Ingot Molds

[ericb]

Have a whole bunch of lead sheet (Shower pan) from a Customer's Bathroom renovation. Good Lead, but very dirty with residue from original installation, oxidation, etc. Gonna melt it down, flux and clean it, and then pour into ingots for future use. (Paul, I saw your post on pouring Ingots in Clay grooves - I like it - gonna try that). My question concerns using Muffin Pans, as some folks do. I notice all the Muffin Pans I see are "non stick" - what's the story on using those?? Does the non stick coating hold up?

Eric

 

[lakota]

I coated the inside of the muffin pan I use with drop out from Midway. I figured it holds up to heavy use on the inside of a mold so it should work for the occasional use of making ingots with the muffin pan.

 

[Zonie]

The "non-stick" stuff is PTFE commonly called Teflon.

It's great for cooking because the dangerous temperatures are never reached however the 700+ degree F. temperature of melted lead is way above the temperature at which Teflon breaks down and forms a poisonous gas (620*F.)

I suggest that you go to a store that sells uncoated steel pans. Often a store like Salvation Army or other thrift stores will have old pans that were donated and can be bought for next to nothing.

 

[Macon Due]

Guys
Uncoated steel or aluminum works perfectly. Soon as the muffins cool for a few minutes upend em [using gloves] on a board, concrete floor ,whatever. They fall right out,I have cast thousands in muffin pans.
Macon

 

[majg1234]

cast iron corn stick pans work great and are cheap bought at a flea market or resale shop. these ingots melt really fast in my lyman furnace I use these for unknown lead alloy and RCBS ingot molds for pure lead to keep it all separated

 

[lakota]

Now that I look at my pan again I see it does not have the teflon coating

 

[zimmerstutzen]

About 30 yrs ago, I purchased 2500 lbs of lead. It was telephone cable sheilding lead melted down and molded in WW2 canteen cups. kidney shaped ingots that weighed an average of 15 poundes each. I got a steel mini muffin pan in a box of junk at a flea market. they are only 1.5 inches around and an inch deep, I place the muffin pan on sand on the ground and pour each depression half full. As soon as it cools to solid I flip it and dump them. Each mini ingot weighs about a half pound.

 

[jethro224]

I remember reading somewhere that someone was using angle iron for ingot molds. Comes in assorted sizes and lengths. The guy I saw welded the ends closed and I believe he said he welded some sort of legs to the bottom. Altho I have not yet tried it, it sounded like a very good idea to me. You could even just bury them partway into sand or dirt instead of welding the ends.

 

[BrownBear]

I've got conventional ingot molds from Redding, Lyman, RCBS and Saeco. Each forms four 1-pound ingots, a real convenient size for feeding into my electric pot. I think the most expensive was $5 at a garage sale and at last one was free. Best of all, each imprints its name-brand into the ingots, so with 4 I can use the names to indicate alloy.

I was using the Saeco today, working on cleaning over a ton of range lead I picked up from our local indoor range. Had to get rid of all the bullet jackets and range dust. An 8-inch dutch oven on a coleman stove is ideal for that job. The ingots are about worthless for muzzleloading due to the alloys, but dandy for the heavy fishing weights and jigs we use up here for salmon and halibut. (My "light" ones weigh 8 ounces and they range all the way up to 32 ounces.) You can really suck up a lot of lead in casting a year's supply.

Hard as pure lead is to get locally (or expensive), it would really chap my hiney to mistakenly use it in those weights and jigs. By the same token, I'd hate to get that alloy mixed up with my supply of pure lead. The names on the ingots take care of that.

 

[jtmattison]

A cheap and effective ingot mold can be made out of a 2x6 board. Route grooves in the board to the desired size and pour away. The ingots drop right out and the wood remains cool to handle if you design it correctly. I've seen old wooden cutting boards with the handle on the end grooved to make ingots. Wood lasts surprisingly long if you drop the ingots out as soon as they harden.

HD

 

[ericb]

Thanx everybody. As usual, no shortage of Ideas at this Campfire...

Eric

 

[sniper68]

As you can see, they're pleanty of choices. I like the cast iron corn muffin skillet the best. They're easy to add to a pot with out risking a splash. Just make sure anything you use is properly marked so there is "NO" chance down the road of being used for regular cooking!!! :shocked2: :nono:

 

[Semisane]

Here's my ingot mold made from welded sections of angle iron from an old bed frame.

 

[ericb]

That's a great Idea Semisane...kinda like the Lead Corn Muffins too...

Eric

 

[jethro224]

That's even slicker than the one I was thinking of. :thumbsup:

 

[Fred_Dwyer]

To Sniper68; OH the horrors! You spoilt an aebleskiver pan!! I've been looking for one for some months now. The ones available locally are cheap light alloy.
Here--don't those look tasty?
aebleskivers

 

[ericb]

Somebody else knows what Aebleskivers are?! I still remember my great Grandmother's Aebleskiver Pan; it had the legs for using on a coal/wood stove. I can remember my Mom showing me how they made 'em, turning them with Knitting Needles....

Not to divert this thread; some good stuff here....

Eric

 

[rafterob]

I hate to see you all using great cast iron cooking pans for lead molding. They would be considered contaminated after that and there is the possibility of them getting back into the "circuit" at some point. The best thing would be , as mentioned already, to get old muffin pans from a thrift store. They are not valued like cast iron is. Then, please ensure they don't make it into the food chain.

 

[ericb]

Point well taken, GhettoGun. I went to the Antique Co-Ops in the Amish Valley, thinking I could find some old Muffin Pans there, & I did, but went into sticker shock. Seems anything old marked Griswold, Lodge, etc went for $30-$50!! I had given up, when behind a bunch of old Ladles, utensils, etc, I found an unmarked but completely servicible cast iron Corn Muffin Pan for $8. When I got home I took my little Electric Engraver and Marked it "For Lead Casting Only - Not for Food Use".

Works Great...

Eric

 

[Macon Due]

Sir
That's about the niftiest ingot mold I have seen. Wish I had one like it.
Macon