ating of lead to its melting
point, so that two lead surfaces will weld together. This is a welding
and not a "burning" process, and much confusion would be avoided if
the term "lead welding" were used in place of the term "lead burning."

The purpose of welding lead surfaces together is to obtain a joint
which offers very little resistance to the flow of current, it being
absolutely necessary to have as low a resistance as possible in the
starting circuit. Welding also makes joints which are strong
mechanically and which cannot corrode or become loose as bolted
connections do. Some earlier types of starting and lighting batteries
had inter-cell connectors which were bolted to the posts, but these
are no longer used.

The different kinds of lead-burning outfits are listed on page 143 The
oxygen-acetylene and the oxygen-hydrogen flames give extremely high
temperatures and enable you to work fast. Where city gas is available,
the oxygen illuminating gas combination will give a very good flame
which is softer than the oxygen acetylene, oxygen-hydrogen outfits.
Acetylene and compressed air is another good combination.

There are two general classes of lead-welding:

(a) Welding connecting bars, called "cell" connectors, top connectors,
or simply "connectors," to the posts which project up through the cell
covers, and welding terminals to the end posts of a battery.

(b) Welding plates to "straps" to form groups. The straps, of course,
have joined to them the posts which project through the cell covers
and by means of which cells are connected together, and connections
made to the electrical system of the car.

In addition to the above, there are other processes in which a burning
(welding) flame is used:

(c) Post-building, or building posts, which have been drilled or cut
short, up to their original size.

(d) Extending plate lug. If the lug which connects a plate to the
plate strap is too short, due to being broken, or cut too short, the
lug may be extended by melting lead into a suitable iron form placed
around the lug.

(e) Making temporary charging connections between cells by lightly
welding lead strips to the posts so as to connect the cells together.

(f) A lead-burning (welding) flame is also used to dry out the channel
in cell covers before pouring in the sealing compound, in re-melting
sealing compound which has already been poured, so as to assure a
perfect joint between the compound cover and jar, a