Easy
Process:
I've used a square corn bread muffin pan to cast my left over aluminum but because the material is so thin, the 640 degree (C) molten metal warped the muffin pan quite badly to the point where it was hard to get the ingots out so I decided I was going to make a more permanent solution.
My brother in law generously gave me 3 feet of 2.500" by 1.500" square tubing (1/8" thick) so I took my metal band saw, set the vise to about 3 degrees and cut 8 pieces at 4" long.
After deburring the edges, I used my angle grinder to cut off the top piece of the square tubing (the end where the tubing was welded together. Then I used a grinding wheel to grind off any protruding metal that could prevent the ingots from sliding out.
Then, I used the vise and a 2.500" diameter piece of brass to press it into the c-channel pieces to widen out the top.
After that, I took some 1.500" wide by 1/8" thick flat bar, cut 16 pieces at 2.500" wide and welded them to each side of the square tubing pieces.
Lastly, I used some 1" angle iron to weld all the 8 finished individual ingot molds together into one unit.
Videos:
Pictures:
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| Some zinc ingots made using a square corn bread muffin pan |
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| Some aluminum ingots made using the same corn bread muffin pan |
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| The muffin pan taking its toll because the metal is so thin |
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| The bottom of the muffin pan quite heavily warped |
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| Starting out with some 2.500" by 1.500" square tubing |
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| Cutting 4" pieces with a 3 degree angle on the sides |
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| Welding some flat bar on the sides |
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| All 8 molds welded and laid out to connect together |
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| Using some 1" angle iron to tie the individual molds together |
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| Reinforcing the outside with some more 1" angle iron |
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| The finished ingot mold |
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| Trying it out with some lead |
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| Thirty four-pound ingots later |
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| The ingots turned out really nice |
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| Another view of the lead stack |
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| My stash |
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| Cutting up two square bars for the handles |
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| After I bent and welded the handles to the ingot mold |
Tools:
Metal band saw
Measuring tape
Marker
Square
Angle protractor
Angle grinder
Eye and ear protection
Belt sander
MIG welder
DIY MIG welder cart
Aluminum foundry
Foundry burner
Materials:
32" of 2.500" by 1.500" square tubing
28" of 1" angle iron
20" of 3/8" by 3/8" square iron bars
Cost:
$0.00
Time:
4 hrs
Savings:
$50
Conclusion:
Ah, it's so nice to have some decent ingots! Yes, go ahead, roll your eyes at me, Melanie!
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