Leadlight repair

[fletty]

While driving through Sydney a few months ago, I saw this poor abandoned bow front cabinet which had all of the hallmarks of a frustrated restoration. It was sitting forlornly outside a block of apartments ..... waiting for me.

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It had been finished with a brush coat of (probably?) Estapol but the key had been lost and hence the leadlight panels nearest to the lock were broken in an attempt to get to the back of the lock to remove it?
It JUST fit into the Landrover but I had to be very careful as the 2 glass shelves were currently unbroken but laying precariously against the inside of the leadlight.
I got it home safely where it awaited its turn for a new chance at life.
After the leadlight memorial box thread ( https://www.woodworkforums.com/f87/glass-past-205012), a few people have asked me how to do leadlighting and others asked how to cut glass, so I'll try to cover both here.
Firstly, before potentially wasting my time on repairing a cabinet that couldn't be finished, I tried some of the BENEVOLENT DICTATORS CUT AND POLISH and a swansdown polishing mop and it beautifully reduced the the brush marks. So, GAME ON!

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I removed the broken glass from the 2 panels closest to the lock, put my phone in through the hole and took a picture of the back of the lock. It was a cheapie and I was suspicious that the slotted head fasteners weren't screws but slotted head nails which are a real pain to remove especially with restricted access .
I was able to reach around to the tang of the lock and luckily a gentle tap retracted it and the door was open.
The door hinges were unscrewed, 8 screws of 4 different sizes, and the door was off and laying on the bench.

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Loose leadlight panels are not strong and, with unrestrained edges, are quite 'floppy' so, after gently removing the glazing trim, the first thing I do is cut a panel of plywood to fit snugly inside the frame to support the weight of the lead and glass

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I used this this ply to cover the leadlight in case of damage while I was removing the lock and just as well as it is often tricky removing those abominable fake screws,

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I then fully insert the plywood to lay against the leadlight panel and turn the whole assembly over so that it is on the bench with the leadlight fully supported by the plywood NOT the door frame.
Using a (favourite) wide chisel, I gently prise the frame OFF the leadlight NOT the leadlight out of the frame.

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The door frame was soon lifted off and the leadlight laying flat on its plywood support. It will stay there until the leadlight repair is finished.

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HINT: keep a piece of the broken glass to measure the thickness and don't, like me, get caught bum up and head down in the wheelie bin trying to retrieve a piece a measure

fletty

[chambezio]

I like the feeling of resurrecting an article that has succumb to the ravages of life. It doesn't matter what the article is to get that feeling.....wood chisel, handleless hammer (make a new handle on the lathe, screw driver with chewed up blade, rough sawn timber to put through the thicknesser, furniture, old machinery.....the list goes on. Just to spend a bit of time and bring the elements back from the brink. (I'm easily entertained at times)

Alan I will be looking forward to the next instalment of the restoration

[NCArcher]

Ooh this looks like fun. I'm in.
Remind me to show you how to pick a lock next time I'm there.

[fletty]

The glass in this cabinet is only 2 mm thick and 'normal' glaziers won't stock it. Today I went to my local picture framer and was given a piece too small for him to use but plenty big enough for this repair
I use this glass cutter...

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..... which, although more expensive than the $2 shop variety, has saved me more than the difference by not wasting glass? It has a hollow handle for lubricant and I use baby oil in mine. Others use mineral turps, detergent etc but baby oil works for me.
The main secrets to clean and accurate cuts are

• make sure the scribe mark starts from the very edge of the glass and...
• make a SINGLE scribe ONLY and all of the way to the far edge

To ensure the scribe starts right from the front the edge, I actually 'rock' the cutter over the edge.....

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...... before scribing across the glass and I actually roll the cutter over the far edge as well.
Once I have made the single scribe line, I lift the glass and tap UNDERNEATH, gradually moving along the line. (Haven't you ever wondered why even the $2 shop glass cutter has a knob on the end? )

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When you do this, you will see the scribe line progressively turn from a 'scratch' on the surface to a smooth fracture right through the glass until the unsupported cut piece simply falls away ......

