Moving lead ingots - ideas? Staying organized?

[psychbiker]

I'm dreading the day I have to move my lead pile. I'm in a townhouse and built a box in the yard its all stacked in. It's been a long time since I looked inside BUT I remember stacking the lead in piles according to their kind (hardness, where I ordered from, and when I made them). It's probably 1200lbs and most of it in 1-2lb ingots.

Any thoughts on how to move and keep them organized or is it not a problem? Some of the lead, like 500lbs was hardball bhn. I'd hate to get that mixed up with pure or lower bhn.

I was thinking to get milk crates and spray paint the lead ingots different colors. The paint would melt off during casting.

[Conditor22]

I mark ALL my ingot with a sharpie

https://i.imgur.com/qK4T8tX.jpg

milk crates will hold way more lead than you want to move.

MFRB hold 60+ pounds , good size/weight for moving

I store lead in HF small ammo boxes, I buy them on sale :)

[farmbif]

5 gallon buckets? by the time they have too much weight to lift the handle will pop off and they can be moved on hand cart easily nested into one another

[pjames32]

I've found Sharpie to fade out. I'm stamping my ingots now. 25-30lbs is about all I want to move at this stage of life. My stash will probably be left to my nephews to move when I'm done and gone.

[frkelly74]

You are on the right track, When we moved I sold my stash with the intention of replacing it with the same money. Didn't happen, other things popped up and the money disappeared and i have been scrounging ever-since. Mark them as best you can and take them with you somehow.

[PJEagle]

I use a set of 1/8" number stamps to stamp a batch number on each of my ingots. I can reference the batch number in my database. A good friend says I have pedigreed alloy because it can be traced back to the original source.

You could use a hand written list or a spreadsheet to keep track of your batches instead of a database.

[quilbilly]

There is quite a difference in sound if you drop hardball and soft ingots on concrete. You probably don't have to mark those. It is the moderate hard ingots that need to get marked.

[Czech_too]

I've gone to using a set of numbered/lettered punches, without the "" from HF.
"R" = range lead
"WW" wheel weight
"PB" pure/soft lead

[osteodoc08]

Mark them while you can. I’d also recommend the punch method. I’ve had some with sharpie fade over time

[dverna]

I have three types of alloy so it it easy to tell them apart. Linotype, hardball and range scrap .

I have over 4000 lbs and I moved it when I retired about 8 years ago. That was a bit of work out!!

Milk crates should not be loaded with more than 100 lbs or they might break on you, Not very efficient space wise loaded like that. I would get some medium Flat Rate boxes at the post office and put about 50 lbs in each. Use the SFR boxes as dunnage, or whatever you have on hand. Mark the boxes instead of the ingots.

[NyFirefighter357]

I too stamp all my ingots- "RL", "COWW", "SOWW" or "PB" ect. I hold 2 stamps together for faster operation.

[Dusty Bannister]

5 gallon buckets? by the time they have too much weight to lift the handle will pop off and they can be moved on hand cart easily nested into one another

5 gallon buckets, cut scrap wood into discs that fit inside the bucket for support. Stack enough ingots to still be able to carry the bucket, insert a scrap wood disc. This will provide flat support for the next bucket you "nest" in the first bucket. If you leave out the wood disc, the bottom of the bucket will pierce and be useless. I recently moved 600 pounds in buckets at about 50# per bucket. If you have alloy by ingot shape, no issue, if all the same form, paint to color code as you load the buckets. It will be dry when you have to unload them. Postal boxes would be fine too, cut some sheet cardboard to stiffen the box bottom for handling.

[lightman]

Mine are stacked in milk crates and if I ever move mine again I plan to take the time to stamp them as I move them from the milk crate to probably buckets. I won't fill the bucket full when I do. A full milk crate with ingots stacked neatly weighs over 700 pounds and I have a few of them.

[cabezaverde]

Did any of you guys do a longer distance move? How did that work?

[FLINTNFIRE]

I used to use milk crates and 5 gallon buckets , they were heavy , then I bought a cheap little dolly at a garage sale , it was sweet , oh buckets and milk crates get old and brittle and bottoms and sides break . I do store under stairs in buckets as they do not get moved and the other hand getting in there to fill coffee cans with ingots is no fun .

Do mark them with a stamp for identification , boxes deteriorate over time but they are handy for stacking and marking , I am curious as to why they have been stored so long without using out of but then I did get some ingots of wheel weight out from stairwell that were cast into ingots in mid 90's , man time flies .

