does anyone know how to completely get lead off leaded windows?

Answer 1

anthony;

you can do the job, but it is a rather difficult job at best. you need to remove glazing/wood stops that hold the glass panel in wood frame. you can stand the frame/panel up vertical while holding a 1/4" piece of plywood next to it. tip the wood frame until glass panel drops onto the plywood. lay ply on flat surface. cut, with a very sharp utility knife, the solder at the joints you need to free up. you'll have to flip over with a second plywood panel and cut the other side of joints. pull pieces of lead off glass and label.

i assume you are repairing broken glass. use broken glass as template for new glass. replace glass and lead in reverse order and resolder with proper solder, flipping again to get both sides.

good luck

Answer 2

It is a painstakingly arduous job and you need to be really handy.
If you have genuine leaded glass windows, you use a small propane blowtorch with the flame adjusted as thin as possible.
First, have a flat clean, dry, level cement surface (a basement or garage floor will work). Buy a bag of mason's sand from a masonry supply store. Make a simple 2x4 or 2x2 wood frame that has at least two inches of clearance past the outside of edge of the window.
Put the sand inside the frame and skreet it level.
Put the window on the sand and move it back and forth easily to inbed it flat.
That frame is to hold the sand in place as a working base.
You know, glass is made of sand so don't use too much heat.
It takes more intense heat to melt glass than it does to melt lead. Also, the heat can cause the glass to crack if you're not careful.
Have a narrow putty knife ready.
Light the blow torch and start at one end of a joint of lead, melting and scraping away the lead (it will form little balls and harden quickly when out of the heat).
From hereon it gets trickier.
If, after you start, you cannot get the 'binding' lead out of the joint between the glass by working from the top you won't be able to do it.
There will be a gap between the edges of opposing pieces of glass. As the lead melts, scrape-push it away and quickly use the edge of the putty knife to clear the lead from between the edges.
Again, it's a difficult task for a novice.
I recommend that you have a professional do it.

Answer 3

Hi, I assume the lead is the stick-on kind, and this being the case, I really wouldn't bother if I were you.

I had the same problem about three years ago, spent hours and hours removing the lead and the remnants of adhesive, only to find that the pattern of the lead still shows up faintly on the glass. When it rains, the diamonds show up clearly. The local glazier told us it is because glass does weather over the years and the lead protects the parts it touches so the protected bits will always show up when the lead has gone, especially when the glass is wet.
It would be best to replace the glass - or keep the lead.

Answer 4

If this is the stick on type (goes on plain glass with glue) rather than proper lead lighting, I would say be very cautious but . . .

Something like white spirit or meths may help soften the glue. If you can get the lead strips to come off it is then a question of serious elbow grease. Paper such as newsprint is one of the best things for cleaning glass. If you are just left with some marks you could try Vinegar - Paper and vinegar is an old remedy for cleaning glass, removing greasy marks etc.

Glass is tough but avoid anything too abrasive as you will never get rid of the scratches and you will be back to square one !

Be absolutely sure the lead is not structural before you start to tinker or you could have a complete new glazing job on your hands.

Answer 5

You can't do anything to get the lead off from those windows since it is part of their structure. However you can get glass that will cover the leaded window to form a sandwich with plain glass on the outside and the leaded window inside. You can make a matching frame and put a glass pane into it for each side or can have a local carpenter make a suitable frame. That way you eliminate exposure to the lead and get good insulating value also.

Answer 6

Some "leaded windows" only have lead as a decoration and it can be removed by a careful use of a thin scraper, in real leaded windows it can't be removed without destroying the windows, in real leaded windows the lead is on both sides of the glass, on windows that have lead as a decoration only it is usually only on one side.

Answer 7

Hi UK builder here, I have removed lead from many windows, if its the stuck on type as I believe it must be from your question. Firstly try to pull of any loose bits, if it is still too solid, us a hot air gun set on low or a hair drier, this will loosen it, as you pull it away or use a scraper to gentle prise it of with the heat. The glue that is left will be difficult to remove with what others state. You use a cellulose thinners on a rag and a clean dry rag, to remove the residue, it work as unlike others I have actually done it. Good luck.

Answer 8

Run a knife blade between the glass and the lead. Turn back the lead annd the glass should come out.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

The lead is what holds the glass in place. So you can't get rid of it. They still do use lead for many windows. There's just no other soft maleable metal that works like it does for that kind of stuff.