effective.

It's another step into the land of bodgery - but I've had some success with the two-part 'liquid metal' epoxies, which, once set, are pretty much indistinguishable from the original lead - and can hold things together if there's no funding for a 'textbook' (remove, dismantle, re-lead, re-putty, refit) strategy... Not ideal, but better than having the rain come in!

I'm seeing a few of these recently - mid-1800's church windows, exposed to salty sea-air and the odd football / stepladder or, in one case, a flying pumpkin (it was Halloween!)

Adrian