Your idea of color coding is a good idea , quick identification as long as you remember color to hardness , which brings the question what color for what hardness .

Only local moves for me under 50 miles , poor truck has had to haul ingots , and ammo a few times , makes it squat down .

[lightman]

Did any of you guys do a longer distance move? How did that work?

My moves were all pretty short. Across town, then about 30-35 miles and then across town again. I did purchase over 2600 pounds two different times that was about 400 miles away. I hauled it in my pick up.

[skeettx]

GI ammo cans, the smaller ones so you can lift them.

And 3x5 stick on labels

Mike

[jsizemore]

Plastic 5 gallon buckets break down and split over time. I keep them around to move stuff though. I store mine in 55 gallon steel drums with lids. No issue with sharpie marked ingots with the abbreviations like others use. I load to 75-100 lbs in a 5 gallon bucket to move and use a hand truck as much as possible. Nest the buckets inside each other when loaded onto the hand truck makes them easy to manage.

Until I got the steel drums I used those cardboard/fiber drums. A business closed up and needed to get rid of a bunch for free. the largest was 30 gallons. They all had lids and a steel sheetmetal bottom that handled the weight well. I put about 700lbs in one and it did fine. They were stored on a concrete floor that never got wet.

[country gent]

If you can get to the box with a truck or small trailer on a lawn tractor that makes it much easier then stack the "piles in milk crates or boxes right on the truck or trailer. As a just in case a few cans of spray paint in different colors and paint the ends. If you can get hep then one removing and one stamping with the letter stamps. Make sure to have a note pad handy to mark what code is what. Make several copies so if ones misplaced or lost you still have one.

[Mk42gunner]

I like the idea of using GI ammo cans, but since I retired from the Navy I lost my cheap source of them.

My ingot molds are home made from angle iron. I mark each ingot with a stamped letter, P for pure(ish), WW for wheel weights, and if I ever get around to remelting the linotype pigs an L.

Any binary alloys will be marked as to what it is i.e. 20-1, 40-1 etc. Specialized stuff like the recommended 50/50 +2% tin will be marked 50-50.

Since my ingots are significantly larger than the one pounder from store bought molds, I usually use a large screwdriver (the most misused tool, ever) as a punch to form the letters, it really doesn't take that long and is easy to see.

Robert

[RogerDat]

Sharpie works and is fast. Yes it will fade eventually, not before OP has a chance to unload and organize in new home. Fade will be less so from the ingots in the middle of the pack not exposed if you mark the sides. Harder to read on a shelf than marking the ends.

Harbor Freight stamp set is certainly most effective long term however it stinks for providing detailed information. Works fine to L2 on some Lyman #2 alloy or WW or Pb for clip on wheel weights or plain. Not so good for 2.5/4/93.5 alloy or 6/2/92 alloy.

BTW - I always put Sn first, Sb second. Do the math to figure out the Pb remainder. So that 6/2 alloy is 6 Sn, 2 Sb casts great not super hard but hard enough for pistol and will spread on impact.

My advice for the move is use the sharpie to mark what it is. Stamping it all is a nice little cold weather project when you are not trying to pack for a move. Got enough tasks on your plate I'm sure.

Container will depend on ingot shapes and size. I like 5 gallon buckets. You don't have to cut wood round, it will be stronger if you do have it fit the bucket bottom but a square piece you can rip with a circular saw from a sheet of plywood, OSB or 3/4 board will prevent piercing the bottom of the bucket and should be sufficient. I find one can stack 50# of COWW's in 5 gallon buckets 3 or even 4 high without the wood but they don't have corners likely to pierce and are not going for a ride. The 4 high lift is a bit of work though. For storage right by the smelting I have gone 78# per bucket and 3 high.

If your ingots fit a USPS Med Flat Rate Box they are sturdy enough if well taped to handle 50-60 lbs. of lead. Easy to label too.

Any way you slice it 1,200 pounds in 50 lb. packages is 24 containers. Best if they be something you can move with a hand dolly carrying them all would be a mite of work.

[Mal Paso]

I'm partial to putting heavy stuff on wood pallets and moving the pallets with a forklift.

[alamogunr]

I cast all my ingots in iron muffin molds. Ingots are about 1-1¼ lbs. I store them in wood boxes that I made from salvaged boxes where I worked before retiring. The original boxes contained parts shipped from a company plant in Sweden. They were all the same size regardless of the parts they contained. When empty, they were thrown out. I had some of the shop guys save me a bunch. As they came to me, they were approx. 15" long, 7½" wide and about 8-9 inches deep. Obviously, they were too big to hold lead ingots.

