Patrick L
08-07-2012, 10:00 AM
Let me say right up front, you are probably way ahead just buying Lee ingot molds. BUT, being a school teacher I am on vacation, so I figured I'd try this just to see if I could do it. I could. Here it is
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Smelting/IngotMold003.jpg
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Smelting/IngotMold005.jpg
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Smelting/IngotMold004.jpg
The mold is made primarily from aluminum angle, screws, and threaded rod. I wanted to use aluminum because it releases lead so well and is light. Steel or iron would no doubt work and be cheaper. If I had the capability to weld I'd probably go that route.
Anyhow, aluminum angle was cut 5" long, mainly because that length will fit nicely into a .50 caliber ammo can. The ends were sanded to a slight draft, just a few degrees, to allow the ingots to drop easy. A 3-56 screw is threaded into the bottom "V" of the angle, and two steel pins are set into holes towards the top and set in JB Weld. JB is also used to seal the angles to the end plates, although this was probably not necessary since the parts were dry fit very tightly. I realize the JB won't really hold this together, nor will those pins and tiny 3-56 screws. They all serve mainly to locate things and keep them from spinning. The three 1/4-20 rods really hold the whole works together, the center one also serving as the handle shaft.
I smelted some range scrap down yesterday and they worked great
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Smelting/IngotMold002.jpg
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Smelting/IngotMold001.jpg
There is a learning curve. I learned that, like boolit molds, a cold ingot mold will produce wrinkled, ugly ingots. In the future I'll preheat them. The JB Weld is starting to "bake" already, but like I said the 1/4-20 rods really bear the brunt. The ingots weigh about twice as much as my mini muffin ones.
All in all, it was a great learning experience. I have about $20 into the aluminum for the two molds, so like I said I could have just bought two Lee ingot molds for the same $$. If I had had this stuff just laying around as scrap it would have only cost me time. I would like to find something a bit larger, maybe some channel? I'd also like to try steel or iron, but that will have till wait till I can weld. We casters are a resourceful bunch!
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Smelting/IngotMold003.jpg
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Smelting/IngotMold005.jpg
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Smelting/IngotMold004.jpg
The mold is made primarily from aluminum angle, screws, and threaded rod. I wanted to use aluminum because it releases lead so well and is light. Steel or iron would no doubt work and be cheaper. If I had the capability to weld I'd probably go that route.
Anyhow, aluminum angle was cut 5" long, mainly because that length will fit nicely into a .50 caliber ammo can. The ends were sanded to a slight draft, just a few degrees, to allow the ingots to drop easy. A 3-56 screw is threaded into the bottom "V" of the angle, and two steel pins are set into holes towards the top and set in JB Weld. JB is also used to seal the angles to the end plates, although this was probably not necessary since the parts were dry fit very tightly. I realize the JB won't really hold this together, nor will those pins and tiny 3-56 screws. They all serve mainly to locate things and keep them from spinning. The three 1/4-20 rods really hold the whole works together, the center one also serving as the handle shaft.
I smelted some range scrap down yesterday and they worked great
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Smelting/IngotMold002.jpg
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Smelting/IngotMold001.jpg
There is a learning curve. I learned that, like boolit molds, a cold ingot mold will produce wrinkled, ugly ingots. In the future I'll preheat them. The JB Weld is starting to "bake" already, but like I said the 1/4-20 rods really bear the brunt. The ingots weigh about twice as much as my mini muffin ones.
All in all, it was a great learning experience. I have about $20 into the aluminum for the two molds, so like I said I could have just bought two Lee ingot molds for the same $$. If I had had this stuff just laying around as scrap it would have only cost me time. I would like to find something a bit larger, maybe some channel? I'd also like to try steel or iron, but that will have till wait till I can weld. We casters are a resourceful bunch!