How do you store your ingots?

[Big_Blue]

I've been smelting wheel weights for about a year now. I'm storing the ingots in plastic stacking crates. I can put two crates on a four wheeled dolly and still manage to roll it around in the garage. Each crate holds about 800 lbs of ingots. The plastic crates are not bearing the weight of the lead. They're just keeping the ingots stacked. You'll notice that the bar ingots on the right stack much better than the muffin ingots on the left.

Here's a picture of my first ton:


How does everyone else store their ingots?

[00buck]

That is a good start!

I just keep mine in 5 gallon buckets spread out. Im afraid to stack in all in one place and crack my cement floor.

[freebullet]

5 gallon buckets

[btroj]

Big Rubbermaid totes under my casting bench. Not going anywhere with the 1/2 ton of lead in them.

[labradigger1]

Unsmelted lead of all types in buckets, ingots get stored on a 2-1/2" maple shelf on a wall of my reloading room above my shotshell presses. Unistrut mitered and welded for shelf brackets and lag screwed to 2x6's with 4 3/8"x5" lag screws at each stud.
i store my bagged shot here as well. I know, i know i shouldnt use a shelf but i like seeing my ingots and such above eyeline so i know what needs smelting as i am getting lower.

Lab

[mold maker]

11 plastic milk crates, stacked 2 high, along the wall, under casting bench. I can only get 749 lbs in a crate. I cut a board to fit under the bottom lip to help support the weight. One thing for sure, I wont be moving them.

[lka]

5gal buckets, but I like the roller idea, it hard to slide a bucket of lead under the bench. I'm thinking, I have a couple solid core doors that got messed up maybe I'll pick up some casters and shimmy something up.

[Cmm_3940]

They hold down my reloading bench. Having too many on hand for this application is a problem I would like to have.

[dragonrider]

I store mine outside in buckets and barrels, bring them inside about 100 lbs. at a time.

[sidecarmike]

These are bins from the local surplus store. Each one measures 20 inches deep, 10 inches wide, and 8 inches high. The plan was, one for ingots, one for lead waiting for processing, and one for storing the ladles, skimmers, and ingot molds.
It didn't work out that way.

[lightman]

I also use milk crates. I have used 5 gallon buckets in the past, but they seem to age harden and fall apart. My raw material, yet to be melted, is stored in 5 gallon buckets and a few old plastic ice chest. Lightman

[dragon813gt]

This is the convenient one that I grab from to fill the bottom pour furnace. There are a few more that are out of sight.

[dikman]

Stacked on the floor in my "grinding shed", in old wooden boxes where possible or wherever I can find any spare space!! (Not easy).

[imashooter2]

I return them to the buckets the ore came out of and add a lid to keep dust and dirt out. I just spent a lot of time cleaning the stuff up, no sense in letting it get dirty again.

[Tonto]

30 cal ammo cans. I bought a bunch for 1$ each a few years ago and they hold between 50-70 pounds depending on the alloy and how neat I stack them. As cans get emptied, they get cleaned and painted for another use. I'm about to move with a bunch and the cans make it much easier.

[CastingFool]

I keep the stuff that needs to be melted in milk crates, the ingots I try to keep in 5 gal plastic buckets with lids. Besides keeping the ingots clean, I think the tight sealing lids help prevent oxidation. I like the idea of making dollies to move the full pails or crates, but my garage floor is cracked up in various places, thanks to a cheap building contractor, trying to cut corners about 45 yrs ago.

[Cherokee]

Have a bunch out in the barn in 5 gl buckets. What I smelt or bring in from the barn gets stacked on 2x12 shelving in the shop/casting room of my basement, about 1000 lb worth. Its eay to get to that way.

[bobthenailer]

5 gallon buckets and 15 & 25 gallon plastic barrels

[plainsman456]

Ingots are stored on a shelf in the barn.
The stuff that needs to be melted in 5 gal. buckets till time.

[Hawkeye45]

I use 3 lb metal coffee cans so I can lift it. About 25 lb. each

Mr. Ed