Store casting equpment inside?

[ghh3rd]

I have moved to an apartment and am facing a dilemma - where store casting equipment.

I have a back porch, and am building a casting table of sorts, but can't store casting stuff on the porch. I've never considered storing any casting equipment (pot, ladles, etc.) inside, but wonder if a large Tupperware tub would be safe enough inside if it's undisturbed between uses.

Anyone thoughts?

Thanks,

Randy

[Yodogsandman]

Sounds like a good idea!

[country gent]

You might consider building a wood storage box for this as it dosnt take alot of equipment to get heavy fast. A wood box sized to fit thru doorways easily built with shelves and or hangers for equipment and fastened to a cheap harbor frieght 2 wheel dolly. Would be easy to roll in and out sized right it would fit in a closet out of sight. with double doors on the front it would be easy to reach into. This box could be 24-26" wide 14-16" deep and 3' or so tall. hinged double doors so the can be opened ald flat to sides. ( doors wouldnt be a real need but will keep unit sealed and things in place). Shelves as needed for lead pots, hot plates. moulds. and other equipment. A few drawers could be built into it for odds and ends even making for a more orginized storage. Done right a heavy removeable ply wood top on it sized 18" X 24"-36". In use bolt top down to box. In use. roll out to porch. Top gets bolted down to box. Pot comes out of storage and onto top filled and start heating. toels are layed out tapper and moulds come out and your ready to cast. A supply of ingots could even be stored in this for use. I would make it from 1 x 6s with 2x2 corner supports glued and screwed joints. 1/4 thread inserts in top to bolt top down I believe I would use 4 1/4" flat head screws for this. 2 insert on one side of box with thumb screws to store top when not in use.1X6 for shelves. This would be a little more expensive than the tupperware tub but much easier to move and store.

[DerekP Houston]

I have moved to an apartment and am facing a dilemma - where store casting equipment.

I have a back porch, and am building a casting table of sorts, but can't store casting stuff on the porch. I've never considered storing any casting equipment (pot, ladles, etc.) inside, but wonder if a large Tupperware tub would be safe enough inside if it's undisturbed between uses.

Anyone thoughts?

Thanks,

Randy

What about one of the craftsmen rolling cabinets? Already reinforced and on wheels, just wheel it out when you need to. Most of my molds are on a shelf above my reloading desk inside.

[sigep1764]

Ive only ever cast in an apartment. I have a dog too. I open up the windows. Cast in front of a window with a box fan pulling air out through the window. As far as storage, my pot, mold, and waterdropping pot sit in an enclosed end table til im ready to pull it out. Ingots are stored in a milk crate far enough off the floor so pooch cant reach them. Just be smart and store the stuff so they are not easily reachable for those that it can harm. My turkey fryer and propane sit in the basement storage unit. This works for me. Ymmv.

[RoadBike]

You might consider a Rubbermaid Action Packer. It's basically a heavy plastic footlocker, and it can be locked. When I lived in an apartment, I kept a gun or two and some reloading stuff in it. When management came in for quarterly inspections, they didn't see any evidence of powder, primers, presses etc. Also, I used an employee locker that I recovered from a plant closing. It was about 6 feet tall and had six small lockers. I kept other equipment in this and each locker was locked.

[bangerjim]

Large plastic tubs would work. Just keep all the stuff out of the rain, dust and snow.

Do what you gotta do.

[Mk42gunner]

I like the idea of a wooden box/ crate/ cabinet and an inexpensive dolly. Maybe even a repurposed luggage cart.

On the other hand, as long as everything is cooled down plastic containers would work, but some of them are see through.

Not real sure why you are asking about safety, inside has to safer than outside as far as theft prevention goes.

Robert

[imashooter2]

I don't understand the question. Exactly what are your safety concerns?

[dudel]

How about one of those wheeled tool boxes?

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_13?url=search-alias%3Dtools&field-keywords=wheeled+tool+box&sprefix=wheeled+tool+%2Caps%2C176

Easy to move when you need it, lockable to keep prying eyes (and fingers) out; and won't raise any suspicions from the unit manager.

With a top over the larger ones (http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-033026R-Pro-Contractor-Chest/dp/B0050034P8/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1459522884&sr=1-1&keywords=wheeled+tool+box) , it might even double as a casting table.

I keep everything (pot, molds, spoons, ingot and some lead) in one of these bottom units. http://www.amazon.com/Craftsman-Drawer-Homeowner-Center-Cabinet/dp/B00G1AWG9Q/ref=sr_1_31?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1459523291&sr=1-31&keywords=craftsman+tool+box

I added a wood top that fits into the lips of the top. Added some cleats that my Lee pot slides into for stability. Ladles, tools, flux, alox, and waxed paper go into the top drawer, molds into the second drawer and Lee 20-4 pot, ingots, lead, catch bucket, towels, cool whip container (for alox) into the bottom compartments. Lee push through sizers are at the reloading bench, but could easily be saved with the casting stuff. To save space on Lee sizers, dump the original box, and store the sizers four at once in a regular Lee die box with the pusher stem inserted into the sizer.

