How do you store your lead?

[cs86]

This winter I had enough ingots in my casting area that I didn't have to go to the shed where I store my extra lead. last summer I had my ingots in cardboard boxes and where they had been for awhile, but the boxes couldn't handle the weight and I needed to find another place to put them. I had an old cupboard that was in the shed on the floor with nothing in it so I decided to start loading it for the time. Lately, since the weather has been nice I decided to smelt some lead. When I went to store the new ingots in the cupboard I noticed that the old ingots are heavily oxidized. I never noticed this when they where in boxes. I'm sure the oxidized lead either fluxes in or gets discarded, and probably doesn't amount to much loss, but it has me wondering if there are proper/better ways of storage?

[osteodoc08]

I store mine in my basement stacked up in loaf ingots. I try to not pile it all in one place as other members have actually cracked their floors when putting too much lead on one side or wall. It is climate controlled so oxidation hasnt been an issue.

[Smoke4320]

Paint it all with gold Spray paint... rent a store front in Sturgis and line the walls with it
then come bike week sell it to drunk bikers as gold ingots :)

Sorry I could not resist seeing you are from Rapid City

could spay it with some liquid case lube like hornady one shot .. it will dry to a almost unnoticeable thin coating // even WD40 would probably work fine .. just burn off in the pot

[375RUGER]

I store where ever I have room. I segregate according to what composition is, range lead, WW, etc. I don't concern myself with ingot storage as much as boolit storage, I try to do reasonably air tight with boolits.
I have some ingots stored outside now because I ran out of room.

[cs86]

Paint it all with gold Spray paint... rent a store front in Sturgis and line the walls with it
then come bike week sell it to drunk bikers as gold ingots

Good idea! You think the corn cobs will go for more since they have more of a decorative look? I can call the place "The Gold Kernel! :grin:

[Digital Dan]

Under water. Ask a liberal to hold it.

[MT Gianni]

5 gallon buckets are great for ingot storage. As well as writing the alloy with a sharpie on the ingot the side of the bucket gets it as well.

[dragon813gt]

I post the same picture in every thread like this.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa39/dragon813gt/TimeToMakeAmmo/16F61808-85F4-4324-B649-6A50ECBF3BE3-14876-00000BB065D98F5E.jpg

[Walter Laich]

most of mine is stored in 200 gr chunks in the end of a .45 Colt case

[Petrol & Powder]

Under water. Ask a liberal to hold it.:bigsmyl2:
And they would.....:o

[Petrol & Powder]

most of mine is stored in 200 gr chunks in the end of a .45 Colt case

Mine end up in slightly smaller cylindrical ingots stored with attached brass holders, but the concept is the same.

[rodsvet]

My linotype is still in 22 pound pigs and I just stack them in the garage. Loose type is in 5 gallon pails with lids. Pure lead is in plastic milk lugs. Although the plastic lugs are beginning to bow from the weight. When I lived up by Yosemite, I stored the pigs outside on the dirt next to the house in the rain and snow. Nothing has ever oxidized, just got dull looking.

[dverna]

Mine end up in slightly smaller cylindrical ingots stored with attached brass holders, but the concept is the same.

Usually an indicator of someone who does not have much lead, does not shoot a lot, or both.

Don verna

[Bigslug]

G.I. ammo cans - .30 cal if you want something you can move, .50 cal if you plan to park it and fill it.

[Clyde]

Five gallon plastic buckets with lids, moved with a hand dolly.

[fordwannabe]

unsmelted in 5 gallon buckets in shed. Ingots go in a truckbed tool box I bought from a scrapper for 5 bucks in the yard next to the house, pure lead in the left side door and ww in the right side door. BUT YOU CANT EVEN THINK ABOUT MOVING IT. Tom

[45-70 Chevroner]

Stored in 5 gal. buckets, and stashed any where I have room for them. You will never miss what little is lost from oxidation, I dought that it will amount to more than a few grains per one pound ingot.

[hickfu]

Either kitty litter tubs or Milk crates depending on if they are outside or inside

Doc

[OverMax]

Lino coww sheet pure. All cast into rcbs ingots then sorted in placed in plastic 3-lb coffee containers. Containers are than stacked 2 high. The amount of lead squeezed into each plastic container is about all I care to lift. Use to store all my lead previously in 6-gal wire handle metal buckets. Having to move those around in the garage occasionally put me on the edge of rupturing myself more often than I care to think. Plastic 3 lb Folgers coffee containers have worked out well though.

[crabo]

Those are WWs and a bigger stack of pure lead on the other side. 3# ingots.

[BK7saum]

I store mine as 5-5.5lb ingots in wooden boxes put together from scrap plywood. Originally the boxes were 6x10x9. They held 120lbs. Since then I cut some of those down and built new ones that are 6x10x4.5. They hold 60 lbs which is 12 ingots in 3 layers of 4.

Still kinda heavy but easily moveable. Some I placed handles on. Others are just boxes.