I removed the wood handles on each end and cut the boxes into 2 equal size boxes about 4+ inches deep and put a new bottom on the upper cut-off. Put handles on the new, smaller boxes. Worked great when I was younger(<65, now 78). Each box holds right at 100 lbs of my ingots. I had to move about 15 of them a couple of weeks ago and let me tell you, I was very careful picking them up that I didn't damage my back. Move two boxes and rest.

One box contained salvaged solder ingots. These were all Lyman/RCBS/?? type ingots. Nested very well and the box was full. This one had to weigh at least 150 lbs. It stayed on the floor.

The point of this long winded post is to emphasize that you should carefully consider where you want to store your lead stash so it doesn't need to be moved(if possible). Or have a fork lift handy.

[Harter66]

I put most of mine in ammo cans 60-75# per can and stacked a row of cans across the front of the van box of a 12' retired UHaul and across the axles on trailers . A couple of big slugs and sheets in the bottom of truck beds and front seat floors .
400# in 2 trailers , 1200# in the retired UHaul , 300# ea in 2 trucks . Fortunately it was all reclaimed and free and in 13&14' I traded off 4-500# . I had a some already here that I had bought on vacation ....... Off track I brought about 2200# with me and left about 800# that's kind of replaced now .

[SciFiJim]

Did any of you guys do a longer distance move? How did that work?

I moved my lead stash from California to Texas and then back to California again. (don't ask, it was a family thing). I have my lead in buckets. They nest pretty well and can be loaded onto a hand truck. I put 70 lbs in each bucket. I made the move in both directions using rental moving trucks. The buckets were loaded first with the other heavy objects( fridge, piano, etc.) and other objects were loaded on top of them. I spread the weight out in the back of the truck as best I could. I have about 1500 lbs of lead. It was a chore to move, but looking over at the buckets always puts a smile on my face.

[Land Owner]

Wood pallets are prevalent and mostly free. Reclaim the wood to cut and make practically any rectangular or square shape and size to handle up to ~50#'s of lead ingots. Keeping 14 to 16 of the little 3 pound triangle shaped volumes nested together is all it takes. That and a sturdy hand truck.

Mark ingots with a slotted screwdriver. Make a Legend, say, 1 strike for pure lead, 2 strikes for WW's, 3 strikes for hard ball, etc. Whatever you decide, write it down so you don't forget.

[Gewehr-Guy]

Like Land Owner, I made some wood boxes out of scrap wood, that hold about 60#. Plywood lids are screwed on, and I put a note inside identifying what type of lead. The bottom of the box has 1x2 strips of wood screwed on, so when I stack them, I can get my fingers between the layers of boxes.

30 cal ammo cans are my preferred method of storage, but kind of expensive. As we all get older, our boxes should get smaller, unless you have a good, stout ,obedient wife to move your lead.

[Huskerguy]

I am accumulating some lead and have the same issues. I mark with a good sharpie, so far, after several years, I can read them all so far.

I have some milk crates, they stack nice but you can't fill them so the space is wasted.

Same with plastic buckets. I have several in places I know I won't need to move them stacked to the top with lids. Lots of wasted space, plastic gets brittle, handles break, not the best.

Others have said this. A buddy made some wooden boxes. I have Lyman ingots and also muffin pans. They both fit fine in a 7" wide, 4" tall, and 14 1/2" box outside dimensions. Bottom is 3/4, sides are 3/4 and ends are 1/4". I am 66, lift weights and these are very manageable. As said, find some old pallets, they work if you can find wide enough boards.

I also have some ammo cans full and they work well, easy to move and they stack nice. Getting harder to find and costly.

One thing I would do differently is have different molds for different lead. Stamping is a pain, hard to see, sharpie may fade. Lyman mold = range scrap, muffin = COWW, angle iron or whatever = soft lead. That is close enough for me. I don't get as scientific as many on here. I am not that smart. Oh and use screws to make the wood boxes.

