Ladle pore

[krallstar]

I got to say this does not seem to work for me. Tried for over an hour and could not get it right. Poring from the ladle the lead would cool to quickly. I got a couple of good bullets but seemed like alot of trouble for a handfulls. Got bored and tried this. Kinda bites knowing i have a Lee 4 20 waiting to be opened on 5-23 can't wait

[krallstar]

I was using a stainless soup ladle. I thought that might be the problem. I was pouring into a 200gr .45 mold. Just playing abit. Getting a bit impatient.

[Von Gruff]

Heck, for the first nearly 20 years of casting I used my home made ladle that was origonally a soupspoon. Keep the ladle in the melt when not is use and have the melt at good casting temps and something like this is as good as the cast iron lyman ladles EXCEPT that the lyman ladle I now use has the bottom pour advantage.
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv39/VonGruff/Cast%20bullets/0012_zps39660998.jpg (http://s667.photobucket.com/user/VonGruff/media/Cast%20bullets/0012_zps39660998.jpg.html)

[longbow]

I use an old plumber's pot and ladle that holds about 3 lbs. of lead. It floats on the melt while I am knocking sprues off.

I have been ladle casting for about 45 years and prefer it to bottom pour pot. In fact for large volume cavities like minies and shotgun slugs a ladle is way better than bottom pour pots in my opinion. I get more lead in a mould faster with a ladle than a bottom pour pot... or any I have used anyway.

You do have to keep the ladle hot so don't set it on your casting bench while knocking off sprues, leave it in the lead. Also, keep the lead surface well drossed because dross skin will slow the pour and may carryover dross into the mould. No big deal, just flux as you need to and scoop new lead if a skin forms.

It works for me anyway.

Longbow

[detox]

I really like the ladle when making smaller batches (100 or less) of boollits. When making large batches of boollits i like the bottom pour.

[stubshaft]

I don't use a bottom pour anymore. Ladle casting has fewer rejects and I can cast larger 580gr+ boolits easier.

[krallstar]

When you guys ladle cast, do you use 2 cavity or more molds. I would think a 6 cavity might be a slight problem.

[44man]

Yes, the big mold is the problem, it really needs fed faster from bottom pour.
I use 1 or 2 cavity molds with a Lyman ladle, no spoons. I sometimes run 2 molds together and have gotten crazy a few times and ran 3 but that is tough.
The secret to ladle casting is a good ladle like the Lyman or RCBS. Cast iron, stays hot. Turn the mold sideways and insert the ladle tight in the sprue hole, tip both up and let the hardening boolit draw the lead it needs from the molten lead in the ladle by holding long enough. Then just tip off the ladle leaving a nice sprue. The boolit should not have to draw lead from the sprue. As soon as the sprue sets, do the same at the next cavity.

[Marlin Junky]

I was using a stainless soup ladle. I thought that might be the problem. I was pouring into a 200gr .45 mold. Just playing abit. Getting a bit impatient.

That's not a casting ladle!

This is a casting ladle that'll put any (Lee, RCBS, whatever) bottom pour furnace to shame:

http://www.buffaloarms.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=160455&CAT=3900

MJ

[theperfessor]

I'll keep my bottom pour, thank you. Dip all you want. It's twice the work. Too many things to handle, pick up, and set down.

Of course I keep my spout clean but that doesnt seem too hard to do.

[Marlin Junky]

I'll keep my bottom pour, thank you. Dip all you want. It's twice the work. Too many things to handle, pick up, and set down.

