Repairing old stained glass in my house

I have 2 stained glass windows in my house and although they seem
sturdy and in fair to good shape I've noticed the metal work (came?)
is turning white and/or corroding in spots. A closer look revealed that
there is a coating (lead solder?) which is in good shape at all joints
but the rest of the frame seems to be bare metal. What would this metal
frame normally be made of? It looks like it may be zinc? Can this be
easily repaired (sanded and painted) or is lead solder somehow melted
over entire frame?

Thanks!

"noticed the metal work (came?)
is turning white and/or corroding in spots."


If the metal is lead came and it's turning white it is "decaying". The
white powder stuff is lead oxide. DO NOT SAND IT! It is VERY toxic.
If this is your problem, there is no way to "fix" it, short of
releading the window.

"Rodent" wrote in message
. ..
I have 2 stained glass windows in my house and although they seem
sturdy and in fair to good shape I've noticed the metal work (came?)
is turning white and/or corroding in spots. A closer look revealed that
there is a coating (lead solder?) which is in good shape at all joints
but the rest of the frame seems to be bare metal. What would this metal
frame normally be made of? It looks like it may be zinc? Can this be
easily repaired (sanded and painted) or is lead solder somehow melted
over entire frame?

Thanks!

What city are you in?

In article ,
says...


"Rodent" wrote in message
...
I have 2 stained glass windows in my house and although they seem
sturdy and in fair to good shape I've noticed the metal work (came?)
is turning white and/or corroding in spots. A closer look revealed that
there is a coating (lead solder?) which is in good shape at all joints
but the rest of the frame seems to be bare metal. What would this metal
frame normally be made of? It looks like it may be zinc? Can this be
easily repaired (sanded and painted) or is lead solder somehow melted
over entire frame?

Thanks!

What city are you in?


Northeastern PA (Scranton area)

In article ,
says...

"noticed the metal work (came?)
is turning white and/or corroding in spots."


If the metal is lead came and it's turning white it is "decaying". The
white powder stuff is lead oxide. DO NOT SAND IT! It is VERY toxic.
If this is your problem, there is no way to "fix" it, short of
releading the window.

Any idea why the outside looks fine but the *inside* is decaying?
(Maybe I'll wet it before I sand it....like removing asbestos)

"Rodent" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
says...

"noticed the metal work (came?)
is turning white and/or corroding in spots."


If the metal is lead came and it's turning white it is "decaying". The
white powder stuff is lead oxide. DO NOT SAND IT! It is VERY toxic.
If this is your problem, there is no way to "fix" it, short of
releading the window.

Any idea why the outside looks fine but the *inside* is decaying?
(Maybe I'll wet it before I sand it....like removing asbestos)

It probably is lead oxide as suggested. I wouldn't have used the word
"decaying", although in the strictest sense of the word, it is decay. It's
not like it's gonna fall apart like a rotten tree, though. Oxidation "is"
decay, but not in the sense that your came is going to dissapear overnight.

That oxide is very toxic and you don't want to be inhaling any of it, or
ingesting it in any way. Were it mine...I think I'd wash them down really
well with soap and water and a very fine3M scratchy pad. (Don't use steel
wool.) Gently. Very Gently. Once I got them clean and dry, I'd be
tempted to liberally spray some Pledge (or similar) wax on the window and
try to "seal" the lead. If you undertake this, use rubber gloves, a dust
mask, use paper towels and throw them away. If you use any cotton towels,
I'd toss them, too, along with the scratchy pad.

If you have small kids or pets that could touch the window, do this sooner
rather than later to abate this. Don't let them lick the window, or touch
it and then eat something. Lead is ingested into the body by inhalation of
dust, and fumes, smoking while handling lead, and by eating while working
with it. Just touching it isn't poisionous, unless it is ingested by
eating or inhalation. Lead is not absorbed through the skin, according to
the CDC.

It's a bit curious to me why the oxide is forming on the inside of the
windows rather than the outside, as is usual. Nethertheless, you need to
take some actions.

"Moonraker" wrote in message
news

"Rodent" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
says...

"noticed the metal work (came?)
is turning white and/or corroding in spots."


If the metal is lead came and it's turning white it is "decaying". The
white powder stuff is lead oxide. DO NOT SAND IT! It is VERY toxic.
If this is your problem, there is no way to "fix" it, short of
releading the window.

Any idea why the outside looks fine but the *inside* is decaying?
(Maybe I'll wet it before I sand it....like removing asbestos)

It probably is lead oxide as suggested. I wouldn't have used the word
"decaying", although in the strictest sense of the word, it is decay.
It's
not like it's gonna fall apart like a rotten tree, though. Oxidation "is"
decay, but not in the sense that your came is going to dissapear
overnight.

That oxide is very toxic and you don't want to be inhaling any of it, or
ingesting it in any way. Were it mine...I think I'd wash them down really
well with soap and water and a very fine3M scratchy pad. (Don't use
steel
wool.) Gently. Very Gently. Once I got them clean and dry, I'd be
tempted to liberally spray some Pledge (or similar) wax on the window and
try to "seal" the lead. If you undertake this, use rubber gloves, a
dust
mask, use paper towels and throw them away. If you use any cotton
towels,
I'd toss them, too, along with the scratchy pad.

