Is it OK to store lead ingots outdoors for extended periods

[corbinace]

I have a five foot stem wall by the daylight basement door where I do my casting outside. The part of the wall where I want to stack the lead is covered by a deck. The lead will get a tiny bit wet, dusty and will have spiders making their homes in the nooks likely.

The stuff on the bottom could be there for many years, as the stock will never be rotated and the bottom will hopefully never be reached.

Will the lead get oxidized enough to make it unsuitable for going directly into the casting pot?

Is there any reason NOT to store the lead in this area or manner? (Yes, I already got the bosses blessing :wink:)

[fecmech]

None that I know of.

[Gofaaast]

My only concern would be if a ingot had some porosity and H2o found its way in. You could get a visit from the tinsel fairy if the ingots are not pre heated. I think the chance of this is very slim but possible.

[Scooby]

when I worked at the bullet company we got our alloy in semi truck loads at a time, we stored it out side and they still do. when we brought it in we would stack the ingots so that air would mostly dry them than set an ingot on a hot pate before adding it to the caster just to make sure all the moisture was cooked out first. I know pure lead oxidizes fastest and a high tin alloy takes the longest. If the boss approves then it should be fine. Just hope there is no changing mind I hate moving lead over and over, it is like firewood but heaver.

[rondog]

I pour my ingots in one of those Lyman molds that makes four one pound (?) bars/ingots at a time. Those little bars fit perfectly in .30 cal USGI ammo cans, I think I get 64 of them in if I stack neatly. They're heavy as hell (65lbs) but still movable, and I can stack the cans too. They also come in handy to put in the back of my 2wd pickup for traction weight in snowy weather. I think I have 10 of them full of ingots. They're usually stored on low shelves in the garage to keep them off the floor, but the cans seem to keep the ingots dry and clean, even in a truck bed full of snow and ice.

[corbinace]

Thank you for your input. Mine to, are from the one pound Saeco mold and do stack nicely.

I need to put a bit more effort in making them more uniformly filled, so they stack tighter and interlock better.

[trapper9260]

For me I keep them under cover and off the floor and on some wood that way they will not be deal with the cold floor outside. the cold floor will be wet from the air and sweat that is why I put them on wood.After I take them in and use them and so far no problems.

[lancem]

Been storing mine outside for years, moisture isn't much of a problem for me here in the desert but I still preheat the ingots on a hotplate before using them to drive out any that might be hiding.

[DerekP Houston]

I keep most of my "bulk" ingots and raw in the garage. It is covered but still touching concrete so i assume it would get moisture from sweating. Haven't had any issues *yet* but I've had my toe in the game for a bit. I use my hotplate to preheat almost everything before it goes in the pot though.

Edit: ok...I'm just to f'ing lazy to carry that heavy lead any farther than absolutely necessary.

[corbinace]

I am lucky in that I too, live in a somewhat arid part of the land. About 9 inches of precipitation per year, with most of that in winter as snow. Our humidity is relatively low as well, but a glass of ice water still sweats. I will keep the preheating in mind.

[baogongmeo]

I've heard of old timers around here that would melt Minie balls from the Civil War to make fishing sinkers in years past.

[lightman]

There have been a few threads about members having their lead stash stolen. I keep mine in my shop. Also, beware of moisture when adding them to the pot.

[bullseye67]

I store most of my ingots outside under the deck. I use a couple of large rubber/plastic totes. I can't remember who makes them but they are at least twice as thick as others, straight sided and the lid "snaps" on real tight, 2 hands needed to open them. Each one holds about 500 lbs. If somebody knew what was in them and wanted to try and move them "Good Luck" I know how long it took to get them all in/under there. I keep a 5 gallon bucket full with lid, close to where I cast in the garage. As my bucket goes down I can retrieve as many as I need and the rest stay dry and out of sight. I always preheat the ingots so the pot never chills. As a safety I do keep a couple of cold ingots in case I need the freeze the pot. Just a small trick is stamp a Pb or WW or use a LEE ingot for COWW and a LYMAN for PURE, so you know what is in the pile. A friend used a marker and had them mix piled outside between his garage and fence. Between the weather and the dog, most of the marker was gone.

[quack1]

I keep mine outside in 5 gallon buckets that I get free at a bakery. They get their cake frosting in them. There is a rubber ring in the lid that makes an air tight seal. I have all the buckets in a place that never gets any direct sunlight to avoid UV deterioration of the plastic. Some buckets have been there at least 15 years with no problems.

[bangerjim]

I have lots of my perfect (no voids or holes) ingots stored outside. Never any problems. As long as you make your ingots right, moisture cannot infiltrate pure solid lead!

Also, ALWAYS pre-peat all your feed ingots on your electric hotplate you use to pre-heat all your molds. You ARE using a hotplat.....right?? Heating the ingots will drive any moisture you are worried about out long before they ever hit the casting pot.

Any oxide will be removed when you use beeswax in your casting pot when your are casting.

banger

[Lead Fred]

OH ON lead outdooors....

Save the condors, save the spotted owls

Stickem in a box, and cast away