ingot moulds - ideas for construction ?

[BigSlick]

I am on the hunt for or going to make some ingot moulds.

Looking for 6-8 lb ingots from ww's.

I know lead won't stick in cast iron, aluminium or stainless.

I want to do this once, so quality is a primary concern. I want to make enough to pour 80-90 ingots at one time.

Suggestions for dimensions, materials and design needed. The ingots will then feed a Lee 4-20 pot.

Cheap would of course be good, availability will factor in to a lesser degree, something I could find/fabricate from local resources would be great.

If I can find/make something that turns out ingots that are reasonably easy to stack would be great.

I'm currently using muffin tins made out of aluminium, but the weight of the muffins when full (12 muffin tin) is taking it's toll on them. I don't expect them to last much longer.

Thanks in advance for the help ;)

'Slick
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[robertbank]

Muffin tins are cheap and I would just replace them as need be. Works for me with somewhat smaller volumes.

Take Care

Bob

[grumpy one]

There have been past threads on this topic. A popular solution is to cut pieces of hot-rolled steel angle of width and length to suit your needs, and weld on ends. The ends operate as stands to support the angle when you are pouring. You can make these singly or weld a bunch of them together. The ingots stack extremely well, because of their shape (successive layers right way up/wrong way up).

There are other shapes you could fabricate, but generally they involve a lot more work.

The moulds I've described are extremely durable. Just watch two things. First, angle the ends slightly or the ingots won't come out. Second, watch which side you weld on, or the same problem will arise.

You can work out the dimensions from what will fit into your Lee pot, and the density of lead compared with the weight you want each ingot to be. Remember though that if it doesn't fit into the pot it's no use to you, so the weight you want might not be the weight you can get.

[legend]

hi just a thought....i use angle iron ,that i welded ends on,it sits with the "v" down and you can pour however much you want in it.it works fine for me.legend

[dragonrider]

Small channel iron, determine what size will suit your needs, cut 4 or 5 inches long, 2 or 3 degree angle on each end. weld four of them together use angle iron on the ends to close them up and also create a handle.

[alamogunr]

I use cast iron muffin pans. I got mine at Cabela's. We were passing thru Nebraska a few years ago and stopped. They were closing out and I got 5 of them. Ingots are smaller than most aluminum pans, weigh about 1.5 #. I stack them in wooden boxes I salvaged where I worked before I retired. Each box, filled, weighs from 103 to 106 lbs, so the ingots are about 100 lbs per box. Stack real good.

[ANeat]

Slick youve seen pics of my ingot molds. I made them from channel iron. The ingots weigh about 4 to 5 lbs each. Ive also got some made from angle iron as the others have mentioned. I think I used 2 or 2.5 inch. A 5" long ingot in those weighs 3lbs. Ill try to take a pic later.
5 to 6 inches is about as long a ingot as I would want for the 20lb Lee or RCBS pots. There is just a bit sticking out the top when you stand them up. Much longer and you might get a bit of a splash when they melted.

I made 3 or 4 angle iron molds over the weekend, I was trying to see just how fast I could make them because Ive got a good supply of the stuff. Well with all the cutting and Tig welding it takes a couple of hours to do one so if I was in the business of making them they would get pretty darn expensive.

I needed few more anyway, I got a good 600+lb score of WW at the scrap yard last week so I will be back in the ingot business and soon as the weather straightensout:-D

Adam

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h165/aneat/Lead/Image046.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h165/aneat/Lead/Image023.jpg

[ANeat]

Here is one that throws 4, 3lb V bottomed ingots. Its made from 2" .250 thick angle iron. .250 thick end plates. The ingots are 5" long with a touch of an angle cut on the ends to allow them to drop out.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h165/aneat/Lead/Image035.jpg

[ktw]

I like the way the angle iron ingots stack. Mine run about 2 1/2 lbs apiece. 1.5" angle iron, a little over 9" long.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g232/ktwna/lead-3.jpg

[Dale53]

I have a number of the regular ingot moulds (1 lb. size) from various trades, etc. I also have purchased a Lee ingot mould (2-1 lb ingots and 2-½ lb ingots) that makes it easy to alloy (I alloy in the pot just before casting). However, when smelting, it is helpful to speed things along to have a number of larger ingot moulds. I use angle iron moulds similar to what is pictured here.

Mine are made of 2" angle iron in the 'v' shape as pictured in Aneat and ktw's post. Mine use the sides style of Aneat's square bunch. The sides (handles) are at an angle, like ktv's so that the ingots fall freely when inverted. Mine are about
6.25" long (the length of the ingot) and weigh about 5 lbs. The ingot moulds have three ingots in each mould. They work extremely well. Thank goodness for welder friends.

One caveat. Make sure that your pot will handle the large ingots (pots vary in size). My pots are 22 lb RCBS pots. Just size them to fit your casting pot.

