New mould storage boxes for Lyman moulds... Can hold 24 DC moulds!

[mattw]

Maybe this is old news, but I picked up a couple of large Plano boxes that a store was selling out of for $2.50 each! I figured I could find a use for them. With minor cutting on the dividers they are a perfect fit for Lyman double cavity moulds and they will hold 24 each.

I do not think I have posted this up, could not find it if I did...

[SSGOldfart]

Sir be real careful, using them boxes,they don't seal air tight you could have a rust problem before long I found out the hard way a Few years back

[mattw]

Agreed, all well oiled and will be topped with VCI paper. Ran out of room using the single mould boxes, had to do something. I also inspect stored moulds every few weeks. To much in them to let them rust! They will rust in a hurry in IL, I keep lots of desiccant in the cabinet as well.

[SSGOldfart]

Yep I even added a dehumidifier to my shop just to control the rust,I have a few hundred molds in my shop.everything rust in East Texas.

[mattw]

I only have about 90 iron moulds and another 25 or so aluminum. Still a manageable collection, and all get used. Bet you have a few I really want!

[MrWolf]

Sir be real careful, using them boxes,they don't seal air tight you could have a rust problem before long I found out the hard way a Few years back

I hadn't realized that. I do keep desiccant in one of the compartments. I haven't checked them since the move but they should be ok. Only been about three years put away.

[725]

It's a proverbial pain, but I douse my molds with fluid film, here in humid central (Maryland). Just have to clean them as I use 'em.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

I have been using the plastic boxes for fishing lures myself. Sure get heavy with brass and steel molds. Well oiled before putting them away, and vci paper in each box. Rust not much of a problem here in the mountains of norther NM. Humidity is usually 16%.

[georgerkahn]

mattw -- great find and use, imho! I have many Plano boxes -- the ones I get and use are the 4-15 compartment 14" x 9.13" x 3.25" high 3700 Series ones. I have them stacked on a shelf unit in a relatively damp (RH ~50%) basement. What has worked for me is a few grains of rice dropped in bottom of each compartment, and a sheet of VPI paper atop the compartments -- I have yet (knock wood) to experience any rust... I print and cello- tape the mould label on each end, which enables my locating the mould I seek to cast with less problematic. Here's a photo of a few, so you may see what I do. I keep my moulds attached to their respective handles, allowing mostly but four per box; however, with, say Ideal/Lyman single cavity moulds, two will fit in each compartment -- a nice "plus" as I generally use both in any casting session with them. Thanks for sharing your find and brilliance!
geo

[alamogunr]

My shop, mostly occupied by casting and reloading, is air conditioned & heated. Rust is not a big problem even here in hot and humid W. TN. Even so, I put those little desiccant capsules/bags that are packed with prescription drugs in just about everything. Our son is a pharmacist and they supply nursing homes and assisted living facilities, so deal in large quantities of such drugs. I have access to a lot of those desiccant items. Having said that, over the years the majority of my molds have become brass or aluminum so sprue plates are the only thing that would rust. Almost forgot the various screws that could get rusted in place, so all containers get some of those desiccant items.

The above is somewhat off topic since the topic is containers. I use just about anything that is convenient.

[mattw]

My shop, mostly occupied by casting and reloading, is air conditioned & heated. Rust is not a big problem even here in hot and humid W. TN. Even so, I put those little desiccant capsules/bags that are packed with prescription drugs in just about everything. Our son is a pharmacist and they supply nursing homes and assisted living facilities, so deal in large quantities of such drugs. I have access to a lot of those desiccant items. Having said that, over the years the majority of my molds have become brass or aluminum so sprue plates are the only thing that would rust. Almost forgot the various screws that could get rusted in place, so all containers get some of those desiccant items.

The above is somewhat off topic since the topic is containers. I use just about anything that is convenient.

I work in networking, many devices ship with the 3x4" packets of dessicant. I tend to keep as many as I can get! I break the bags down, bake to reactivate and then put them in ventilated tupperware containers and put them in safes and cabinets. The rest I store in air tight containers and I change out the used ones every few months and bake again and store it.

I love the stuff.

[FISH4BUGS]

I have kind of a strange way myself.
After using a mould, I let it cool, the spray the mould itself with with WD40. I then take it and put the mould and handles at the bottom of a plastic shopping bag and wrap it around the mould. I then tape the bag shut at the handles and label the masking tape as to what the mould is.
I will annually (or so) go through everything and re-oil the moulds, re-wrap and re-label them.
It gives me a chance to fondle all the moulds and inspect them.
Never had a problem with any of them....and they are all cast iron moulds.

[Burnt Fingers]

Why WD-40? It turns to varnish as it ages. If it's rust you're worried about there are MUCH better products available.

[Conditor22]

I do something similar using HF plastic storage boxes and wrapping oiled molds in VCI Corrosion Inhibitor Paper and putting labels on them.

[FISH4BUGS]

Why WD-40? It turns to varnish as it ages. If it's rust you're worried about there are MUCH better products available.

Never had it do that.
I find it works just fine.
Different strokes for different folks you know.

[samari46]

The WD in the WD40 stands for water displacing. I made a big mistake one year of spraying it all over a cast iron surface plate which is about 18"x20". Always kept it in the garage. Next time I went to use it,all turned to varnish. Had to clean it before using it. Now I brush some STP over the machined surfaces. But there is a company (I forget the name) that sells a spray on liquid that basically is the same stuff they dip reamers in to prevent rust as it seals the surfaces. When I want to use it I use and old putty knife with the edges on the putty knife rounded over so as not to damage the surfaces.Scrape off the stuff,mineral spirits to clean it, use it and then respray. Comes in three formulations the 1st one I spray on my lathes bedways,cross slides and chucks. Frank