Gas pockets in lead ingots

[dalegann]

Earlier today I was casting ingots and found what appears to be gas pockets in the bottom of them. It was a new muffin tin that I was using. It quit doing it after a few runs. First time I've seen this. Is this normal and do I need to scrap the ingots that have the pockets? Thanks guys!

 

[armoredman]

Did you clean the tins with something new? Did it have a factory coating on it that burnt off with the lead?

 

[dalegann]

It did have a coating. Guess I should have burnt it off! You think the lead is ok?

 

[zxcvbob]

Should be fine. If you're worried, remelt them.

 

[James2]

You think the lead is ok?

I think the lead is OK. When you melt that lead for casting, flux it and remove the impurities that float, you will be good to go. Whatever caused those pockets has likely already gassed off and gone.

 

[blarby]

Manufacturing coating vaporizing and getting stuck under the cooling lead.

Aluminum muffin pan, i assume ?

 

[chris in va]

I still get the bubbles after using my teflon muffin pan for two years.

 

[blarby]

Teflon.

Thats your answer there, lol.

 

[splattergun]

Same thing happened to me the first time I used the muffin tin I bought at the 2nd hand store. I decided to clean it then smoke it. Works just fine now.
The bullets I cast from my bubbly 1st ingots came out just fine. Any faults were due to my learning curve, not bad lead.

 

[dalegann]

Thanks guys!

 

[Certaindeaf]

You don't shoot ingots. I'd not worry about it.

 

[JohnM]

Yeah, but can sure make some ugly ingots.
The new teflon coating used seems to be tough stuff.
I was smelting a lot of WW a while back and picked up a few new muffin tins at Wally World so I had some cool down time for dumping the molds.
Got tired of looking at those double ugly ingots and it took forever to burn that crud off the tins with a torch.
The best ones are the old well used blued steel ones from a second hand store, but they're getting hard to find around here.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Cast iron or straight aluminum for the ingots.

 

[JohnM]

Yeah, but new ones are terrible expensive and used ones are just impossible to find, that said, I got enough old beaters stashed away now to last me for several lifetimes.
The ingots from standard sized muffin molds just seem like a perfect size and shape to stack up and store away a lot of ready to melt clean lead.
Only thing I don't pour into ready to use ingots is my mountain of linotype.

 

[zxcvbob]

Stainless steel condiment cups make great ingot molds. Just don't knock them over when filling. (someday I'm gonna make a stand to hold about 8 or 10) They cost about $1 for 4 from walmart.

 

[dragon813gt]

Burn off the coating of it's Teflon. But be careful and wear the appropriate PPE. Look up Teflon Flu to find out why you don't want it. Did this to mine and they work perfectly.


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[rogn]

If you have a pet bird in the family, teflon fumes from a burned pot or overheated muffin tin will kill them in a few seconds. Peracute pulmonary hemorrhage.

 

[JohnM]

Sounds too dangerous to have around the house for cooking.
Better to use them for casting lead!

 

[Certaindeaf]

Sounds like they're just the ticket for birds though.