[FISH4BUGS]

I was gifted some 2500 lbs of wheel weights by a friend that sold his tire shop.
I stored them in the barn at my girlfriend's house. When she had a chance to buy the house, I sold my condo and bought the house with her.
I am serious when I say one of the considerations for buying the house was not having to move all that lead. :)

[bedbugbilly]

I do like a lot of folks. I'm pretty "low tech" and don't do a lot of "alloying' but I mark my ingots with a wide black sharpie - PL = our led, RL = range lead, L = linotype, etc. I try and keep it in separate piles on the shelf but it can sometimes be a number of months between casting and if I depended on my memory to remember which pile was which without them being marked, it could end up with scratching my head. If you're worried about the sharpie markings wearing off, etc. - pick up a set of cheaper "letter stamps" and stamp the ingots with whatever initials work for you to mark them as to their content.

[David2011]

Last year I moved 2400 pounds of COWW, SOWW, ingots and type metals. They went mostly into NEW 5 gallon buckets plus a few odd containers. There were 48 buckets with 70 pounds each in them. I didn’t want to have to handle any more than that per bucket. They were loaded into the moving truck one layer deep, 8 wide x 4 deep with a sheet of plywood laid over them. Other things were set on the plywood. They rode 700 miles without incident.

[Bazoo]

For moving and labeling I say use 5 gallon buckets. Cut a disk to fit the top is a good idea, then just write what's in the bucket on the disk with a broad point sharpie.

[dragon813gt]

Harbor Freight stamp set is certainly most effective long term however it stinks for providing detailed information. Works fine to L2 on some Lyman #2 alloy or WW or Pb for clip on wheel weights or plain. Not so good for 2.5/4/93.5 alloy or 6/2/92 alloy.

I will disagree as I have well over a ton marked in detail.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50289631973_927fe87bf3_b.jpg

It takes more than one stamp kit. But you simply tape the punches together, place a piece of wood on top and one hit marks the lead. It’s quicker than writing on every ingot and it won’t fade over time.

I store mine in foot lockers. Each one can hold around two tons. I have the equipment to lift them. If I didn’t I would build a third and use five gallon buckets to transfer. It’s how I fill them after pouring the ingots. I put about 60#s in each bucket and walk them to the lockers. One of them is up steps and I’d rather take more trips w/ lighter loads.

https://live.staticflickr.com/4332/35818535213_058b497785_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/4693/27601665719_372de06a68_b.jpg

Everyone is going to have a unique situation. One of the reasons I use foot lockers is to lock them. Had a family member “relive” me of 95% of my stock due to a drug addiction. Moron sold it for $0.30 a pound. I didn’t notice until it was almost all gone since I had no idea it was going on. What sucks is that it was in the lockers, I just didn’t see the need to lock them. Lesson learned and now there are multiple locks to get to it.

[Rich/WIS]

I drink a LOT of coffee and use the plastic cans for storage, cast in mostly muffin tins and a few old SAECO ingot molds. A can will hold about 30# and I place a piece of paper with the alloy info inside the can and also mark the lid with the same info. Find they stack okay if not piled too high and at 30# or so are easier for me to handle. For what I cast a can has enough in it for at least 1K bullets. Used to store in old PO and other sturdy cardboard boxes, milk crates and 5 gal buckets (most of which broke) but slowly transferred it all to the plastic cans.

[RogerDat]

Oh I do stamp. I find it a PITA to but detailed information like 1.5 - 1.5 - 97. I do try to hit whole numbers mostly. And use simple codes to save stamping. Like L2 = Lyman #2, LT = Linotype, WW = COWW's, Pb = plain soft lead, HB = Hardball. Those actually cover most stuff I store. It is the odd ball stuff like soft for HB wadcutters or some alloys intended for expansion. Have a batch of 6/1.5/92.5 based on a friends grandfathers preferred competition pistol recipe.

I stamp a "batch letter" on bulk or odd stuff like 12# slabs of mixed printers foundry/mono Then write the alloy on the slabs. All the slabs marked for the entire batch would have to fade before I would not be able to identify the batch. I actually do a batch letter on all the stuff but on finished ingots it is an additional bit of data. On bulk slabs it is more important as it ties that batch of tested scrap together for later alloy use.

Actually if one has mixed ingot shapes it may be worth standardizing on a certain ingot mold to facilitate stamping and storing. Stamping every 2.5 pound ingot is a lot less work than stamping every 1 pound puck. Some cast to fit between wall joists in garage for storage right over the foundation. Or he small block molds that allow for plenty of easy to read room for stamping alloy.