By the way, ktv, a REALLY nice pile of metal and so neat, too! That is what we should all aspire to - organized and stacked safely. Good show!!

Dale53

[BigSlick]

Thanks for the ideas guys.

Adam, I notice your V shaped angle iron molds are welded on the inside. Any issue with the lead sticking to the welds ?

I'm running a 130 amp and a 175 amp MIG, no access to a TIG, would it be worth a shot to weld these with flux cored ? I can do 75/25 gas if thats better, or use a stick if I have to.

As far as the composition, the angle isn't cast iron, any issues with lead sticking to the angle at all ? Same ? with channel iron. I've got some steel angle iron, in 1? and 2", probably 1/8" thickness, is this suitable ?

I also ran across some stainless pans used in restaurants, probably 1? deep X 2? X 5" long. The size looks good, but dumping individual pans is gonna get old quick.

Any other ideas ? I'm looking for the ability to handle quantity, conveniently, without having to get a torch to drop the ingots due to the lead sticking.

I usually smelt 5-8 buckets at once.

Thanks

'Slick
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[ANeat]

Slick Ive tried it with the welds on the outside. It does work but you need a near perfect fit or the lead will seep into the crack and be difficult to release. My channel iron ingots were welded with a mig (at work) and the key is to run the heat a little on the hot side so the bead will lay down flat and it creates a nice fillet on the inside corners. The flux core would work but you will need to grind off all the splatter, flux. The regular wire will be a little cleaner but you will still have a bit of splatter to grind off.


Your material; is it angle iron or and angle formed from flat steel?? Either will work, A little rust will help with the release. Just leave it outside and it will get a nice non stick coating:mrgreen:

[texas tenring]

I made a pair of ingot moulds after seeing some of the others on this site. They work great! I made them a little smaller than most I've seen so the ingots will fit nicely in my 10# Lee pot. They are inch and a half angle and four inches long.

By using two I can ladle one while the other is cooling and then I turn the one that has set hard enough upside down, and with a little tap on the garage floor leaves ingots to further cool and a empty mould ready to go again. Makes pretty fast work for a small smelting operation.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Mine are similar to the other angle irons shown. I used 1.5" angle iron cut 11" long (give me four pound ingots if I remember right and allows me to easily add tin in one pound solder rolls. The molds are endcapped with same angle iron to provide me a ledge to flip it, no other handle necessary and these work well for your foot as well. I pour a mold full sitting on the ground using a soup ladle, then when it cools, flip it with a foot and pick up the ingots.

You'll want to weld all seams and put the seams at the "top"of the mold "wells," so face the angle iron down, spot weld on the ends/handles, then flip over and weld between the molds so you have no gaps for the ingots to trap themselves in.

Hope this makes sense.

Dave

[cbrick]

I use the RCBS 10 pound cast iron pots (I use four of them) filled half full to make 5 pound ingots. They come out flat top and bottom and stack very well. A word of caution if your using a 20 pound or smaller lead pot, filled full it will make a 10 pound ingot but the 10 pound ingot will not fit back into the RCBS 22 pound pot for re-melting. Also, it didn't take long to learn that ingots much over 5 pounds take too long to cool down and solidify significantly slowing down the whole proccess. 5 pound ingots are about right for me.

http://www.lasc.us/5lbingots.jpg

The RCBS cast iron pot is something like $12.00 at Midway though I haven't bought one in some time.

Rick

[Sundogg1911]

KTW or Texas Tenring, if either of you would be interested in making a few to sell. I would be interested. I'm looking for something in the 2 to 3 pound per ingot range. I have moulds to trade or $$$. i've been using various 1 pound moulds (I have 3 or 4) but it takes too many of them. I still need something to fit in a lee 10# pot though.

[ktw]

KTW or Texas Tenring, if either of you would be interested in making a few to sell. I would be interested.

I don't weld. I had a friend who does weld and owed me a favor make mine.

I think you could get some very satisfactory ingot molds, cheaper than having one of us mailing you a set, by describing what you want to a local welding shop. 1.5" angle iron by about 9.5" long should put you into the 2.5-3lb ingot range.

Mine look like this (flat stock for the side walls). If I had to do it over again, I would specify the angle iron for side walls as shown in ANeat or Texas Tenring's pictures, providing more to grab onto when moving them around. Mine are welded on the inside as well as the outside. I don't find this to be a problem, provided their is a slight outward flair to the walls and the welds are not extremely rough. I have three sets of these four cavities, plus a 3 cavity, plus a single cavity that I use to empty the casting pot.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g232/ktwna/ingot-molds.jpg

[texas tenring]

Sundog1911, I agree with KTW you could probably take a picture or drawing to a local welder and get exactly what you are looking for at a reasonble price. I'm not a professional welder just a jack of all trades and master of none as they say. I'd have no problem helping you out if you can't get it done local or you are in no big hurry.

Give it a try local first or if you want to come down here, You buy the beer I'll do it for nothing!