If you have small kids or pets that could touch the window, do this
sooner
rather than later to abate this. Don't let them lick the window, or touch
it and then eat something. Lead is ingested into the body by inhalation
of
dust, and fumes, smoking while handling lead, and by eating while working
with it. Just touching it isn't poisionous, unless it is ingested by
eating or inhalation. Lead is not absorbed through the skin, according
to
the CDC.

It's a bit curious to me why the oxide is forming on the inside of the
windows rather than the outside, as is usual. Nethertheless, you need
to
take some actions.

is someone cleaning the inside with acidic solutions (vinegar)?

In article ,
says...


"Moonraker" wrote in message
news

"Rodent" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
says...

"noticed the metal work (came?)
is turning white and/or corroding in spots."


If the metal is lead came and it's turning white it is "decaying". The
white powder stuff is lead oxide. DO NOT SAND IT! It is VERY toxic.
If this is your problem, there is no way to "fix" it, short of
releading the window.

Any idea why the outside looks fine but the *inside* is decaying?
(Maybe I'll wet it before I sand it....like removing asbestos)

It probably is lead oxide as suggested. I wouldn't have used the word
"decaying", although in the strictest sense of the word, it is decay.
It's
not like it's gonna fall apart like a rotten tree, though. Oxidation "is"
decay, but not in the sense that your came is going to dissapear
overnight.

That oxide is very toxic and you don't want to be inhaling any of it, or
ingesting it in any way. Were it mine...I think I'd wash them down really
well with soap and water and a very fine3M scratchy pad. (Don't use
steel
wool.) Gently. Very Gently. Once I got them clean and dry, I'd be
tempted to liberally spray some Pledge (or similar) wax on the window and
try to "seal" the lead. If you undertake this, use rubber gloves, a
dust
mask, use paper towels and throw them away. If you use any cotton
towels,
I'd toss them, too, along with the scratchy pad.

If you have small kids or pets that could touch the window, do this
sooner
rather than later to abate this. Don't let them lick the window, or touch
it and then eat something. Lead is ingested into the body by inhalation
of
dust, and fumes, smoking while handling lead, and by eating while working
with it. Just touching it isn't poisionous, unless it is ingested by
eating or inhalation. Lead is not absorbed through the skin, according
to
the CDC.

It's a bit curious to me why the oxide is forming on the inside of the
windows rather than the outside, as is usual. Nethertheless, you need
to
take some actions.

is someone cleaning the inside with acidic solutions (vinegar)?


No, my wife says she only uses a clean cloth/towel to occasionally wipe
them off (might wet it with water once in a great while). We do however
run a humidifier in the winter (hot air heat) and the unit is in the
same room as the windows. Could humidity cause this?

"Rodent" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,

says...


"Rodent" wrote in message
...
I have 2 stained glass windows in my house and although they seem
sturdy and in fair to good shape I've noticed the metal work (came?)
is turning white and/or corroding in spots. A closer look revealed that
there is a coating (lead solder?) which is in good shape at all joints
but the rest of the frame seems to be bare metal. What would this metal
frame normally be made of? It looks like it may be zinc? Can this be
easily repaired (sanded and painted) or is lead solder somehow melted
over entire frame?

Thanks!

What city are you in?


Northeastern PA (Scranton area)

Hmm Been eyeing this thread and thought I would throw in a couple of cents
worth.

In your original post you say the windows are in good shape except for the
white residue.
If its not broke, don't fix it. If you don't know precisely what you are
doing with these windows, why make a bigger problem than what you have?

Keep doing what you are doing and they will be fine, the damp rag takes off
the grime, the oxidation is from condensation and age, it happens. Don't
lick them and they won't bother you. If they weaken, and the lead changes
from its current state to something weaker, then be concerned. But unless
you know what you are doing, especially if these are panels of historic
significance, why run the risk of making a small problem a big one.

Somewhere down the road they may need to be releaded, but just because they
have a little lead oxide does not require and "sanding" , ever. A srubby
pad or sanding would just expose more lead to oxidize, in addition to what
is already oxidized, why bother it if it isn't broke.

Its old, let it "be" old.

Rodent wrote:
In article ,
says...
snip
"Rodent" wrote in message
. ..
Any idea why the outside looks fine but the *inside* is decaying?
(Maybe I'll wet it before I sand it....like removing asbestos)
snip
No, my wife says she only uses a clean cloth/towel to occasionally wipe
them off (might wet it with water once in a great while). We do however
run a humidifier in the winter (hot air heat) and the unit is in the
same room as the windows. Could humidity cause this?

Yes.
Do you get condensation on the pane during cold weather?

--
http://inquisitor.i.am/ | | Ian Stirling.
---------------------------+-------------------------+--------------------------
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornfull tone, "It means
Just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less." -- Lewis Carrol