Currently over 2 tons. I standardized my ingots on the Cast Bullet and Redneck Gold ingots. Or the bulk slabs for stuff waiting to be used to make an alloy. Mostly Pb in those slabs. Thanks to member BNE my stuff is tested, known alloy. That took a pretty significant time investment to do all the stamping and would be a major task to undertake when moving. Now when one is organizing after unpacking.... Be a good time to consider ingot form and stamping regime.

[remy3424]

Sounds like the good news is that the OP is down to 800 pounds! I used to mark just the boxes (cut-down USPS boxes), I now mark (Sharpie) the ingots also. Except for pure, those are in 1 pound Lyman ingots, there rest are in angle ingots.

[RogerDat]

Sounds like the good news is that the OP is down to 800 pounds! I used to mark just the boxes (cut-down USPS boxes), I now mark (Sharpie) the ingots also. Except for pure, those are in 1 pound Lyman ingots, there rest are in angle ingots.

I accumulated scrap, used the angle iron ingots and still have a fair amount of alloy in that form in boxes. When I decided to get organized and deal with the buckets of wheel weights, buckets of scrap and bread loaf pan slabs I went with pouring the alloys I made into the Cast Boolit ingots because they stack better. And I could be a tad more consistent.

Angle iron ingots work really well. Especially considering their price and volume of lead one can process for not much money invested in molds. It was just when I decide to make a push to clean up the 8 year accumulation of lead scrounging and turn it into actual inventory (have a spread sheet don't you know) I decide to buy molds that would make 2.5 pound ingots that were consistent and would stack without tapering the stack. Or boxing them. The Lee and Lyman molds were too expensive and frankly too small for storing final alloy.

Can you imagine pouring 400# of wheel weights in molds 4# to the mold? Much better to use something that allows about 10# to the mold like the Redneck Gold molds so you can pour with a two handed ladle and get it done :-) Think the price is competitive with a Lee mold. I have one of those, not sure why anymore. First mold, guess I'm sentimental.

I feel for the guy who had family steal his inventory. That might be another advantage of the redneck gold or cast boolit molds. They are distinctive. Most scrap yards have security cameras in use. I worry about having the lead on shelves in garage because thieves might see it as an easy opportunity. 4000# even at 30 cents is some decent money for backing up to garage and loading up. Given some thought to a pickup tool box or construction gang box for tools that I can secure in place. I expect I could build the wood lockers cheaper but my garage is full of the tools one would need to open a locked box. Gang box for job site is designed to deter people with tools.

[Mal Paso]

Those 4 foot wide steel construction site boxes are a good deal at about $250 on sale. They have recesses for 2 padlocks and are available at Lowes or Home Depot.

[dragon813gt]

I feel for the guy who had family steal his inventory. That might be another advantage of the redneck gold or cast boolit molds. They are distinctive. Most scrap yards have security cameras in use.
It didn’t matter. By the time I found out they had already sold off all the lead. No security cameras were needed because I could give exact name and prove which lead was mine. All transactions are logged at the yard the family member took it to. It’s outside a small city w/ lots of low income housing. Needless to say theft is rampant and the yards wised up years ago.

[jrayborn]

http://i.imgur.com/oANGQQJ.jpg (https://imgur.com/oANGQQJ)

I put about 150-200 pounds of ingots in each box.

[Mal Paso]

http://i.imgur.com/oANGQQJ.jpg (https://imgur.com/oANGQQJ)

I put about 150-200 pounds of ingots in each box.

That looks COOL! So Soft Lead is a workout.

[GregLaROCHE]

I mark mine with a sharpie, but spray paint sounds like a good idea.
I move my lead around in black buckets designed for cement work. They are meant to take more weight than normal plastic ones.
Watch your back! You only have one.

[FISH4BUGS]

http://i.imgur.com/oANGQQJ.jpg (https://imgur.com/oANGQQJ)

I put about 150-200 pounds of ingots in each box.

I thought this site had rules against porn! :)

[Springfield]

I now just use the Castboolits moulds from Lakehouse and stamp them next to the cast in markings. I don't plan on moving them anytme soon, but if i did I could technically just dump them all in my pickup bed and re-sort them when I arrived at the new place. I like to find old metal boxes to store them in, like larger tool boxes, as they don't ever break down and dump my ingots on the floor.

[MrWolf]

Did any of you guys do a longer distance move? How did that work?

I moved from Jersey to West Virginia. Have about 2,000 lbs in corn bread ingots ( they will be recast into ingots) and used the stamps to mark them like NY Firefighter does. Word of caution. I used PODS. Will never use them again. The unit must have had a weak floor near edges as they busted through the floor with their fork trucks. New it was bad when they dropped it off and guy says you reload, huh. He hands me piles of my ingots that had fallen through the holes they made breaking the buckets they were in and loose stacked near walls. Not fun. Good luck.

