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View Full Version : OK, I need to get an ingot mold, Best size fot Pro 4-20 pot?



Muddy Creek Sam
09-29-2009, 10:09 AM
Don't want to fight to get the lead in the small pot, So what do I get to make it easy. I have nothing yet but lead to smelt and ingotise. What would you recommend? Will regular muffin tins hold up at all?

Thanks,

Sam :D

docone31
09-29-2009, 10:33 AM
My favourite mold to ingoting is the Flat mold for wire and a flat bar.
http://www.shorinternational.com/IngotTongGlove.htm
I find, when I melt, and when I put it in the pot, the size is perfect for alloying, storing, and handling in general.
When I add ingots of a specific alloy, I just count. 20-1, 30-1, 50-50. The ingots are the same size. I put the ingots near the pot, and add when I need to. They are thin enough that they do not keep moisture in them. I put them in one end down, and they melt their way down into the melt.
works for me.

imashooter2
09-29-2009, 11:20 AM
The commercial molds by Lyman, SAECO and others are the perfect size, easy to handle and they last forever. Yes, they are more expensive than yard sale muffin tins. They are worth the price.

Dale53
09-29-2009, 11:31 AM
When I smelt large quantities of WW's or scrap lead, I like some larger ingot moulds spread amongst the typical Lyman, Saeco, and Lee ingot moulds. It greatly speeds up the process (the pot empties MUCH faster when you are pouring 5 lb ingots compared to 1 lb ingots).

I had a good friend (who happens to be a professional welder) make me up several:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/QIngotmoulds031.jpg

This one is made from 2" angle iron and will produce ingots from 3½ lbs to 5 lbs depending on how full you pour it. The ingots are about six inches long. Be SURE when you make these to tilt the end caps so that the ingots will release (added after Carpeman's comments).

They work perfectly in my RCBS pots. If your Lee pot has a smaller opening, then just use smaller angle iron.

I always start with an empty pot (except for the ½" I leave in the bottom after casting). To start casting, I fill the pot as full of ingots as I can get it. The ingots shown will allow me to stand several in the pot and actually extending a bit above the sides. However, when melted they are safely below the top.

FWIW
Dale53

Echo
09-29-2009, 11:48 AM
I have used the commercial ingot molds (Lyman, SAECO) and have flooded them to provide 5-lb ingots. When needing to separate, it is small effort to use another ingot to smack them on the back at a dividing point, and the 5-pounders stack nicely.

But I also use a muffin tin just for WW's.

carpetman
09-29-2009, 12:40 PM
I have a small 50 acre plot that doesn't grow crops very well. I planted some chickens and they died. Thought maybe I planted them wrong so I replanted them with their heads in the ground--again they died. Tried again with their butts in the ground and they died. I wrote to Texas A&M --and they wanted soil sample. I sent it in and they are puzzled. So I decided I'd make it into an ingot mold and quit trying to grow chickens on it. Already had the holes for planting chickens. I bought a cement mixing truck and I fill it up with my alloy---then use my flame throwing tank to melt it down- and I just dump that into my irrigation system and flood the area with melted alloy and then go out with my spud digger and harvest the ingots out of the holes. Then I go back and use my seeding plow to make new holes when I get ready for the next batch-- this is usually a week later and the ground has had plenty time to cool down. This probably wouldn't meet the demands of Dale53 but for my small scale shooting it gets me by.
Seriously I have been around this site and another for over ten years and what to use for an ingot mold has came up so many times that I just chuckle when it resurfaces. Yes, muffin pans work. Lets see, let them rust or not, spray with Pam, Teflon coated or not, steal them from your wife, buy at Salvation Army, Buy at Goodwill, Buy new at Wally World, buy at garage sale on and on the details of muffin pans as an ingot mold would make a book. Is all that really worth the hassle? Then there are numerous other alternatives. You can use an aluminum can---when you do this make sure it's dry and when you use the ingot get pliers and peel off the can--- what a hassle and you might cut yourself.
For myself, and I really think the majority, a commercially made ingot mold (fancy that--making ingots from an ingot mold) works best (read imashooter2's short post and he sums it up well) Really they are cheap in the long run--should last a lifetime. They store easily in a drawer. They make an ingot of a convenient size. (I had some muffin pan ingots once that would not go into my Lee pot). Mine makes 4 ingots at a time and I think if poured to max thickness that will be about 10 pounds. The cooling time before you can dump it and be ready for the next isn't that long. If you do run a larger honker pot you may need a couple ingot molds---one suits my purposes. You can vary the thickness that you pour --thus vary the weight. I use to list the ingots being easy to stack as another advantage--now I just put them in a bucket and that is just as neat and saves the hassle of stacking.
There is one alternative that for those that do higher production would work better. That is an ingot mold made out of angle iron. If you weld or have friend that does a very good ingot mold can be made by ganging the angle iron together. I'm told if you do this be sure and angle the ends(caps) so that it dumps easily. Dale 53 showed me his and it is a dandy. Maybe he will post picture (if he can find a photographer to handle it) and give details?----Ooooppppsss--he has already done that.

