What's a good way to cool a cast iron ingot mould between pours?

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Without hurting the mould.

[mike in co]

put it on a concrete floor, put a towel between floor and mold....wet the towel....add water as you go...
do not allow water in the mold.
i use pliers to turn the mold over, drop out ingots, put back on towel...after adding water to towel...

caution always

[bangerjim]

Same............soaking wet thick towel on the concrete patio and set the molds on it. Watch out for escaping steam from around the sides!!!!!!!

No water on the top of the lead/mold!!!!!!

Keep towel soaked with cool water as it will heat up and evaporate very fast.

I do the same thing with all my LEE and Lyman aluminum molds too.

I have RCBS iron molds and I use a couple pairs of Vice-Grips for handles....just grab the little tab.

banger

[runfiverun]

I just got more molds.
I have a few aluminum ones and about 8-10 rcbs, and I made a gang mold out of some angle iron.
I set them out and stack them up to let the wind cool them off.
it takes a couple of pours to get them hot and by then I have made 100 pounds of ingots made.
it's time to fill the pot back up bout then and start getting the second pot ready to be fluxed and emptied.

[JSnover]

I just got more molds.

Yup. I run multiple molds when I'm making ingots. Fill them and set them down on a concrete floor. By the time the last one is filled the first one is ready to dump. If they get so hot that they need more time, it's time to throw some more lead into the pot. By the time it's melted, fluxed and skimmed, the molds have cooled enough to start pouring again.

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I use a shallow dish containing a wet sponge. I hold the sprue plate on the sponge for about 3 seconds before cutting the sprue. My INGOT mould didn't come with a sprue plate. ;)

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

So, no worries about the mould cracking from being cooled off too fast (ie wet towel and cool water)?

[dragonrider]

My INGOT mould didn't come with a sprue plate. ;)

yea I misread the op

[bangerjim]

So, no worries about the mould cracking from being cooled off too fast (ie wet towel and cool water)?

No.........................

If you drop a very hot CI anything in cold water it has a very good chance of cracking. But you are not doing that! You are merely setting a hot mold with significant thermal mass (compared to the towel!) to hold the temp on a wet towel.

We do it all the time 'round here.

bangerjim

[waltherboy4040]

I just set it on a piece of metal, haven't tried the towel trick tho.

[10mmShooter]

I use a baking sheet with a folded towel soaking wet, and fill the molds and then set on the wet towel.....for me water is a non issue by the time I turn around to place the ingot mold on the towel the lead has semi hardened, water will just pop sizzle and steam off the top of the lead at that point...but watch what your doing.. You do need to play attention that you don't transfer any water back over to your pot. I use channel locks to move around some of my old saeco ingot molds that don't have real handles. and I'm careful with the pliers so as not to wet them and get them near the melting pot.

CAUTION....my wet towel is far enough away from smelting pot to avoid any pops of water from getting over to the lead pot.

[Catshooter]

The last time I used my ingot moulds was during the winter four years ago. I was using four of 'em, but they weren't cooling fast enough for me on the concrete floor so I put them on the ice outside. Air temp was minus fifteen or so.

Did that for three smelting pots full or about 270 pounds.

No damage to the moulds at all.


Cat

[bangerjim]

The last time I used my ingot moulds was during the winter four years ago. I was using four of 'em, but they weren't cooling fast enough for me on the concrete floor so I put them on the ice outside. Air temp was minus fifteen or so.

Did that for three smelting pots full or about 270 pounds.

No damage to the moulds at all.


Cat

Not THAT is thermal shock!!!!!!!!!! If that will not crack them, a wet towel sure will not!

Thanks for giving us your informative proof.

banger

[lightman]

I usually run six cast iron molds and if the right friend comes to help he will bring his mold. I line them up on a 2x6, but after 3 or 4 cycles they do get hot. Thats over a 100 pounds of ingots and by then my back is ready for a break. It is also usually on a weekend, so a beer is in order! On my next smelt I will be replacing the 2x6 with a piece of 8" channel that I scrounged, thinking this will be a good heat sink. I don't bother with wet towels, I just use the cooling time to do something else. I am also on constant lookout for more molds! Lightman

[Old School Big Bore]

My cast iron molds have become mislaid but when I had them I set them on an upturned, heavy aluminum food service tray. It pulled the heat right out of them, and it was big enough I could set them in a different spot every pour.

[mold maker]

more moulds is more better.

[bangerjim]

I usually run six cast iron molds and if the right friend comes to help he will bring his mold. I line them up on a 2x6, but after 3 or 4 cycles they do get hot. Thats over a 100 pounds of ingots and by then my back is ready for a break. It is also usually on a weekend, so a beer is in order! On my next smelt I will be replacing the 2x6 with a piece of 8" channel that I scrounged, thinking this will be a good heat sink. I don't bother with wet towels, I just use the cooling time to do something else. I am also on constant lookout for more molds! Lightman

Living here in the SW desert where ambients can hover at 120F in the summer, every bit of cooling I can find is good!

It hit 97 this afternoon on the wall of my shop (outside)!

banger

[largom]

More moulds! Aluminum muffin pans work well and can be had for $1.00 at the Dollar Store. As others have said set them on concrete floor. I don't use a wet towel but I use 6 ingot moulds. When the last is poured, the first is ready to dump.

Larry

[mike in co]

no
no and no...system would not let me just say no


So, no worries about the mould cracking from being cooled off too fast (ie wet towel and cool water)?

[mike in co]

i do the wet towel and multiple molds....
( actually as of today..i own no ingot molds...lost it all in a fire..but do have two 22 lb rcbs pots , and a turkey burner....5 or six molds...sorta down from 40 plus )

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Without hurting the mould.

Make or buy a couple extras. Angle iron makes a good boolit mold. cut angle iron about 11 inches. Line up four 11 inch sections. Cap each end with angle iron with the opposite side up to form a "flip" handle. Weld slits between each section of angle iron. Grind off any excess weld. Allow to rust a little bit. Work great.