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...... leaving a virtually polished edge on both pieces. This works just as well on straight lines like this project and the much more intricate shape like leadlights. If I am cutting a narrow piece, its own weight often isn't enough to force the fracture so, after tapping all of the way along the scribe, I simply hold it with a pair of pliers and bend it slightly down to separate the cut piece.
I use a normal art line pen to mark the glass but it is SO wide that I cut along one edge of the line. I also mark each piece because it is amazing the number of times I loose them or knock them to the floor because I forgot where I put them!

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There are are some exotic art glasses that are a PITA to cut but this method has worked well for me on all normal clear, coloured and textured glass.
fletty

[Lappa]

A man of many, many talents is our Fletty.
I've pulled up a chair for this one.

[fletty]

Firstly, just the usual disclaimer...
There are many ways to do this from the brutal to a complete rebuild. The way I describe below is a method that gives a good visual result with reasonable strength and, probably more importantly, is a result that I am happy to sell to a customer. This method also gives a good visual result when viewed from either side.
Sketch A below....

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..... shows the 3 panels marked with an X which are to be replaced and my planned cuts to release the old panels and replace with new ones. The outer came is a flat H of which the outer half is masked by the (door) frame and is also the easiest piece of the lead work to be repaired and reinforced. However, it is also structurally the most important and hence there is a need to minimise any cutting and potential weakening. In this case, I decided on strategy that required the removal of only one piece of the outer frame to permit changing 3 panels. Sketch B and C show that an angled cut will allow the existing (in this case, unbroken....) panel to be slid out and also provides a stronger join than a square cut when resoldered

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I make the mitre cut with a small hacksaw cutting firstly horizontally on 1 side, then vertically to cut through the web of the came and then I sandwich the whole panel between 2 pieces of plywood so that I can turn it over to complete the second horizontal cut and start removing/replacing the glass panels.

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The panel's rigidity (if any) comes from the putty which is forced into the join between lead and glass but this same putty makes reassembly very difficult so it needs to be removed from any piece that is to be re-used...

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I then cut out the 2 short pieces of came shown in Sketch A....

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.... using a pair of snips that have a very fine angle and don't remove nor compress too much of the lead came. This allows me to re-use the same pieces which is good to match the patina ... even though using a new piece is MUCH easier!
Then I wriggle, jiggle and cajole the new panels of glass into place....

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..... while working my way back towards the opening. As I work back, I fix battens around the outer edge......

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.... and then eventually another to close the opening...

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The whole assembly is now ready to be resoldered and puttied ........

fletty

[fletty]

While these dark arts have been happening, the REAL WORK has been continuing and the cabinet itself is responding to some TLC....

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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

[crowie]

Alan, You sure are expending you skills base sir...the cabinet will be quite beautiful when finished WELL DONE!!! Cheers, Peter

[fletty]

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

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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...

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...so that the flux residue doesn't reappear in a few years time (DAMHIK )! 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'....

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..... 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...

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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.....

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...... and I will be quiet for a few days.....

fletty

[jmk89]

Good job, Alan.
Which flux do you recommend ?


Screwing up in new ways every day

[fletty]

Unfortunately the label has fallen of the little bottle that I have been using for years BUT I'm pretty sure that it is OLEIC (sp) acid. It is quite sticky which allows accurate placement of the flux and hence the solder.

fletty

[fletty]

I've finished the puttying and cleaned up the repaired panel. It's not clean enough to sell yet but I'll do that if/when there's any interest. I will also need to buy or scrounge a new lock.
Im very happy with the result. It 'owes' me about 12 hours labour but that's not important. The most important thing is that this beautiful little cabinet lives again?

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thanks for for the interest,
fletty

[fletty]

I will also need to buy or scrounge a new lock.

fletty

Good grief! $6.09 from Bunnings

https://www.bunnings.com.au/romak-br...-lock_p4011029

[crowie]

What a beautiful cabinet and a top job of restoration Alan, and to think it was a roadside pickup....
I hope the original owner isn't on the forum as they'll be kicking themselves...
Cheers, Peter

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Great job, I love to see items brought back from the rubbish like that. Thanks for sharing those great techniques.

David