[alamogunr]

http://i.imgur.com/oANGQQJ.jpg (https://imgur.com/oANGQQJ)

I put about 150-200 pounds of ingots in each box.

I'm curious. How do you access the ingots? Do you always work out of the top box? My boxes(not as nice as yours), hold 100 lbs and I can only lift them to move them a very short distance. Granted, my age enters into that, but I think that 150-200 lbs would be beyond all except accomplished weight lifters.

[Cast_outlaw]

I bought 2 of the redneck gold ingot mold. They are great with alloy markings and, if I need any more Info I have a stamp set. as for moving, I use a milk create and, carry about 60lb at a time, as that is manageable For me. but hand carts work well to
And the stack well to 267211

[alamogunr]

I hope that is a well supported floor!

[Cast_outlaw]

I hope that is a well supported floor!

It’s the basement floor so concrete on compact and it’s only about 1ton

[MT Gianni]

I use 5 gallon buckets with a drain hole in them if outside. Inside they are just as is unless you over fill them. Lat two moves were around a ton. Get a ramp and a good handtruck and it goes fairly easily.

[deltaenterprizes]

5 gallon buckets? by the time they have too much weight to lift the handle will pop off and they can be moved on hand cart easily nested into one another

Exactly what I do! Only fill half way to move the ingots then when you get where you’re going pour one half into the other half to save space and use the bucket for something else!

[jrayborn]

I'm curious. How do you access the ingots? Do you always work out of the top box? My boxes(not as nice as yours), hold 100 lbs and I can only lift them to move them a very short distance. Granted, my age enters into that, but I think that 150-200 lbs would be beyond all except accomplished weight lifters.

Those boxes are just what I have put away. I have about 600 pounds in my casting space. When I need some, I go open a box and get what I need. I'm not a big guy but moving the boxes short distances and stacking them are not really that difficult.

[dverna]

I am accumulating some lead and have the same issues. I mark with a good sharpie, so far, after several years, I can read them all so far.

I have some milk crates, they stack nice but you can't fill them so the space is wasted.

Same with plastic buckets. I have several in places I know I won't need to move them stacked to the top with lids. Lots of wasted space, plastic gets brittle, handles break, not the best.

Others have said this. A buddy made some wooden boxes. I have Lyman ingots and also muffin pans. They both fit fine in a 7" wide, 4" tall, and 14 1/2" box outside dimensions. Bottom is 3/4, sides are 3/4 and ends are 1/4". I am 66, lift weights and these are very manageable. As said, find some old pallets, they work if you can find wide enough boards.

I also have some ammo cans full and they work well, easy to move and they stack nice. Getting harder to find and costly.

One thing I would do differently is have different molds for different lead. Stamping is a pain, hard to see, sharpie may fade. Lyman mold = range scrap, muffin = COWW, angle iron or whatever = soft lead. That is close enough for me. I don't get as scientific as many on here. I am not that smart. Oh and use screws to make the wood boxes.

I like your thinking

[dverna]

http://i.imgur.com/oANGQQJ.jpg (https://imgur.com/oANGQQJ)

I put about 150-200 pounds of ingots in each box.

Pretty useless....BUT IMPRESSIVE

Looks.....pretty
I am too old and weak to lift 150-200....useless.

[MrWolf]

http://i.imgur.com/oANGQQJ.jpg (https://imgur.com/oANGQQJ)

I put about 150-200 pounds of ingots in each box.

Think that may be why the floor cracked :bigsmyl2: looks good.

[RogerDat]

In those stacks of crates I'm seeing an excuse to get a front end set of forks for a small Kabuto, and the tractor if one isn't already on premises.
I can do a 50 cal. box of loaded ammo but a 30 caliber for cast boolits is a lot easier to manage. Would rather have two 30 caliber with labels like .38 #1 and .38 #2 so I can eventually recall what bullets for 38/357 are in which numbered box.

Milk crates don't waste as much space if you do this simple trick. Stack them 3 high loaded 1/3 of the way full with lead. Wait a few months. Then remove the top two crates which have blown through the bottom allowing the lead to all fall through to the bottom crate. Don't ask how I discovered this little space saving trick. I think plywood insert is pretty mandatory for milk crates.