Everyone has their own techniques and preference and that's perfectly fine; however, it's not true that using a Rowell is twice the work and I seriously doubt you've ever used one much less become proficient with it. One has to take a break from pouring to open the mold regardless of how they are transferring alloy; and, a 4 to 6-cavity mold can be filled in less time with a #2 than an RCBS bottom pour furnace with fewer rejects. Naturally, there are pros and cons to each method and I've used just about every manually operated boolit casting method one can imagine. The downside to the Rowell method is that the caster needs to transfer alloy to the mold over the surface of the melt and develop technique to control alloy flow. Once that is accomplished, using a Rowell#2 is very consistent, efficient and flexible. Every boolit mold has its own individual quirks and peculiarities that can easily be addressed by refining pouring techniques with a Rowell ladle and I use the #2 for everything from 2-cavity .30 caliber Lyman molds to my 44 caliber 6-cavity Lee mold. The tiny Lyman molds fill with no more that a splash from the 2 pound Rowell (I have been known to use the 1-pounder occasionally) while the bigger, .35+ caliber ferrous molds, take a couple more seconds to ensure all the sprues are perfect. With experience, a simple glance at the product of the cast will indicate whether you need to pour more slowly, more quickly, pour a taller or shorter column, spend more or less time pouring the sprue, etc.... there is no fiddling with mold guides... just pouring... 6 big cavities in 3-5 seconds (if you will). You'll also require less power to keep your melt at the proper temperature because alloy is entering the mold more efficiently. Less heat also means less oxidation of the melt. Granted, I didn't have my brand new RCBS bottom pour for years and years because I was dissatisfied with it's production quality and sold it after a couple months to purchase a dipper-only Magma "MasterPot"; however, there's no way I could pour a quality 200+ grain .30 caliber boolit with that thing running at 650F. With the 40# MasterPot and a Rowell#2, I cast .30-.35 caliber boolits from RCBS and SAECO molds at a zero rejection rate (after about a dozen preliminary casts) and I can do it at 650F (or less in the case of SAECO 356 and RCBS 35-200) with perfect fillout using a combination of range scrap and WW metal (which is a stick-on/clip-on blend); and, (no brag, just fact) can do it within +/- .2-.3 grains of the mean boolit weight for at least an hour of casting. Now one might notice I use a fairly up scale furnace but I've been casting since about '73-'74 shortly after landing my first full-time job; however, if money is an issue and propane reasonably priced, I would recommend a turkey frier, a cast iron pot (w/ lid) and an RCBS thermometer to get started. That way, a green caster immediately starts casting on what will eventually end up his permanent ingot rendering equipment, can migrate to a more upscale furnace when the cost can be justified and not concern himself about unloading their disposable Lee equipment when they've out-grown it.

MJ

[Larry Gibson]

.........The secret to ladle casting is a good ladle like the Lyman or RCBS. Cast iron, stays hot. Turn the mold sideways and insert the ladle tight in the sprue hole, tip both up and let the hardening boolit draw the lead it needs from the molten lead in the ladle by holding long enough. Then just tip off the ladle leaving a nice sprue. The boolit should not have to draw lead from the sprue. As soon as the sprue sets, do the same at the next cavity.

That is the way to do it. There is a more detailed explanation in the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbooks with pictures. I will most often ladle poor cast bullets of 300+ gr because it fills out better in the mould, the key being to get the alloy into the mould as quickly as posible. Many bottom pour furnaces won't do that even with the spout opened up.

Larry Gibson

[Marlin Junky]

Quote Originally Posted by 44man
.........The secret to ladle casting is a good ladle like the Lyman or RCBS. Cast iron, stays hot. Turn the mold sideways and insert the ladle tight in the sprue hole, tip both up and let the hardening boolit draw the lead it needs from the molten lead in the ladle by holding long enough. Then just tip off the ladle leaving a nice sprue. The boolit should not have to draw lead from the sprue. As soon as the sprue sets, do the same at the next cavity.
That is the way to do it. There is a more detailed explanation in the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbooks with pictures. I will most often ladle poor cast bullets of 300+ gr because it fills out better in the mould, the key being to get the alloy into the mould as quickly as posible. Many bottom pour furnaces won't do that even with the spout opened up.

Larry Gibson

With a Rowell#2 there is no time and effort spent mating the silly nipple to the sprue hole and rotating the ladle and mold in unison... the process is aim and flood :bigsmyl2: BAM!... but have it your way. You can lead a horse to water... blah, blah, blah.

MJ

[cstrickland]

Can you use this technique on say a 3 or 4 cavity mold in the 22 cal size ?

[Marlin Junky]

If you're talking to me, of course you can. I'd probably use a #1 ladle though since four .22 cavities holds about equivalent of one .35 cavity and you'd be a little more nibble with the 1-pounder vs. the 2-pounder. The one pounder comes in a short handle version too, IIRC. I like the long handles though because I have a big pot and I use the same ladle for fluxing and casting.

