Dreaded leaded!

[Norf86]

OK knocked a few doors today and got chatting to one chap who already has a windy. He said he and his wife were concerned that the wfp brush and technique he was using might be damaging the lead and have thought about trying to find a trad. 

What I would like to know is, do the trad guys actually clean leaded windows, especially the more detailed ones with coloured sections and how? It must take bloody ages! 

Also, do I and all other wfp users need to worry about damaging the lead with wfp in future? I currently do another custy with lead but they're knackered anyway and she said don't worry about it too much, so I don't! I use a flocked brush and try to be careful but they are a pain to be fair. 

Would love to hear how others get on 

Cheers 

 

[Part Timer]

We do some old leaded windows with a hybrid tapertec. As long as you gently go diagonally you should be fine. Flocked are best for the job though.

 

[Pjj]

Yes it is possible to damage leaded stuff , if you go carefully it’s ok just don’t scrub hard and like @Part Timer said go across the glass rather than up and down I have no idear why this works but it does always check the condition of all leaded glass before quoting work and problems show the customer so you don’t get blamed . 

 

[Norf86]

We do some old leaded windows with a hybrid tapertec. As long as you gently go diagonally you should be fine. Flocked are best for the job though.

Cheers part timer, do you know how they were cleaned before wfp came along? 

 

[Pjj]

Cheers part timer, do you know how they were cleaned before wfp came along? 

We used to have one damp scrim and one dry scrim and buff them ul hated doing them .

 

[Norf86]

Yes it is possible to damage leaded stuff , if you go carefully it’s ok just don’t scrub hard and like @Part Timer said go across the glass rather than up and down I have no idear why this works but it does always check the condition of all leaded glass before quoting work and problems show the customer so you don’t get blamed . 

Thanks Pjj this is my thinking too. Have you ever traditionally cleaned leaded before?  

Can it be done? 

Vinegar and newspaper lol? 

We used to have one damp scrim and one dry scrim and buff them ul hated doing them .

Must have been a right pita 

 

[Pjj]

Thanks Pjj this is my thinking too. Have you ever traditionally cleaned leaded before?  

Can it be done? 

Vinegar and newspaper lol? 

Yes we used to do quite a bit for national trust and English heritage , as well as private houses , we used a damp scrim with GG3 in the water very time consuming absolutely hated doing it . Imagine doing this one trad ????

 

[Part Timer]

Cheers part timer, do you know how they were cleaned before wfp came along? 

Individually and very slowly?

 

[spruce]

Cheers part timer, do you know how they were cleaned before wfp came along? 

Many years ago our trad windie used a chamois leather.

We have a flocked zero spray brush on a separate SLX22 for leaded windows.

 

[Norf86]

Yes we used to do quite a bit for national trust and English heritage , as well as private houses , we used a damp scrim with GG3 in the water very time consuming absolutely hated doing it . Imagine doing this one trad ????

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That is a trad man nightmare right there! No thanks. 

God bless wfp eh! ?

That is a trad man nightmare right there! No thanks. 

God bless wfp eh! ?

In fact I bet that's a nightmare even with the pole! 

 

[Pjj]

That is a trad man nightmare right there! No thanks. 

God bless wfp eh! ?

In fact I bet that's a nightmare even with the pole! 

It’s easy with the pole , it had not   been cleaned in living memory when we did it it was a church and then converted into flats the building firm phoned me and said they needed a specialist cleaner to clean it , so as they needed a specialist cleaner to quote them the price was a specialist price ???? we now go all over the country doing similar jobs for them as we are specialists according to them ???

 

[Marko067]

I've never had a problem with new leaded windows but definitely have had with some older ones. When the glue gets old it kinda gets brittle and the lead can just pop off the glass if you catch it wrong with the bristles straight on. As spruce said, a zero degree flocked brush, or close to it is best with wfp on leaded.

 

[Norf86]

I've never had a problem with new leaded windows but definitely have had with some older ones. When the glue gets old it kinda gets brittle and the lead can just pop off the glass if you catch it wrong with the bristles straight on. As spruce said, a zero degree flocked brush, or close to it is best with wfp on leaded.

Cheers, can't say I've heard of a zero degree brush but I will defo look into it 

 

[Marko067]

Cheers, can't say I've heard of a zero degree brush but I will defo look into it 

Just means there is no splay to the bristles before you put it on the glass.  Gardiners used to sell one but I don't think they do now.  I have one which is nearly zero degree but it was made from a flocked sill brush by cutting the bottom two rows of bristles off.  Here's a pic for reference.  this can be done with one of those oscillating multi cutting tools.

 

[Den]

Just means there is no splay to the bristles before you put it on the glass.  Gardiners used to sell one but I don't think they do now.  I have one which is nearly zero degree but it was made from a flocked sill brush by cutting the bottom two rows of bristles off.  Here's a pic for reference.  this can be done with one of those oscillating multi cutting tools.

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Have you cut the ends off also where you would normally fit the bumpers if yes can you post a close up as I Feel if you don’t use the bumpers thebrush would get into the corners better as theends are quite big for such a short bristled Brahms.

 

[Marko067]

Have you cut the ends off also where you would normally fit the bumpers if yes can you post a close up as I Feel if you don’t use the bumpers thebrush would get into the corners better as theends are quite big for such a short bristled Brahms.

Yes I have.  I hated the way they kept banging into the frames and I kept losing the bumpers anyway.  Is this what you were looking for?

 

[laddergarder]

Quite allot of hoppers and glass doors have leaded or glass diamonds that need buffed. But I will be glad if the whole house in lead idea goes out of fashion.

I soap up, loosely squeegee, then rub down with a sill cloth, then finally buff with a precision microfiber from WCW.

Leaded hoppers, take a little longer, but its not that bad.

Buffing them with a cloth has as much if not more chance of dislodging a piece of lead as wfp does IMO.

 

[Norf86]

Just means there is no splay to the bristles before you put it on the glass.  Gardiners used to sell one but I don't think they do now.  I have one which is nearly zero degree but it was made from a flocked sill brush by cutting the bottom two rows of bristles off.  Here's a pic for reference.  this can be done with one of those oscillating multi cutting tools.

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Ah OK I get the zero degree thing now. I haven't got any old brushes to hack at yet though! Might buy an old used one and use that. Thanks mate ?

 

[Norf86]

Quite allot of hoppers and glass doors have leaded or glass diamonds that need buffed. But I will be glad if the whole house in lead idea goes out of fashion.

I soap up, loosely squeegee, then rub down with a sill cloth, then finally buff with a precision microfiber from WCW.

Leaded hoppers, take a little longer, but its not that bad.

Buffing them with a cloth has as much if not more chance of dislodging a piece of lead as wfp does IMO.

Yea I agree with you. Total pain but I'm pricing a bit more for these to compensate. Might have to try trad style on any leaded bungalows I might get, just to see and compare. 

 

[Den]

@Marko067 Think I will do this on my extreme brushes, what did you use to cut the stock and did use sandpaper to smooth the edges?

 

[Marko067]

@Marko067 Think I will do this on my extreme brushes, what did you use to cut the stock and did use sandpaper to smooth the edges?

I used a jigsaw mounted in a workbench and of course safety goggles. However, I've since discovered a much safer method using an oscillating multi tool. Have the speed set to medium as it will melt the plastic.  Take it slow.  Sand of any rough edges.