First ingots made last night

[chris in va]

Maybe I lead a boring life, but I find the process to be fascinating! First time in my life I've ever seen steel float (except for ships:rolleyes:). When that piece of candle started smoking in the pot and fumigated my (thankfully) open garage, then caught fire I though "Oh God, what have I done".

Now I have 30# of wheelweight ingots sitting in my garage. I feel like Tom Hanks. "I...have created FIRE".:p

All I could find was a mini-muffin pan. It worked though.

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/4863/imgp4863.jpg (http://img20.imageshack.us/i/imgp4863.jpg/)

[Shane Tuttle]

Excellent!

A mini-muffin tin will do just fine. It will be easier to use as ingots that size for the melting pot. Looks like you also fluxed well, too. Welcome to the world of casting. It's going to be addictive...

[chris in va]

Yes yes...can't wait to get more WW! Local scrapyard sells them for .60/lb and I fully intend this time to get the longest LEAD weights out of their bucket.

So everything looks good? Here's a pic of the bottom, I guess it's just because the pan was cold. I'll definitely have to heat up the bullet mold to prevent this.
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1865/imgp4864.jpg (http://img62.imageshack.us/i/imgp4864.jpg/)

[LHB1]

Quote: "So everything looks good? Here's a pic of the bottom, I guess it's just because the pan was cold. I'll definitely have to heat up the bullet mold to prevent this."

Probably and yes, you will want to have the mold hot to allow bullets to fill out properly without wrinkles or voids. You can buy a nice Saeco ingot mold that casts 1 lb ingots from Midway: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=707564

Back in 1964 when I bought my first electric melting pot (Saeco bottom spout model), it came with that very same model ingot mold included. What a change from then to now.

[Jector]

Now I have 30# of wheelweight ingots sitting in my garage. I feel like Tom Hanks. "I...have created FIRE"

I know exactly how you feel. I just had the same experience last weekend. Fire is hot, lead is heavy, beer is cold, and life is good. :D

[Ivan]

Get MORE Lead! 30 pounds doesn't go very far.

BTW, why are you "Chris in VA" when you are in Kentucky???

- Ivan in VA.

[trip_sticker]

BTW, why are you "Chris in VA" when you are in Kentucky???

The VA could be Veterans Administration?