MJ

P.S. Here a source for the short handle #1 but the neck of the handle (that defines its length) is just a piece of drill rod tapped at both ends: http://www.theantimonyman.com/ladles.htm

[cstrickland]

If you're talking to me, of course you can. I'd probably use a #1 ladle though since four .22 cavities holds about equivalent of one .35 cavity and you'd be a little more nibble with the 1-pounder vs. the 2-pounder. The one pounder comes in a short handle version too, IIRC. I like the long handles though because I have a big pot and I use the same ladle for fluxing and casting.



P.S. Here ya go: http://www.theantimonyman.com/ladles.htm

I don't think Buffalo Arms carries the short handled #1


MJ I guess yes and no as for directing the question. I was just looking for anyone to answer. how does it effect the boolits going from cavity to cavity . would you use the same twist pour action ?? what does the extra time in the mold do to the boolit in cavity number 1 as far a cooling ?? sorry if this is remediable , but I am new and this was the direction I was leaning versus going with a bottom pour. I was not sure if there would be an issue with such small bullets. how do you keep the temp of the mold up ??

[twofocused]

I'm a newb but, I love my Lyman ladle. I let it lay in the lead while knock off the sprue.

Works like a charm but, I have noticed that the lead has to be very hot.

[Marlin Junky]

MJ I guess yes and no as for directing the question. I was just looking for anyone to answer. how does it effect the boolits going from cavity to cavity . would you use the same twist pour action ?? what does the extra time in the mold do to the boolit in cavity number 1 as far a cooling ?? sorry if this is remediable , but I am new and this was the direction I was leaning versus going with a bottom pour. I was not sure if there would be an issue with such small bullets. how do you keep the temp of the mold up ??

Here's basically how it's done:

You place the mold over the top of your pot on a slight incline making sure the low end of the mold is over the melt because that's where the runoff back into the pot shall occur.

Metal is poured into the first cavity and allowed to fill, when it overlfows, move to the next cavity, etc. The mold stays in the same location during the entire pour while the ladle is moved down the sprue plate filling cavities and possibly back up the sprue plate to ensure good sprues. The rest is technique. The only way to fill a mold faster is to fill each cavity simultaneously.

MJ

[cstrickland]

Here's basically how it's done:

You place the mold over the top of your pot on a slight incline making sure the low end of the mold is over the melt because that's where the runoff back into the pot shall occur.

Metal is poured into the first cavity and allowed to fill, when it overlfows, move to the next cavity, etc. The mold stays in the same location during the entire pour while the ladle is moved down the sprue plate filling cavities and possibly back up the sprue plate to ensure good sprues. The rest is technique. The only way to fill a mold faster is to fill each cavity simultaneously.

MJ

got ya so you are not turning the mold to a 9o° angle to mate the nozzle of the ladle. you are just keeping the mold stationary and moving the ladle down the row. . the videos I saw the guy was turning the mold on it side, then inserted the nozzle of the ladle in the sprue opening, and then tilted both back to vertical together. once it filled he then just tipped the ladle back

[Marlin Junky]

. . the videos I saw the guy was turning the mold on it side, then inserted the nozzle of the ladle in the sprue opening, and then tilted both back to vertical together. once it filled he then just tipped the ladle back

That's the way Lyman taught folks how to do it. With some experience, one can fill a 4-6 cavity mold using a Rowell#2 in less time than it takes to fill one cavity using Lyman's method.

MJ

[Kull]

Here's basically how it's done:

You place the mold over the top of your pot on a slight incline making sure the low end of the mold is over the melt because that's where the runoff back into the pot shall occur.

Metal is poured into the first cavity and allowed to fill, when it overlfows, move to the next cavity, etc. The mold stays in the same location during the entire pour while the ladle is moved down the sprue plate filling cavities and possibly back up the sprue plate to ensure good sprues. The rest is technique. The only way to fill a mold faster is to fill each cavity simultaneously.

MJ

Pretty much exactly how I go about it also, excerpt I'm using a #1 ladle. I physically touch the ladle to the side of the sprue plate, then start the pour and slide down the sprue plate as the cavities fill and overflow to the next. Once to the far end I lift off and come back up for a good sprue.

