Method of attaching insulation to a mold

For a two-piece ingot mold of the type comprising a mold cap having first and second ends and a mold body, wherein said cap sits atop said body with said first end facing down when said cap and said body are united to form the complete mold, a method for attaching a liner of insulation boards to the upper interior portion of said ingot mold, said method comprising the steps of:

• (1) attaching a plurality of first sheet metal strap members to a first group of said insulation boards;
• (2) positioning each of said boards in said first group of insulation boards adjacent one of the interior surfaces of said mold cap;
• (3) driving headed nail-like fasteners into said first straps so that the shanks of said fasteners penetrate said first straps, and said insulation boards and said mold cap, while the heads of said fasteners are stopped by said first straps, so that each of said boards in said first group of insulation boards is fastened to said cap and said interior surfaces of said cap are lined with insulation boards;
• (4) positioning a second group of insulation boards on said first end of said mold cap so that the insulation boards in said second group of insulation boards abut said insulation boards in said first group of insulation boards;
• (5) disposing a plurality of second sheet metal straps about the insulation boards in said second group of insulation boards so that said second straps have portions that overlie and grip said second group of insulation boards and portions that overlie and abut said first end of said cap;
• and
• (6) driving at least one headed fastener through each of the portions of said second straps that overlie and abut said first end of said cap so as to fasten each of said insulation boards in said second group of insulation boards to said first end of said cap.