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:
http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y390/Michael_R_Mardis/Reloading/20140227_192648_zpsokwqqsdw.jpg (http://s1272.photobucket.com/user/Michael_R_Mardis/media/Reloading/20140227_192648_zpsokwqqsdw.jpg.html)

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.98074

[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.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa39/dragon813gt/TimeToMakeAmmo/16F61808-85F4-4324-B649-6A50ECBF3BE3-14876-00000BB065D98F5E.jpg

[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

[inspector_17]

Spring project for me is to build a crate to set outside my shed. starting to lean to one side! lol

[358wcf]

Not about to say where exactly I live- or what exactly I do these days, but- In recent 8-10 years I've scrounged with enthusiasm and built up at least a lifetime supply of raw material- Ingots, wheelweights, sinkers, old shop material, etc- no source to good to pass up- "have truck will haul lead"-
I've been keeping the material not yet "ingotized" by me on wood pallets under tarps in the back- only go to the source as the ready reserve (perhaps 500lbs) in my casting shop gets low- this bulk supply is for pistol/revolver loading, and will keep me busy for a very long time (I'm teaching a son-in-law to cast his own, and supply him as well)- I admit to actually purchasing "known-alloy" lead from Roto-metals for my recent target shooting activities with the old single-shot rifles in the collection- they demand softer alloys-
When I'm done casting (yeah, that's gonna happen!), there will be trucks at my place to haul it away to the next lucky owners-

Chuck 358wcf [smilie=1:[smilie=1:[smilie=1:

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I use 50 cal ammo cans for separate storage in my casting room. I have some boxes of various alloys on my porch.
BUT,
the bulk storage of COWW is outside in 30 gallon trash cans.

I double stack ingots on homemade trays, (cut the bottom of a 'used' Med FRB, add a plywood base (trash from jobsites)) they average 55 lbs or so for each homemade 'tray'. 12 trays per 30 gallon trash can.

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/croppedandsizedII_zpsfb5f700a.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/croppedandsizedII_zpsfb5f700a.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/croppedandsizedI_zps2d5c9e30.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/croppedandsizedI_zps2d5c9e30.jpg.html)

[bangerjim]

I keep a small supply (40#) of each ingot mix under my loading bench. The rest are stored outside at the side of my workshop, sorted by mix, in either is 5 gal chlorine tab buckets or in metal racks.

banger

[Digger]

I use 50 cal ammo cans for separate storage in my casting room. I have some boxes of various alloys on my porch.
BUT,
the bulk storage of COWW is outside in 30 gallon trash cans.

I double stack ingots on homemade trays, (cut the bottom of a 'used' Med FRB, add a plywood base (trash from jobsites)) they average 55 lbs or so for each homemade 'tray'. 12 trays per 30 gallon trash can.

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/croppedandsizedII_zpsfb5f700a.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/croppedandsizedII_zpsfb5f700a.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/croppedandsizedI_zps2d5c9e30.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/croppedandsizedI_zps2d5c9e30.jpg.html)

When ever you get a new garbage man ... get a video would you please ?

[Digger]

guess I throw this out again ...since this pic , there is one more crate full.
Oh by the way .....CRACKED THE SLAB !
My bad (dumb)
98130

[bangerjim]

Gotta use the Obummer method............spread the wealth. In our case....spread the WEIGHT!

banger

[Digger]

Better pic of the muffin tins used .....
98133

[DRNurse1]

Harbor freight had a deal on the furniture dollies a while back so I bought 10. Found some old wheels to replace the originals on a few of the dollies so they can manage a greater weight. No more than 500# per dolly though and spread out in several out buildings. I have an old refrigerator dolly to move these dollies between buildings, but luckily have not had to do that yet.

[jsizemore]

30 gal. metal bottom cardboard drums and steel drums. Once a drum is set and filled it doesn't get moved. 8" concrete slab with contractor's fiber and reinforcing mesh. Drums are numerous and looking for more.

[Suo Gan]

I bought an old job box for costruction. I keep all the ready to be rendered lead there. I used to use odd size molds...muffin tins, etc. I have found that the 1 pound ingots always work best. I stamp what they are when they are still hot. I stack them in 30 cal cans if I have them. Old paint cans with lids are much better than coffee cans because of the handle. I only use the steel ones.

[.5mv^2]

I have a 40mm ammo can and a bunch of plastic coffee cans. Coffee cans are filled when recovering bullets from our berm.

[plainsman456]

And when getting ready to use the ingots i just use compressed air to get the dust/dirt off.

[imashooter2]

And when getting ready to use the ingots i just use compressed air to get the dust/dirt off.

I suppose that is a solution. Sure seems like it would be easier to not let them get dirty after you clean them the first time though...

[lwknight]

25# 5X9 bars stacked 8 high so they don't break the slab. 4000 pounds spread out over a 8 foot length.

[John Boy]

How do you store your ingots? Stacked on a concrete floor with each ingot marked with the Bhn ratio

[GlocksareGood]

Stacked on casting bench shelf and under it on the floor. Got 15 mfrbs stacked to the side of of the bench with hardball and isotope cores.
98389

[Old School Big Bore]

I fill the ingot mold above the separators to glom the ingots into a gang. Then they're brick-stacked in a wooden crate on the shop floor. That's worked ok for moderate quantities but I'm workin on a strategic reserve, so I'll have to figure out something better.

[badbob454]

large ammo cans i think they are 20 mm cartridge cans also the 50 cal and 50 cal tall cans , and old metal ammo cans i seperate bu type and hardness

[Rich/WIS]

I use 3# coffee cans, write on the lids with a marker what is in them, also small shipping boxes that I load to about 30#, all are easier to handle than big containers. Most are on the floor or bottom shelf of reinforced, recycled book cases. These are all in my basement reloading area, anything to be smelted is in 5 gal pails in the shed where I do my smelting. Once smelted I roll it to the house in one of those metal garden carts (thank God its downhill) and then carry into the basement in small batches.

[Big_Blue]

Interesting responses. I've realized two facts I hadn't considered. One was that having all my ingots in one area could damage the concrete slab underneath. The second was that the ingots could be used as a workbench stabilizer.

[zuke]

All my lead is in ingot form, and stacked against the back fence

[alamogunr]

Before I retired almost 8 years ago, I had the guys in the shop save about 30 or so wood boxes that parts from a sister plant in Sweden were shipped in. Each box was approx.(they are out in the shop and it's sloppy out there) 15" X 7-8" X 10"H. They were too big to fill with ingots so I cut them into a top half and a bottom half. Then added a plywood bottom to the top half and a handle on the ends of both. Each holds about 100 lbs of ingots, depending on the ingot size.

I just mark the box with a Sharpie to ID the contents. There are about 50 or so boxes around, several containing special alloys, some solder I salvaged and some mixed lino/monotype. Since I haven't completely emptied any boxes, I haven't had to decide what to do with them when I empty them. I really need to write up some instructions in case something unforeseen happens and a bunch are still full. My wife wouldn't know where to start.

Sorry! I got carried away.