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Author Topic: Fighting Lead Rot  (Read 4174 times)

Offline Mister Frau Blucher

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Re: Fighting Lead Rot
« Reply #30 on: February 26, 2021, 08:17:33 PM »
I soaked the figs in the 50/50 pure gum turps/white mineral oil for three days. I took them out and quickly scrubbed them today, and then flushed them with fresh water as I scrubbed some more.

Here is the blog post with more pix and more blathering:

https://swordsunderdistantsuns.com/2021/02/26/combating-lead-rot-part-checks-notes-six/

But basically, I am very happy with what is going on. Almost all of the rot seems to be gone; it is visible on four figures still. After they dry thoroughly tomorrow, I will double check each one, and then attack the ones still showing rot with another mix of the solution and the old toothbrush, and see where we are then.

For the rest of the figures, I will wait a week (as suggested on the Martin blog) so that they completely dry, and then prime them so they don't rot any more.

An interesting side effect of the soak is how dark they have become. Doesn't bug me as I'm going to prime them anyway, but it is similar to how dark the figures became in the electrolysis process posted by Spinal Tap on page 1.

The first pic below is a figure fresh out of the solution; the second is the same figure after scrubbing and flushing. The last pic is of the four still showing signs of rot. 


Offline Mister Frau Blucher

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Re: Fighting Lead Rot
« Reply #31 on: February 27, 2021, 06:18:25 PM »
I found four other figures that needed some attention. All the others look great, so I am very happy with this remedy for lead rot.

Pix and 3.146 paragraphs of bloviation here:

https://swordsunderdistantsuns.com/2021/02/27/combating-lead-rot-part-7/

But the short of it is, I did not wash off the solution from these eight dudes after working on them. I got to thinking that on Martin's blog he did not mention washing it off, just letting it dry for a week. So maybe it keeps on working on the bloom as it dries? We'll see.

So pending what happens with these eight figs as they dry, it looks like this is a real solution to lead rot.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in!

 
 

Offline Mister Frau Blucher

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Re: Fighting Lead Rot
« Reply #32 on: March 25, 2021, 06:23:35 PM »
So I am now working on some rot in my painted figures. Not that my paint jobs are particularly worth saving, but I want to stop the lead bloom, of course, and see if any painted areas can be saved.

It was mostly successful. You can read about it on my blog, if interested.

https://swordsunderdistantsuns.com/2021/03/25/fighting-lead-rot-on-painted-miniatures/

The solution did little harm to the paint jobs on three of the figures, and they'll just need some touch up where the rot was bad.

The worst figure was a different story. She was painted back around 1982, and it looks like I may not have primed her. I included two pix below. One of her before the process, in all her bloomy glory, and then after scrubbing and a two-day soak in the mixture followed by more scrubbing. She'll need to sit in simple green, as her paint is beyond hope. At that point, I am hoping that she won't need any more attention, as I don't want to use the wire brush, but I may if the damage looks really bad after she emerges from her soak.

« Last Edit: March 25, 2021, 06:25:14 PM by Mister Frau Blucher »

Offline JollyBob

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Re: Fighting Lead Rot
« Reply #33 on: March 26, 2021, 09:45:43 AM »
That's interesting, thanks.  :)

I had seen a lot of people saying the best way to prevent lead rot is to paint the figures, so I am surprised (perhaps naively so) to see that it doesn't actually guarantee it!

Offline Hammers

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Re: Fighting Lead Rot
« Reply #34 on: March 26, 2021, 09:59:17 AM »
That's interesting, thanks.  :)

I had seen a lot of people saying the best way to prevent lead rot is to paint the figures, so I am surprised (perhaps naively so) to see that it doesn't actually guarantee it!

I think what they mean is that you need is a solid coat, like a few layers of lacquer.
 

Offline Mister Frau Blucher

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Re: Fighting Lead Rot
« Reply #35 on: March 27, 2021, 12:26:22 PM »
That's interesting, thanks.  :)

I had seen a lot of people saying the best way to prevent lead rot is to paint the figures, so I am surprised (perhaps naively so) to see that it doesn't actually guarantee it!

Hey, JollyBob,

I think I made several mistakes when I painted this figure way back when. It doesn't look like I primed her, because there is none around the base's edge. Leaving that bare, as well as the bottom of the base, was a mistake. I am not sure of the exact science, but evidently that gives the rot a "way in." I am not sure I got a clear protective coating over this figure, either; though that may not have protected the bare metal.

So I THINK painting a figure will protect it...if it covers every bit of surface. The other painted figures I showed in my blog post had paint all over them, except the bottom of the base - so there was exposed lead. But then again, the bloom showed up on surfaces that were painted...so it's still a bit of a mystery to me.

I am just happy that the 50/50 mix of pure gum terps and white mineral oil seems to get rid of the bloom (fingers/shoelaces/eyebrows crossed...).   

 

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