Greetings. I have been restoring Triumph motorcycles for decades purchased a 1961 Triumph Bathtub model from Australia in 2005. I am finally working on it and sandblasting revealed much fender damage. I need to repair this fender because replacements are nearly unattainable.

You can see from the photos there are drilled holes, rust and dents that need repair. Before I would take my tins to a welder for repair. Are there any new materials (e.g., epoxy) that could be used in lieu of welding? Also, there are some brazed repairs to the fender. Is brazing a viable option in lieu of MIG or TIG welding.

Thank you for your input.
KRR

Normally this thread should have been posted in the Metal and welding section.

BUT NO do not sand blast!!!!!!!
All of the Brazing should be removed before any welding is done as welding and Brazing rod used their are not compatible Its more than likely Silicon Bronze that was used.

I would stay away from MIG welding and use Tig welding. That fender has a lot of damage I would look for some one capable of Making a Identical Fender by hand such as a Metal shaping professional to make Patches for you to properly repair the original.
Simply explain that you want to repair NOT replace because repaired original is far superior to ANY replacement. I am capable of making and Tig welding small patches But I don't have the time at this time to do it.

www.lazzemetalshaping.com

www.proshaper.com

www.cornfieldcustomsltd.com

All these gentlemen are highly capable of making a New identical fender for you.
They also see the value of repairing rather than replacing BUT at some point which your piece is close to your better off replacing than repairing BUT contact them and see if they will take on the project.
They also do projects for others AND they have many many free instructional videos you can learn from on YouTube for free.

sounds like a cool project. there are a number of ways to tackle this, you can braze all the small holes, you'll hear that paint doesn't like to stick to brass. but in this case its so minimal i wouldn't worry and use epoxy for your first coating. so you can braze the small holes and the round hole on top. get a small piece of sheet metal and cut out a round plug to put in the hole and then braze it in. IF your not comfortable with brazing take it to someone who is. mig welding any of these areas is just about out of the question. in order to weld any of the damage areas ALL the brass NEEDS to be gone, VERY difficult to do. for the lead spot you need to remove it so we can see what the damage is. for this use a hand held propane torch and melt it out, most of it will run off or drip off. what's left can be brushed off with a small wire brush, wire tooth brush your welding store will have them. with the small spots you can also fill them with an epoxy filler from the back side then finish from the outside. lets see some GOOD pictures of the nose part after you get the lead off. i didn't mention lead as a filler for the smaller areas, its rather hard to work with IF your not familiar with the applications. IF you are familiar with lead then yes its a good way to go for this.
Jay D.

Thank you for the responses and I apologize for not posting in the Welding and Fabrication section.
I took the fender outside and heated with a MAP torch. I think the material was plumbers’ solder(?). It immediately melted away with little heat. I then sanded the area with 180 grit to get to bare metal. It does not look good. Photographs are attached. Replacement fiberglass fenders are about $250 if you can find one.
I think I will let it sit for the time being and explore the fuel tank and side panels. There may be unpleasant surprises there also.
Again, Thank you for your responses.
KRR

it not as bad as i was expecting looks like it could be fixed its just going to take some time and patience. the hard part i see is getting the roll under the lip and get it correct. i believe the fender bracket was riveted and someone removed the rivets and brazed it together. i do this with newer Harleys just makes a smoother job BUT they don't care about originality. do you want to have the rivets showing?
Jay D.

If you Braze it Paint will stick to Silicon Bronze welding wire But not Brass.

Their is Panel bonding adhesive you can glue on patches then cover with fiberglass filler.
I wouldn't do it that way though just throwing it out their.

Personally, I would try some hammer and dolly work. Get it into the best shape you can and then re-evaluate your plan of action.

I use a MIG welder with .023" diameter wire for thin metal repairs.

Thank for all the input and suggestions. I am going to assemble the front forks then fit the fender to see which holes are necessary and verify they are in the correct position.
Then I am going to try a couple of Hot Rod shops in Las Cruces for some metal repairs. Las Cruces has strong Low Rider community and support businesses.
I will post the progress of this fender.
Not only are 1961 Triumph 5TA Bathtub fenders rare, If I could find one I suspect it would be about $500.
Be well.
KRR

I would expect proper metal repairs to exceed $600

A custom made fender about the same money but it wont be Original.

A fiberglass copy as you said $300 ish and of course its not Original.

Original all metal bike priceless!

Far to many think that replacement Panels or fenders even when made from steel are the same as original's when they are not! Its only Original once! Even repaired originals are better that ANY replacements items even when made in America.