Le Loup Solitaire
09-29-2009, 01:57 PM
Commercial ingot molds by Saeco, Lyman and RCBS are a bit pricey. Save some time and $$$ by getting yourself a Lee ingot mold from Midsouth Shooters Supply for around 10 bucks. Its made out of thick aluminum, comes with a wooden handle, casts 2-1 pound ingots and 2 half pound ingots in one dump. Doesn't rust and can double as a handy catch the drips under a bottom pour pot. Ingots stack neat just like the others. They'll fit in any size pot and the half pounders with their sharp corners make good "erasers" for rubbing any lead smears off of your mold blocks and sprue plates. Unless you're into large scale smelting operations this one will do the job for you at a reasonable cost. LLS

Dale53
09-29-2009, 02:08 PM
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/QWinter2009andleadsmelting-1769.jpg

The little Lee is in the upper right hand corner. "The Lone Wolf" is correct. The Lee works VERY well and gives you the advantage of the ½ lb ingots that are nice when alloying.

When I smelt, it is to do several hundred lbs at once. Having extra ingot moulds and some large ingot moulds REALLY speeds the process. I cannot imagine doing 150 lbs of "smelt" with one ingot mould (although I DID start out that way). I only "smelt" a couple of times a year. I consider it work, not fun, and don't do it any more than necessary. I shoot a good bit (5000-7500 rounds per year) and it DOES take quite a bit of metal to keep me going.

The ideal set up is to get a friend of like interest to help you. It's a heck of a lot more fun when you have someone to share the "fun". In the past, a friend and I would buy a load of scrap together, smelt it together and split it up. Both got equal benefits and BOTH benefited from the partnership. We have done as much as 1000 lbs in one session. Unfortunately, my smelting buddy moved away. So, now it is lonely work...:sad:

Dale53

JSnover
09-29-2009, 04:57 PM
The Lee and Lyman molds that drop 1 pound and 1/2 pound ingots are fine if all you want to feed is your 4-20. if you plan larger melts in a larger pot, you might want larger ingots. Personally I like to keep all mine at 1 pound. It keeps the math simple. I've never felt the need for larger molds but my smelting is done in an 8 qt dutch oven (it's not huge by any means). My only complaint about the small molds is they take too long to cool when I have a lot of lead to process and everything is nice and hot - a problem which can be solved by buying two more.

Rocky Raab
09-29-2009, 07:08 PM
If you can find one at a flea market, they used to make a little cast iron thing that made small loaves of cornbread that are shaped like ears of corn. The loaves are about four inches long and an inch wide. Perfect.

Springfield
09-29-2009, 07:48 PM
Sam: be watching your mail box a couple days from now.

Muddy Creek Sam
09-29-2009, 08:12 PM
Springfield,

Will do.

Thanks,

Sam :D

Muddy Creek Sam
10-03-2009, 11:41 AM
Springfield,

Thank you for the two cast iron muffin pans[smilie=w:, and they got here on my Birthday. Life is a little better with great Pards like you.

Thanks again,

Sam :D

Sixgun Symphony
10-03-2009, 12:54 PM
Go with the LEE, those 1/2lb ingots are perfect for the 4lb electric furnace as you can add lead ingots to the pot without too much loss in temperature, thus you can keep a steady production rate going.

Adding the larger 1lb ingot to a 4lb electric furnace, one has to wait awhile for the temperature to come back up before resuming production of cast bullets.

kidmma
10-05-2009, 03:42 PM
I used these today:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=216&pictureid=1392


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=216&pictureid=1391

Small enough to fit back into the pot.

the round muffin tin didn't work out well. :(

imashooter2
10-05-2009, 09:18 PM
No pics at the links kidmma...

geargnasher
10-05-2009, 10:39 PM
Glad to see you're set, Sam! Happy birthday!

Here's what I feed my 4-20 out of, you can stack 12-15 at a time in an empty pot and they are almost exactly 1 lb +- 1 oz.

It's made out of 5" pieces of 1-1/4" angle and the ends are 1" angle. The handle is an old truck axle u-bolt. I tapered the ends about 2* to make release of the ingots easier.

Anyway, if you want 1-lb ingots to keep the alloy math simple and have a welder and chop saw. If not, a welding shop would charge you 5 times what a good Lee mould would cost, even with shipping.

Gear

Springfield
10-05-2009, 11:45 PM
You're welcome, didn't know it was your birthday.

TAWILDCATT
10-06-2009, 12:52 PM
rocky they are called corn bread sticks.I have the older ones that are thin and long make 1 lb &1 1/2 lb ingots,the muffin ones give 3 lb,I had a 10 lb ingot mold
but gave it to a friend.also there are pans like fry pans with wedgees.