I used 3/4 plywood for the bottom and ends and 3/8 for the sides. Glued and attached with finish nails. The 3/8 overlaps the 3/4 for a nice glue joint.

So far so good. They're holding up well and since I've standardized the size, they stack well.

[Reloader06]

In 1# ingots inside of 3# coffee cans with lids. Easily labeled and a bit easier to move than 5 gal pails.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

IMHO, the very best place to store my lead is in brass , w/powder & primer. [smilie=1:

Sorry, just had to say that...I store mine like most other folks, I cast and when ready put them in 1# coffee cans....That is all I want to pick up anymore. I put my raw materials in storage bins until I am ready to smelt. Good Casting , and have FUN doing it. Jim:-D

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

99193

[Petrol & Powder]

Usually an indicator of someone who does not have much lead, does not shoot a lot, or both.

Don verna

Hey, I'm doing the best I can.

[Pb2au]

1# ingots, those are in 1 gallon pails in the garage. I keep about 30# of ingots inside in the lab.
The 1 gallon pails are heavy, but when I need to move them I can easily maneuver them onto my two wheeler.
I have about 60# of lino which are still in the long ingot form. Those are on the shelf under the loading bench. I call them ballast.

[Beau Cassidy]

Amatures....

http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq95/OrthoNP/20131028_194356_zps77915ae2.jpg (http://s437.photobucket.com/user/OrthoNP/media/20131028_194356_zps77915ae2.jpg.html)

http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq95/OrthoNP/20131026_195848_zpsfb57bc81.jpg (http://s437.photobucket.com/user/OrthoNP/media/20131026_195848_zpsfb57bc81.jpg.html)

http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq95/OrthoNP/20131123_102359_zpscabb5698.jpg (http://s437.photobucket.com/user/OrthoNP/media/20131123_102359_zpscabb5698.jpg.html)

[cs86]

Nice stash Cassidy! I might have enough to fill one of those creates, maybe a little more.

[tengaugetx]

I keep mine in a milk crate. It holds more than I can lift.

[DxieLandMan]

Mine are kept in my garage in boxes they came in.

[Cherokee]

5 gal buckets in the barn for the raw materials and anything that need to be melted/fluxed to be poured into ingots. Ingots are stacked in the basement on the bottom shelf of 2x12 shelving units and under a workbench to spread the weight around. Easy access for casting sessions.

[lightman]

The 1# ingots go in milk crates. A few different kinds of type is still in 5 gallon buckets. These are in the garage but will be moving to the shop, soon. I think Beau Cassidy wins! Lightman

Edit to add, finished bullets are stored in cigar boxes.

[Beau Cassidy]

Mine are about 9 by 9 by 9 and made out of 3/8 inch birch plywood. I got tired of screwing around with buckets and milk crates. The small wooden boxes hold a good bit and stack great. I am going to go on a tear soon and build a bunch of ammo boxes out of 3/4 inch birch.

[fatnhappy]

in a pile like firewood. it's not like it's going to go somehwere.

[pls1911]

five gallon buckets in the barn

[W.R.Buchanan]

Mine are currently preventing my driveway from floating away. It has been working well for 5 or so years.

Randy

[trixter]

1# ingots get stored on the shelf under the reloading bench, and all boolits get stored in Costco nut jars, so I can see what I am grabbing. KISS principle.

[wch]

Outside, in boxes.

[hickfu]

99422

Left side with the casting equipment, That milk crate is holding close to 600lbs stacked inside.


Doc

[Jailer]

I store my ingots in a big ole pile. Got about this much again that I've been too lazy to melt down.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b180/Jailer/posting%20pics/Leadstash.jpg (http://s19.photobucket.com/user/Jailer/media/posting%20pics/Leadstash.jpg.html)

[Beau Cassidy]

Jailer I am kinda curious. What is in those buckets to the right?.....

[jonp]

Good idea! You think the corn cobs will go for more since they have more of a decorative look? I can call the place "The Gold Kernel! :grin:

As long as you don't call it The Corn Palace. That one is taken

[hickfu]

I store my ingots in a big ole pile. Got about this much again that I've been too lazy to melt down.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b180/Jailer/posting%20pics/Leadstash.jpg (http://s19.photobucket.com/user/Jailer/media/posting%20pics/Leadstash.jpg.html)

Where did you get those buckets with the snap ring tops? I have been looking for some of those for the last couple years to finish my gasifier project.....

Doc

[Jailer]

The buckets are what we get our cheimcal agent shipped in. They are really nice and have a very heavy rubber seal on the lid. Unfortunately I'm no longer in charge of the arsenal so I don't have access to them any more.

You guys think hazmat shipping is bad on powder and primers you should see the bill for one of those.

[paul edward]

Surplus ammo cans. I use the thin ones that came with 7.62 in link belts. They can be stacked, have folding handle on top, a bail on the end and will not hold enough ingots to require an overhead hoist to move. Two or three of these on the lower shelf of a reloading bench will help keep it from moving when you resize cases.