Please Recommend me a ladle.

[blasternank]

I'm going to get a ladle and would like your opinions on what to get. I assume I may use it for pouring bullets but more than likely it will be used to skim pots of bad elements, etc. Just let me know any pro's or con's of some. Are they all about the same size or do they vary? If they vary what do you recommend and why?

Thanks.

[HangFireW8]

I have the Lyman and the RCBS and prefer the Lyman. Why? Something about balance and length, they are very slightly different, and one suits me better, that is all.

There are higher-end ladles, and I'm sure they are very nice, but my needs are modest.

I don't like to use my casting ladle to skim dross. Some of the dirt and drek will end up in the next pour of boolits. I use a wooden handled spoon instead.

-HF

[bumpo628]

I have the cast iron RCBS that they sell at Midwayusa for about $20. It is nice for pouring boolits since it has a hole in the side so if the top skins over it still pours. The cast iron keeps the heat too. I found that steel ladles cool quickly.

For skimming, go to the thrift or dollar stores and find a stainless steel spoon with holes or slots.

[onondaga]

Whatever ladle you get, I suggest you also get a big soup spoon or serving spoon for skimming and don't use your good ladle for that. Let the skimmer spoon get oxides and messed up instead of your good ladle.

When considering ladle size, take into consideration mold cavity size and cavity count . You need a lot bigger ladle for a 6 cavity mold that casts 250 gr bullets than a 2 cavity mold that casts 60 grain bullets. A ladle that holds 50% more than the largest amount you expect to pour is a rule of thumb I follow, less allows too much cooling. Also, a thick Iron ladle holds heat longer than aluminum or steel. I like the heat to hold.

Many casters make their own ladles also. I have seen some fine pictures of excellent home made ladles here on this board.

Gary

[stubshaft]

I use an RCBS with the spout drilled out a little and the handle shortened by 1 1/2".

[geargnasher]

Whatever you get, make certain it's a Rowel-type and that it's the right size for what you need. I only use a Lyman when I bottom-pour, and I'm not sure a better one can be had. The handle can be screwed into either end for right or left handed people.

Gear

[excess650]

I prefer my OLD Lyman for casting. It has a shorter handle and is lighter than the newer (10 years old) Lyman or the even longer and larger RCBS. As for stirring and skimming when fluxing, I use a SS teaspoon, and this info is for my 20# pots.

When I make larger batches of alloy or melt WW, range lead, etc, I use Rowell #1 and #2 bottom pour ladles, but they are only used when pouring ingots. For skimming and stirring I use a different, old ladle. BTW, I use a 5 qt dutch oven on a propane fired plumbers' furnace for melting scrap.

I don't like slotted spoons for skimming because they leave the dirt and dross flow through. That stuff still needs to come out!

[bigboredad]

I like to use a large soup ladle with a hole drill in the side to pour out of and the handel bent to where its comfortable to me. Full loaded it can hold almost 2 pounds of lead

[Doby45]

I only use a Lyman when I bottom-pour, and I'm not sure a better one can be had. The handle can be screwed into either end for right or left handed people.

Gear

I have the exact same ladle, excellent piece of equipment.

[GLL]

I also use RCBS ladles that have the spouts drill out and the handles shortened a couple inches !
For lefties the extra boss provided can be tapped and the handle moved to the other side.
I pour 4 & 6-cavity moulds with them almost every day ! 3000 .44 Specials this week ! :)

Jerry

[jhalcott]

I skim with a stainless soup ladle and pour with either cast iron ladle I grab first. DO NOT SKIM WITH YOUR GOOD LADLES!

[bumpo628]

I like to use a large soup ladle with a hole drill in the side to pour out of and the handel bent to where its comfortable to me. Full loaded it can hold almost 2 pounds of lead

I've got one just like this that I use for pouring ingots. The soup ladle holds a lot more lead than the RCBS.

[Wayne Smith]

I think the advice you've gotten, for once, is almost unaninous! Don't skim with your good pouring ladle and the Lyman or RCBS, perhaps with some minor changes, are excellent tools. I use the Lyman but would not mind exchaging it with the RCBS.

[Ohio Rusty]

I have a couple of older Lyman ladles .... the cast iron oblong ball type. I'm happy with them as the hold more than enough for boolits. The ladle will hold enough to pour big 69 caliber musket balls with plenty left over.

Several things I keep on hand for ladle pouring. I have a copper rod handy with a flat end. As you pour with a ladle for a bit, the pour hole will clog up a bit. I also keep handy one if the small wooden brass brushes for keeping the inside of the ladle free of accumulating debris.

Pour away !!
Ohio Rusty ><>

[flhroy]

'I like to use a large soup ladle with a hole drill in the side to pour out of and the handel bent to where its comfortable to me. Full loaded it can hold almost 2 pounds of lead '

I'm going to have to try drilling a hole in the side

Mine used to have a plastic handle until it melted

[blasternank]

Thanks! I've gotten a lot of great ideas from your posts. It's great to be able to get answers to any of your questions all right here in one spot! I've been picking up a lot of casting stuff from everyone's recommendations. I hope I can work it as well as ya'll.