Good luck! Tex

[ANeat]

KTW or Texas Tenring, if either of you would be interested in making a few to sell. I would be interested. I'm looking for something in the 2 to 3 pound per ingot range. I have moulds to trade or $$$. i've been using various 1 pound moulds (I have 3 or 4) but it takes too many of them. I still need something to fit in a lee 10# pot though.


Sundogg I made a couple of these to see if there was any potential in making a few ingot molds to sell. I have quite a bit of the 2" angle iron. Still with the cutting and welding there is at least a couple of hours of labor involved. I made this to fit in one of the flat rate USPS boxes. Its 5.5 inches wide and 11" long. It drops 4, 3lb ingots.
If I were to sell them I would have to charge $20 or $30 a piece and Im not really sure if there worth that.
Like the others mentioned, there easy to make, just a little time involved. Find a buddy with a welder. They probably have enough scrap on hand to make you a few.

Adam

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h165/aneat/Lead/Image035.jpg

[targetshootr]

A local craft store called Mitchells, or something similar, has alum loaf pans and another restaurant supplier has 20 count alum muffin pans. Each drop ingots just over 2 lbs.

[spottedpony]

LOL ive got the mig but not alot of scrap angle, seriously though, alot of good suggestions here but one that might work too is use a torch and braze the end plates on, brass can be run on the outside and with the right heat, would fill any voids in the joint. and as a plus, brass is softer, so if necessary, the inside of the joint could be smoothed out with a dremel, or something similar
one thing i think would be wise, is be sure to heat them red hot (prior to brazing if that method is used) to remove the scale from the iron so you dont get needless contamination in the ingots

[HTRN]

I believe your referring to Michaels. All sorts of useful stuff in that place. :mrgreen:

6-8lbs is what you're looking for?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/HTRN/Guns/leadbrick.jpg

Just shy of 8lbs even, probably 7lbs14ounces..

I use loaf pans from "the evil commie megastore", that cost a grand total of 3 for $3. I rotate the pans, and with 6 of 'em, I don't have to worry about upsetting a still liquidy ingot. easiest way to check is to spit on 'em - if they sizzle, leave 'em!


HTRN

[Nueces]

Which finger is that, peekin' over the top, there? :mrgreen:

[Halfbreed]

Something I have noticed with my Lee 4/20, if I add more than 3 pounds at a time, I have a problem with the pot getting too cold. Then it takes a while to get it back up to working temp. I use several steel muffin tins right at 3 pounds each.
John

[medic44]

I used old bed frame angle iron 5" long. Cuts fast on the band saw. Made two w/ 10 slots. Fill one set then the other. Then dump the first and start over works fast. Nice size for filling 50 cal ammo cans

[georgeld]

That first set of pictures with the ingots in the crates setting on blocks looks real neat.
BUT: I see a safety problem if you stack too many on those blocks laying on their sides. they'll crush and the whole stack will fall over. IF you're in the way, might be a crushed foot. Sure wouldn't want to hear about that.

Much better is to set the blocks with the holes/webs verticle.
Be safe first, right? Something simple like that could cause one hell of an injury.

Some real nice molds there guys.

[No_1]

That would be "tall-man". He is located between "pointer" and "ring-man". Ex-wife taught me about him ;)

Robert


Which finger is that, peekin' over the top, there? :mrgreen:

[ktw]

BUT: I see a safety problem if you stack too many on those blocks laying on their sides. they'll crush and the whole stack will fall over.

That was mine. I appreciate the comment. The next time I have to move them :neutral: I will modify the setup as you suggest.

As they currently sit, I used the plywood to help distribute the weight more evenly across the blocks and biased the weight toward the back half of the blocks. If the blocks do fail it should be at the back, tipping the ingots back into the concrete wall, rather than forward out into the room.

-ktw

[Sundogg1911]

Mine look similar to KTW's, excepy mine are 8" long. 5 cavitys in each (I made 2) and I angle cut the ends to fit another 1 1/2" angle that is upside down so that all of the sides of the ingots will be angled. It helps keep the lead from fitting too tight in the mold. they come out pretty easily. Another trick is to grind smooth any welds that come in contact with the Alloy. A rough weld will make it difficult to remove the ingots from the moulds. The best think about using angle Iron is that they're very easy to stack/store.

[nighthunter]

I recently saw a program on the Discovery chanel where a guy poured molten lead down the openings of ant mounds then dug them up. I don't think they would stack real well but it would be real easy to break off a chunk to add to the casting pot. The lead ( maybe it was cerosafe ) filled out all the tunnels and chambers in the colony.
Nighthunter

[Gooey]

I don't know if this would be applicable for anyone who is processing much more than 100lbs, but I have been cutting the tops of of my aluminum cans, filling them with lead, and then just peeling off the aluminum can once its cooled. fits well into my 20lb lee pro 4-20.