Aluminum for ingot mold?

Hi All,
I know about not using aluminum for a smelting pot, but I was wondering if I can use an aluminum muffin tin for ingots?
Thanks

Yes, no issue there
No burner only molten lead alloy
Mike

Aluminum melting point 1,221°F and Lead 621.4°F

Lee ingot molds are Al. Commonly found thrift store items of Al make good ingot molds, Corn bread stick molds, often cast iron are sometimes found in Al. Al muffin pans make good molds as do the round pans divided into triangles.

I've had aluminum channel made into ingot molds that produce nice 6 pound ingots for the Master Caster. It works just fine for ingot molds.

Hope this helps.

Fred

I've smelted quite a bit of lead in the last few years. We usually run 6 or 7 cast iron Lyman style molds and one Lee aluminum mold. The Lee mold makes the smoothest ingots of the bunch and is easy to dump. I can't really tell much difference in the amount of time it takes them to get hot or cool off. After 3 or 4 cycles we have to wait a few minutes for all of them to cool enough to dump. On a long day I have grown to appreciate the handle on the Lee mold.

If you are going to make some from aluminum channel or angle expect the material to cost more than steel. Might be worth it!

I have lots of LEE aluminum INGOT molds. If AL works for boolit molds, why would it NOT work for ingot molds also??????????????

The new lyman ingot molds are aluminum.

One of my ingot molds is a 4# NOE, and it makes nice ingots. I also like that it conveniently attaches to NOE handles. I wish that RCBS ingot molds attached to handles.

It takes a fair bit of concentrated heat to melt aluminium, melted lead is never going to do it (unless you overheat the lead significantly!).

I have the Lee ingot mold for some time and works for me and also some molds that are also. You take care of them and they will last you a long time.Lee molds are made of that also.

I've been using a Wilton aluminum mini muffin pan for 30+ years .
Wilton is still in business and still makes the uncoated aluminum pans .
I recently purchased a new larger one . They also make some mini loaf pans that would be ideal for a little larger ingots. You can avoid steel baking pans by getting the Wilton aluminum pans....as far as I know Wilton is the only maker.
Gary

Thanks All,
I used the muffin tin but I had a real rough time getting the ingots out after they cooled. Should I have heated the muffin tin first?

I've got the LEE ingot mold too. Nothing sticks to it. It makes great 1 lb and 1/2 lb ingots. Since all their bullet molds are Al...it stands to reason that something as simple as an ingot mold could be made from Al as well.

redhawk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by solman

Thanks All,
I used the muffin tin but I had a real rough time getting the ingots out after they cooled. Should I have heated the muffin tin first?

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You got a picture of your muffin pan. If it's Al...cast lead shouldn't stick to it.

redhawk

Redhawk, My mistake the pan is not aluminum at all it appears to be tin. A magnet sticks to it real well.
Looks like aluminum , I guess that's a lesson learned.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gwpercle

I've been using a Wilton aluminum mini muffin pan for 30+ years .
Wilton is still in business and still makes the uncoated aluminum pans .
I recently purchased a new larger one . They also make some mini loaf pans that would be ideal for a little larger ingots. You can avoid steel baking pans by getting the Wilton aluminum pans....as far as I know Wilton is the only maker.
Gary

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I use a Wilton pan too, but, its a mini loaf pan, has 8 holes and casts 3.25 to 3.5 lb ingots. Much easier than doing the 1 lb ingots or regular muffin pans.

Tried the Walmart muffin pans that look like aluminum, but they stuck like glue. Sprayed them with a graphite spray and they would drop easy as can be. Had to peel the first ones out of the pan like a can or sardines! But, for 88 cents who could complain after they were sprayed.

Here is the pan and spray I used on the Walmart pans. Had to order the loaf pan from WM.com, and Lowes carries the spray.

https://i.imgur.com/67tOF7ml.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/s0Cohdbl.jpg

OK thanks.
I found that if I drop the ingots out of the tin mold after about two minuets they do come right out. When I waited a goodmen or fifteen minuets no good then they would stick.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by solman

Redhawk, My mistake the pan is not aluminum at all it appears to be tin. A magnet sticks to it real well.
Looks like aluminum , I guess that's a lesson learned.

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Well...that's likely part of the problem. Since most Alloy lead has Tin in it...it bonded to the Tin in the pan. I like the 1 and 1/2 lb ingots. They fit my bottom pour LEE pot well, And I just stack them on the floor under my load bench up against the wall. Since they have slanted sides...I stack them one right side up, one upside down, one right side up...and so on...they stack neatly and out of the way. its surprising how little space 1.5 tons of lead really takes up when stacked.

redhawk

I have a medley of muffin tins- steel, tinned steel, and aluminum.
Pick them up at rummage sales for "pennys" . All work .
the steel work fine, tinned or not, esp if they are a bit "tarnished".
Anyways, I just give them a good upside down "impact" on the CLEANED concrete
floor of the garage and the ingots drop out just fine.
Since they are cheap, so what if they eventually get a bit beat up
beltfed/arnie

I don't believe tin is magnetic, so they must be steel pans.