I have a couple of helmets. The 3M is called a Speedglas. It was my first good helmet. I broke the lens and then replaced it with an "upgraded" and larger viewing lens. I swear I am getting sunburned...bought the replacement lens off of Ebay from a supposed 3M dealer...wondering if I got duped. So I tried it again and my eyes hurt. The Miller is a cheaper model, but it works so I think I need to chuck the 3m. You can get into an inexpensive TIG now pretty easily.....or do what I do and get a used one so you can add to the project list :-) Hope all is well!

Thank you Howard .... and for being patient with the jeep deep dive. I am absolutely itching to get the T24 finished. I am going to rebuild the engine in October, plus I have a take-out that I need to see if I can get running to replace the engine in the M29 that is starting to knock - otherwise that one needs a rebuild too.

Thanks Nick! Almost time to get to work on that G506!

Thank you Stephan! I find this work so very rewarding!

Paul Bellon Since I live in the People's Republic of NJ, they have outlawed all the good chemicals so we don't have anyone to dip locally.  There is a place about 1.5 hours away in Pennsylvania - that really is the ideal situation.  I would love to have the tubs dipped!As for the "non-lead" lead, Eastwood sells it.  It works fine...really just like lead.  I am not sure it makes any real difference.....Here is the link:  https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-lead-free-body-solder-basic-kit-file-sand.html

Greetings Joe and thank you for the comments. I am not a professional painter by any stretch of the imagination. I sincerely appreciate the suggestions. The red oxide we are using has zinc phosphate...which is a typical "etcher" in self-etching primers so I think we are more or less doing what you suggest with respect to the first step. As for the fill primer - the only issue is covering up spot welds - which probably doesn't matter, but ...on some of these vehicles it does look different if you can't see the spot welds. In areas that need to be blocked, I end up spraying heavy and blocking anyway so again... probably more or less following your procedure, just not doing it for the entire vehicle. I have stayed away from seam sealers with the jeeps out of historical accuracy. I did use them on the last Weasel we worked on. I used a 3m product - impressive. My biggest concern with the jeep is that there is already some rust in the seams....not sure whether we add to the problem if we seal everything in? I probably could have used a seam sealer on the hat channels and been better off on this tub. Good suggestions - thank you.

Appreciate it Nick - it never ends!

Appreciate the thoughts Dana. Like so many things....I don't think there are many absolutes here. I love that we can get repro tubs and parts where damage is so extreme that there is no alternative....better than the carcass rotting in a field....but that line is hard to decipher!

Great stuff Nick. I do know the feeling of seeing ever imperfection. There are spots on my finished MB that leap out at me sometimes....and will get fixed at some future date. I have a friend who has restored his jeep three times over some 30 years....the last time he got it pretty much factory class perfect... Look forward to seeing that G506 in progress. They are beautiful trucks!

100% agree Scott - a personal choice. I like that idea that we leave things a bit better than we found them..."stewardship" in the true sense of the word.