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Meanwhile, back on the farm.......
While these dark arts have been happening, the REAL WORK has been continuing and the cabinet itself is responding to some TLC....
Attachment 391103
A good clean and buff with Howards RestorAfinish and the Estapol(?) brush marks polished out with the BENEVOLENT DICTATOR'S EEE cut and polish. I'm hoping to have it ready for sale with less than 10 hours work?
fletty
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Soldering and restoring the patina
Although surrounded in unnecessary mystique, the soldering is quite simple provided.....
- The joints are reasonably tight
- you use an 80w or greater soldering iron
- the joints are wire brushed until shiny
- use a good flux
- use high tin solder (I use 60/40 Ti/Pb)
If you have all of the above then soldering the joint becomes just touching each joint with the soldering iron and solder and the molten solder flows beautifully into and over the joint
Attachment 391422
After all all of the joints have been soldered and both sides have been done, they need to be thoroughly cleaned with warm water to clean off the flux...
Attachment 391423
...so that the flux residue doesn't reappear in a few years time (DAMHIK :roll:)! Don't forget to place plywood on both sides of the panel when turning it over.
The panel is now fully joined, but not yet rigid, and each new joint is a bright shiny spot on an otherwise patinated leadlit panel.
To restore the patina, use 'patinating fluid'.... :doh:
Attachment 391424
..... and brush it on to the shiny areas only as you don't want to further darker the already naturally patinated areas. The reaction is immediate and you can add more, or less, to achieve the desired result...
Attachment 391425 Attachment 391426
I have 2 pet peeves. One is SANDING, of which there is none on this project and the other is PUTTYING leadlight panels. It is a soul destroying moronic process!
Unfortunately, without putty being forced into the gaps between the lead cames and the glass, the panel is not structurally sound and, especially on a door, the glass soon starts to rattle and the whole panel can even bow. On an external leadlight window, putty is also required for weatherproofing.
The puttying process has started.....
Attachment 391427
...... and I will be quiet for a few days.....
fletty