Cupcake molds disaster

[popper]

You have to dump the 'muffin' before the tin cools. And don't fill all the way up. Steel expands/contracts more than lead.

[Mal Paso]

What size angle iron are those (1.5", 1.75" or 2") and what length?

The angle iron is 2X2X1/8, the sides are 1 1/2X1/8, the handles are 5/16 rod. The ingots are 7 inches long and weigh 5 pounds. The ends have a 7 degree slant for easy release.

[oley55]

Many boo-coo thanks

[Walks]

I collected bullet makers ingot molds from gunshows back when they were a buck each.
Now I use them to separate alloys.
Ohaus - Linotype
Lyman - #2
Saeco - 20/1
RCBS - coww
Lee 1lb - pure
Lee 1/2lb - mono/foundry
Blank* - unknown, I can write on the blank top.
Triangle** - range scrap.

*These are Lachmiller/RCBS that have RCBS on the "flipping" tab

**Lodge scone pan that I Paid $10 for.

[kevin c]

Like William Yanda said, dents in the sidewall of the cup can make the ingot hang up. That’s a reason real ingot molds use more rigid and durable cast aluminum and iron instead of stamped sheet aluminum or steel. Before I gave up on them, I had to mark no go cups in the pans I used, or only fill to below the dent.

It’s still possible to find thrift store muffin and loaf pans that are tin plated (guess why they’re called “tins”?). To be avoided at all cost: the lead alloy will literally bond to the surface of the cup, making ingot removal nigh on impossible unless reheated to the alloy melting point.

[Sixgun Symphony]

Yeah, I started with muffin tins. Wasn’t long before I became… dissatisfied. Over time I’ve acquired half a dozen Lyman ingot molds. Well worth the money.

Agreed

[358429]

I found a stainless steel cup and the ingots look good.

[rondog]

I use the Lyman 1lb ingot molds with great success. Then I store the ingots in steel .30cal USGI ammo cans, 65 per can. That's about 67lbs per can, and I have 10 of them stashed. Plus a big pile of loose ones, ran out of cans.

Now my back is too buggered up to lift one - what to do, what to do.....

[Leading]

I had the same experience with stuck ingots in the muffin pan years ago. I then started putting a small piece of beeswax in each before filling with lead, have not had one stick since.

[alamogunr]

Cast iron is great. Any cast iron cookware you can find cheap will be good and last forever.

Many years ago on a trip to Yellowstone, we stopped at a Cabela's outlet. I found several Lodge cast iron muffin pans on closeout. I bought all six that they had. Spouse didn't appreciate all that cast iron to carry for the next two weeks.

Don't use them much any more since I have more lead stash than I will ever use but they come in handy when I decide to try my hand at a different alloy. Those little muffins are just right for the pot.

Early on I had the same experience as others with the ingots sticking in the pans. Learned my lesson. Tin plate doesn't work well. I've also got a bunch of RCBS and SAECO ingot molds. Just seems that it is more work to make smaller ingots. BTW, rust is your friend.

[remy3424]

I am not sure what the allure of ingots in the muffin shape are desired. Anyone care to share the benefit of that shape?

[popper]

They easily fit in a Lee pot and weigh ~ 2# each. Corncob ingots are long and tend to fall over the edge of the pot.

[imashooter2]

I am not sure what the allure of ingots in the muffin shape are desired. Anyone care to share the benefit of that shape?

The shape? Very little other than reasonable size. The allure of muffins is the low cost and general availability of the "molds."

[oley55]

I am not sure what the allure of ingots in the muffin shape are desired. Anyone care to share the benefit of that shape?

Allure???? How about just plain inexpensive and sold almost everywhere. They served me well initially, but when stored there is a lot of wasted space.

The mini bread pans are a bit more expensive and more functional (stackable), but not generally sold in many retail stores. I had to order mine on line.

[QuackAttack24]

Hard to beat a good cast iron cornbread pan or muffin pan from Goodwill. The cornbread pan makes 2.5 pound ingots that just fall out. Perfect size for the melting pot. Cost $8.

[Mal Paso]

I could have saved $100 in gas if I gave up on thrift stores the first trip. I have never seen a single cast iron cornbread or muffin pan or hotplate. Bread machines or skis, no problem. Must be the area. LOL

[TyGuy]

I could have saved $100 in gas if I gave up on thrift stores the first trip. I have never seen a single cast iron cornbread or muffin pan or hotplate. Bread machines or skis, no problem. Must be the area. LOL

I have struck out a lot at thrift stores too but every now and then there is something worth while. I also only go to them when I’m already passing by. I figure it only costs me a few minutes of my time at that point.

[QuackAttack24]

I have struck out a lot at thrift stores too but every now and then there is something worth while. I also only go to them when I’m already passing by. I figure it only costs me a few minutes of my time at that point.

Same here. It's been awhile since I've run across anything good, but there's a goodwill store about a half mile from my house. Right on the way home from work. If it weren't close, I doubt I'd bother any more.

[megasupermagnum]

I am not sure what the allure of ingots in the muffin shape are desired. Anyone care to share the benefit of that shape?

I'm sure most people buy them simply because they are the first thing they find that works. I've tried them, I don't want to go back to them. Besides the durability problem, muffin pans ingots are inconvenient. They just barely fit into a Lee 20 pound pot, they may or may not go in the 10 pound at all. Their puck shape is horrible for adding, they take forever to melt, and you had better be absolutely sure on how much you want to add.

A long and skinny ingot is 100x better than a puck. Even at the same weight, a long ingot you can add to an already melted pot without ruining the whole process, and on top of that, you can melt down as far as you need. If you only need 1/2 an ingot, you simply melt it down that far, and set the other half aside. The Lee ingots are nice, but are a bit small if you are smelting any large amount. I made my own molds, a lot like Mal Paso's. All you need is about 2' of scrap angle iron, and a welder, and you too can make these molds that are superior to anything you can buy. They don't have to be pretty, anyone could make them.

[Land Owner]

Shape matters. Bed frame ingot mold. Triangle cross section. Eight inch (8") length. About 3#'s each ingot. Stack well. Less than twenty (20) per ammo can or it is too heavy to carry. Also doubles for pouring small amounts of tin less than 1 pound per bar.