[mdi]

What are your concerns? Worried about damaging equipment? Worry about rust? Where to store (space available)? Or Worried about lead in your living space? There are much more toxic/dangerous chemicals and items under the kitchen sink in most homes than any lead you may have in your home from bullet casing. Don't put lead in your salt shaker, don't store ingots in you pots/pans and keep bullets out of your soup bowls, and don't overthink your bullet casting safety...

[reddog81]

I'm not sure what the concern is. Do you store your bullets outdoors? I think the biggest concern would be waiting until everything cools down before trying to package up the equipment. That stuff stays hot for a long time.

[bangerjim]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^Agree^^^^^^^^^^^^

I feel you are overthinking this whole storage subject. Cardboard boxes work just fine. You should not try to get the "whole kit" in a single storage box of any kind or materia. Too heavy. I tend to store items IN THE BOXES they came in! Easy to stack and store. Even a lead pot.

Or plastic tubs like I said above.

If you are worried about lead exposure, find another hobby. Otherwise, store you ingots in sealable metal ammo boxes. Keeps them dry and sealed.

Casting living in an apartment environment is really tough. Don't make it any harder by over-thinking it. Try a few ideas and see what works for your needs. Just remember......LEAD IS VERY HEAVY!

banger

[W.R.Buchanan]

I personally think the main consideration here is keeping your equipment out of the weather and clean. I always kept my stuff in it's original boxes and in a spare bedroom in my Apartment along with my bicycle and guns and anything else I didn't want going to Ship. Keeping your stuff indoors keeps it nice and in a relatively temperature controlled environment. Virtually every tool for reloading I own looks and works like new. Now all my Reloading equipment resides in my Machine Shop and it is almost like a bedroom with steel, and wood cabinets and a bench with drawers. Nothing is exposed to anything bad since all the mounted presses and other equipment are kept covered with Plastic Trash bags.

I also collect Desiccant Packages and distribute them in drawers and in cabinets. They are cheap and suck up moisture, and lots of things are packaged with them. If they get wet you simply put them in the oven for a couple of hours and they are as good as new.

When I lived in the Philippines everything was soaked with moisture all the time. We had light bulbs burning 24/7 in our closets to keep the Mildew away. Gun Safes need Golden Rod Heaters in them or your guns will rust.

A friend once told me to "not covet that which rusts, rots or mildews." He was right!

For a lot of years when I was not reloading all my tools were kept in a large cardboard box in the overhead in my garage. It was closed so when I came back to reloading all I had to do was bolt the press back on its board and then to the Workmate and I was up and running again. Everything was clean and even today 20 years later, still looks new! Even the cans of powder bought in 1971 were still good.

The Action Packer containers (made by Rubbermaid) are by far the best out there for containing relatively heavy stuff, and I use them for all my Jeep related mobile stuff. I have one that has all my camp gear in it and one with my recovery tools in it. I can literally throw those two containers and a third with food in my jeep or car and be gone in 2 minutes with enough stuff to last for a while.

I have a Red Coleman Steel Cooler and Stove that I bought in 1976 that still looks new simply because when done using them, they get cleaned up and back in their original boxes. They get used several times every summer for picnics and the like, so it's not like they just live in the box. They just get put back in the box after use! They are stored on shelves in the garage and the boxes get dirty, but the stuff in the boxes doesn't. It is easy to wipe of the box when you pull it down.

I have expanded this topic to include more than just reloading gear, for a reason. If you buy quality things and take care of them they will last a lifetime or more. I will add that I have never seen a reloading tool that was worn out. but I have seen plenty that were left out to collect dirt and rust, and generally left to just go to ship. I consider this to be a Character Flaw in people who allow this to happen. I also wonder if they bathe regularly.

The key to taking care of equipment is first keeping it clean and second protecting it from the elements. Cars kept in garages always look better and sell for more than ones that sat outside for their entire life. This is simply because that big light bulb in the sky kills everything it sees, including you. UV damage is the primary factor in deterioration of both machinery and people. Melanoma? I had some,,, got a big slice taken out of my head to get rid of it. Didn't come from being indoors.

Letting stuff sit around in a garage with nothing covering it or worse yet anywhere that moisture is present the Death Nell of anything that was nice. Spraying metal objects with WD40 and covering them with a blanket or plastic bag works surprisingly well.

I will also add that if you have any Muriatic Acid in your garage or house get rid of it! No matter how secure the cap is on it will seep vapors and anything within about 15 feet will rust solid in a matter of a few days. I learned this the hard way,,, Take my word for it! That stuff is too cheap to store. Use it, get rid of it.

My .02 on this subject.

Randy