[Skipper488]

+1 for the Lyman, it easily adapts for right or left handers.

[garym1a2]

I like my Lyman ladle, works great for lefties also. My lee ladle is not much of a ladle for bullets but it is a great stirrer and skimmer.

[blasternank]

It seems that everyone loves their lymans so I think I might go with that! Thanks for all the input.

[Irascible]

You've already been told not to use the ladle for skimming to that I add;
For skimming, I had my wife pick up a stainless steel ice tea spoon which is quite long. I then cut off the top, fat part of the handle. I cut off a 6" section of an old broom handle, drilled a hole in, clamped the spoon in a vice and pounded the new wooden handle down onto it. I now have a long tea spoon with an insulated handle for fluxing and skimming in the casting pot.
At the same flea market, she found a couple of slotted spoons. A long one to skim WW clips when alloying on the plumbers furnace and a table spoon size one for use in the casting furnace.

[WILCO]

I have the cast iron RCBS that they sell at Midwayusa for about $20.

Me too. [smilie=s:

[cbrick]

Something I haven't seen mentioned in this thread, the Rowell ladel is a bottom pour. In a ladel, just like in the pot any debris or oxidation will float to the top, instead of pouring from the top of the ladel and pouring any possible debris into the mould, the Rowell pours from the bottom of the ladel.

I admit to very little experience with the RCBS or Lyman. I have three sizes of Rowell ladel, #1 for most molds, #2 (with the handle shortened a bit) for large bullets in 4 and 6 cavity molds, #5 for smelting and pouring my 5 pound ingots. All are bottom pour ladels.

Rick

[blasternank]

Something I haven't seen mentioned in this thread, the Rowell ladel is a bottom pour. the Rowell pours from the bottom of the ladel.

I admit to very little experience with the RCBS or Lyman. I have three sizes of Rowell ladel, #1 for most molds, #2 (with the handle shortened a bit) for large bullets in 4 and 6 cavity molds, #5 for smelting and pouring my 5 pound ingots. All are bottom pour ladels.

Rick

Rick,

Where do you find them? I've been looking through my catalogs and can't find them.

Thanks

[cbrick]

Blaster, just click the Roto Metals link at the top of this very page. On the menu on the left click on "casting ladels".

For most normal casting Rowell #1 is just the ticket. They have most all of the Rowell ladels but they get progressively bigger right up to huge.

Rick

[Char-Gar]

I have ladles by Lyman, RCBS and Rowel. While they all cast good bullets, they do have a different feel or balance that one person may prefer over another.

I do drill out the hole on the Lyman and RCBS to get the lead out faster. This makes a big difference in big bore bullets and doesn't hurt with smaller bullets.

[BABore]

The Lyman and RCBS ladles are technically a bottom pour design as well. I prefer the RCBS because it holds a little more and has a dross skimmer on the bottom. The pour hole is drilled out to 0.160. If I'm using a mold that like the pour method, I second the Rowell 1 lb ladle with short handle. I filed a "V' in the pour spout for finer control. You can buy Rowell ladles direct from the source here;

http://www.advancecarmover.com/index.php

[Marlin Junky]

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,123.html

I'm using the 1# Rowell for DC molds and the 2 pounder for 6C molds. They also make good fluxing ladles because of their large diameter and long handles. The really nice thing about the Rowell ladles is you can see your metal going into the cavities and modify your pour rate and elevation to suit individual molds.

MJ

[lbaize3]

I have the Lyman ladle and the Rowell #1. You can not pressure pour with the Rowell, but it is excellent for 4 and 6 cavity molds. I intend to get the RCBS ladle because it looks like it holds a bit more than the Lyman and I pressure pour my rifle bullets. I use the two small Lee ladles to skim the pot and I have a larger spoon with holes in it to skim the smelting pot.

[semtav]

I learned with a rowell ladle cause that is what my neighbor taught me with. I used it for a year and a half. worked great on some molds, especially if one had antimony in the mix, but I was having lots of problems getting good base fill unless I ran the pot real hot 800+ deg. on a lot of my bigger molds. I switched to an RCBS, and it was like night and day. great base fill at 700 - 800 deg pot, and tight sprues. will never go back to the Rowell.

[Marlin Junky]

I have the Lyman ladle and the Rowell #1. You can not pressure pour with the Rowell...

I don't know what you mean by "pressure pour" but you certainly can adjust the pouring height which will change the pressure at which the alloy is delivered. I have molds that respond better to resting the spout of the Rowell ladle on the sprue plate and others that respond better to a 1/2" or more stream into the sprue hole... it is the most versatile ladle.

MJ

[Marlin Junky]

...will never go back to the Rowell.

You ain't using it correctly.

