How About Custom Ingot Molds?

Me again, a newbie - Does anyone know where I can get custom ingot molds so I can pour my own ingots with my logo on them? Mostly for friends & family, but I thought it would be cool to give as gifts a gold or silver coin with my smiling face(faces) on it!

Usually the bars are poured into standard graphite molds (which wear out from the heat) and stamped. So what you're looking for is a stamp to stamp any size bars you pour. Plus it makes sense because some friends will get a 1/2 ounce bar but some may require a kilo bar!

I was thinking something more like steel mold that wont melt, in the shape of a coin with my logo milled into the mold - Russ

Coins aren't molded. They are cut with a die from a sheet and struck in a coining press. Small coins would be costly to produce.

You may have some luck with lost wax casting. But that's another field of study.

The most direct route (and the least upfront cost) would be trade the gold you refine in for already made coins.

Try this page for a mold in cast iron. Or try a michine shop fora custom made mold.

http://www.progresstool.com/pd_double_sided.cfm

Ray

Nice mold, I have never personally been able to make a bar come out to an exact weight, close yes, exact no. With these molds and using a torch to cool the bar slowly you should be able to create a nice bar with 2 nice sides. Like a blank canvas waiting for you to stamp on it whatever you want.

Russ,

A coin with your face on it? That would be a cruel gift. :lol:

I'm sorry, just kidding, I couldn't resist the temptation.

However, here is a post from a fellow forum member who machines his own stamps for coins. These are steel stamps that are hand operated, ie "hit it with hammer", so no special equipment need be obtained.

My guess is that if anyone on this forum could help you, it is he.

Good Luck,
Nick

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=2716&highlight=coin+stamps

You might want to try making your own stamp out of a piece of steel. A dremel rotary tool and a center punch can carve a simple design with a steady hand. Probably not for real detailed designs unless you are an artist but a simple design with a circle of dots around the outside could make a unique coin. Like an old roman copper coin.

Even cold rolled steel should get you some coins stamped. I made one from cold rolled and stamped a design on lead and then in a piece of copper pipe just testing it out. It was crude but it worked. I expect it would work with gold or silver too.

I used a big hammer and also a vise as a press. A regular press would have worked nicer but it did stamp a star with a circle of dots around it.

I also got one of the hand stamps from a couple messages ago and it is real nicely made. A collar would be nice to keep the coins round but it does stamp a nice detailed, miniature coin about 3/8 inch diameter.

While surfing the web, I run across this site : http://www.infinitystamps.com/oscommerce/product_info.php?products_id=88

I don't know anything about this company or their stamps but if you are in the business of selling your refined gold as bars, this might allow you to get a professional look to a cast bar. (cast your bar then stamp the design into it)

Might be worth at least getting a quote or checking out further.

I saw this old thread while correcting broken links and figured it would be a good spot to let everyone know that I am currently setting up a CNC machine that will allow me to make custom stamps and molds.

I will keep the forum and my website updated as to when I can begin making them for those interested.

Steve

Steve, let me know when you are set up!

I can think of many things I would like CNC'd.

I also have access to and have a bunch of nice solid tungsten carbide end mill bits...1/8-2"

I'm calibrating the axis' tonight.

Next I will do some test runs to confirm my backlash reduction and calibrations are spot on.

My first few projects are already designed in CAD, plus the tooling and materials are in hand.

After the above items I will be making some mold and stamp samples for demonstration on the forum and my site.

Steve

Steve, hope it will work out as you paln.
Pls be careful with graphite dust.