best way to weld together 2 lead sheets?

I myself would solder them. Using a black beauty 150 watt iron and a head about the size of your wrist.

Perhaps you can get a solder head for the blowtorch.

I'd consider making a fold joint. If you are shielding with it then you don't want a seam down the line that is just a melted zone. Have the melts before and after or only on the outside.

Only on the outside - make two L shapes - but up the edges so you have a small section in the seam and crimp then solder. Or do a lap joint and solder both sides as one overrides the other to seal off the joint.

Remember lead vapor is not nice. Keep it off the hands also.

The application is not known - but roofing companies that do copper crimp standing seams. They have the hand tools and the lead pots and irons.

Mart> What's the best way to weld together two 1/4" lead sheets? I was going to

Actually, I was hoping to maybe epoxy the pieces together if it is possible. What this is is part of a lead container made up of 1/4" lead. Someone decided at one point to cut out a square slice out of one of the sides. I still have the piece that was cut out and it is only small and doesn't weigh much. With this cut out of the side, the container is pretty much useless and I first thought about welding it back in. I didn't want to use solder as the container is 100% pure lead and I want to keep it hat way. I don't feel good about heating it for fear of melting away the area where I want to weld in the cut piece.

Unfortunately, the lead is in a state of decay (MUCH oxidation all over the box), so I have been trying to handle it as little as possible and plan to place it inside 2-3 mil plastic bags once I have the piece back in place. I will still be able to use the box in the bags.

I have used 2 part store bought epoxies on other types of metals with pretty good success in the past and wondered, if I lapped over the joints and applied epoxy between them, would the mend hold? If epoxies can work, which would be the best?

Thanks in advance and thanks for the initial reply.

John

John - plumbing solder is 100% lead (now harder to find). Electronic solders are various alloys and 100% tin is great for Aluminum soldering. Since EPA pushes for NO lead plumbing - you might have to go to a roofing/gutter shop for pure lead solder.

Mart> Actually, I was hoping to maybe epoxy the pieces together if it is possible.

fold a seam, then fuse a bead, much like you see with tigged aluminum, with a [small] oxy-acetylene torch. you'll need to extensively deoxidize, maybe flux first.

have you ever /seen/ lead being soldered??? [rhetorical] no, you're just guessing. why?

Yes, I used to have a 250 watt black beauty soldering iron that had a 2" diameter tip on it. It was heavy and held the heat like fire. I used it in making lead boxes, thus 100% lead and same thickness for custom lab built X-ray tubes and another larger one with lead and 2" of paraffin for a neutron gun. But that was in another life.

Mart> >

which is not soldering, it's simply fusing!