MJ

[cbrick]

I learned with a rowell ladle cause that is what my neighbor taught me with. I used it for a year and a half. worked great on some molds, especially if one had antimony in the mix, but I was having lots of problems getting good base fill unless I ran the pot real hot 800+ deg. on a lot of my bigger molds. I switched to an RCBS, and it was like night and day. great base fill at 700 - 800 deg pot, and tight sprues. will never go back to the Rowell.

I can't imagine what you are doing differently.

I use the Rowell ladles exclusively,
I get perfect base fill out,
I couldn't tell you from experience if my pot would get to 800 degrees, nor do I intend to find out.

Since I am one that's always willing to learn something new, please explain why having Sb in the alloy would make a difference regarding the brand of ladle?

Rick

[Marlin Junky]

I would like to add that I believe using a Rowell ladle can make you a better caster simply because there is more technique involved. More technique means your brain is interfacing with the physics of mold filling to a greater extent than if you were simply plugging the ladle into the sprue hole and rotating. Also, I'm pretty sure anyone can learn to fill a mold faster and more accurately with a Rowell ladle than with one of those nipple jobs. I will concede that the nipple ladles are neater (less messy) but I'll vote for flexibility over a few droplets of alloy on the bottom of my molds (which really don't stick anyway 'cause I've got 'em coated with Bullplate or similar).

MJ

[Char-Gar]

"Pressure casting" is when the mold and dipper are joined together, being held on their sides and inverted with the ladle on top while still in firm contact. There is very little spru with this method and often works very well. It won't work well, if the mold is not well vented, as the air can't come out the spru hole.

[Marlin Junky]

"Pressure casting" is when the mold and dipper are joined together, being held on their sides and inverted with the ladle on top while still in firm contact. There is very little spru with this method and often works very well. It won't work well, if the mold is not well vented, as the air can't come out the spru hole.

OK, call it what you want but this is where we run into communication problems. Pressure is a function of depth, so if you've got a teaspoon of liquid alloy directly on top of the sprue plate, there ain't a whole lotta pressure involved... is there? In actuality, there's more pressure involved the way I cast with a deluge of alloy into the sprue hole like niagra falls vs. a trickle in from a Lyman eyedropper.

Cast how ya all wants. I started with a Lyman dipper 'cause that's what the guy at the counter sold me when I was a mere child. Next, I went to an RCBS dipper when I complained to him that my .458" boolits weren't coming out as nice as my .357's. Now I'm having more fun casting with my real ladles than I ever had with my nipple ladles. I actually think a caster can fill a big 6C mold with a Rowell#2 faster and with better quality control than the best bottom pour casting furnaces.

MJ

[cbrick]

I actually think a caster can fill a big 6C mold with a Rowell#2 faster and with better quality control than the best bottom pour casting furnaces. MJ

I have only one thing to say about that . . .

Yep!

Rick

[semtav]

What size bullets are you casting with it? It worked great for me with 22, 25, 30, and 8mm, but my 40 and 45 cals had problems. Yes, I found a technique that worked. Had to hold my left leg up like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant, say three chant words, tip the mold, attach the ladle start the pour while rotating it, then after exactly one second, no more, no less, raise the mold exactly one inch above the the spru and continue to pour for exactly 1.7 seconds. If I did all that exactly as described, I had great bullets. If I weakened for one fraction of a second, I got rounded bases.

Now I can just smoothly and comfortably cast 50 bullets in aobut half an hour, put my stuff away. come back the next day, cast 50 more etc, etc and life is good. That is all I can stand and all I need. Before I was getting totally frustrated and really started hating casting.

Your results may vary, and if they do, more power to you. We each have to do what works best for us.

[mpmarty]

What works best for me is a twenty pound bottom pour pot. When I heat up the pot I expect to cast for several hours using two, three or four different molds. I tried ladel casting and found it too slow.

[cbrick]

I cast 22 through 45 caliber and most in between all with perfect bases, nothing less is acceptable.

Now see, a little communication is all it takes, we have figured out the problem. You are simply holding up the wrong leg [smilie=1:.

Rick

[Char-Gar]

To skim with, I took a stainless serving spoon, drill a few holes in the bottom and filed the handle down to a thin shank. I then drilled a few holes in the end of large hardwood dowel rod and filled them with epoxy. The shank of the spoon was stuck down in the epoxy filled hole and that was that.

[blasternank]

Great! Thanks for all the pointers and recommendations.

[blasternank]

You can buy Rowell ladles direct from the source here;

http://www.advancecarmover.com/index.php


This link is not valid. Do you have another link?

[Doby45]

You need to click on the left handside and click on Rowell Ladles.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b327/Doby45/Capture.jpg

http://advancecarmover.thomasnet.com/category/rowell-ladles?

[cbrick]

Hhmmm . . . I have nothing for or against Advance Car Movers and know nothing about their link.

However, Roto Metals is a sponsor of this site and their link works (it's right on top of this page), Advance Car Movers is not. If you are going to buy one why not support our supporters?

Rick