[44man]

If I had a larger mold I would go to the Rowell ladle before I ever went near the bottom pour. MJ is right about it.
Time for me is not an issue so I stay with my Lyman ladle. I will get the first boolit perfect and dump 20# of lead without a reject.
We are talking just seconds difference.
I will tell you what hurts me most! [smilie=s: When I dump a huge pile of boolits and they need lubed and sized, much more work for a lazy old fart!

[Marlin Junky]

If I had a larger mold I would go to the Rowell ladle before I ever went near the bottom pour. MJ is right about it.
Time for me is not an issue so I stay with my Lyman ladle. I will get the first boolit perfect and dump 20# of lead without a reject.
We are talking just seconds difference.
I will tell you what hurts me most! [smilie=s: When I dump a huge pile of boolits and they need lubed and sized, much more work for a lazy old fart!

Actually, after any given mold has been broken in and/or "figured out", my problem is repetitive stress syndrome coupled with boredom. The former is remedied with a couple Aleve and a brief workout; regarding the latter, I'm going to start buying books on DVD. In my case, the bigger the pile of boolits the better, because I stow them and size/check/lube when I'm ready to shoot.

MJ

[Changeling]

That's the way Lyman taught folks how to do it. With some experience, one can fill a 4-6 cavity mold using a Rowell#2 in less time than it takes to fill one cavity using Lyman's method.

MJ

MJ is there any advantage to using a Rowell #1 ladle, over a Lyman ladle for someone casting with a 2 cavity mold with bullets in the 200 to 360 grain catagory in wheel weights ?
With all your years of experience, I really appreciate your opinion very much.

[Marlin Junky]

MJ is there any advantage to using a Rowell #1 ladle, over a Lyman ladle for someone casting with a 2 cavity mold with bullets in the 200 to 360 grain catagory in wheel weights ?

The #2 is overkill for a 2 cavity Lyman mold and indeed when I use my #2 with a 2-cavity mold in that weight range, I return at least 1/2 a bowl to the furnace after the cavities and sprue plate have been filled. Nevertheless, I prefer a #2 for its greater depth than the #1. Comparing a #2 Rowell to a Lyman dipper is analogous to picking up your casting furnace and dumping metal into a mold vs. transferring metal "Lyman Style" with a nipple ladle.

I only spent a couple years in my youth with a Lyman ladle before purchasing an RCBS ladle which I happily used for years, if not decades... IIRC, I opened up the nozzle a bit, though. In an attempt to cast more than a couple hundred rifle boolits per session, I tried casting with quality (never owned a Lee furnance) bottom pouring furnances which really need a supporting furnace for hot metal supply (one needs to keep adding metal to retain the head pressure) and generally more heat to keep the spouts clear. Finally I purchased a Magma MasterPot custom ordered for dipper only and a pair of Rowell ladles (a #1 & #2). The next time I configure a casting system, it may be around a nat-gas system with some kind of heat regulating device (perhaps I'm just dreaming); however, the ladles won't change.

MJ

[Changeling]

Hi MJ, so what you are saying to me is that for large 2 cavity molds a Lyman (RCBS is better, I don't like Lyman either) is basically as efficient as a Rowell #1 ladle, if I have read things right.

If I missrepresented what you have said, I'm sorry. Please correct me.

It has been a pleasure hearing you speak regarding your procedures, thank you.

[Marlin Junky]

Hi MJ, so what you are saying to me is that for large 2 cavity molds a Lyman (RCBS is better, I don't like Lyman either) is basically as efficient as a Rowell #1 ladle, if I have read things right.

I don't understand how you could possibly get that impression from what I wrote. Please re-read my posts. In the context of what I've been writing, the following quote means go ahead and use a Rowell#1 for your 2-cavity Lyman molds:


The #2 is overkill for a 2 cavity Lyman mold and indeed when I use my #2 with a 2-cavity mold in that weight range, I return at least 1/2 a bowl to the furnace after the cavities and sprue plate have been filled. Nevertheless, I prefer a #2 for its greater depth than the #1.

You'll probably return a bit of alloy to the furnace when using a Rowell#1 but that's a whole heck of a lot better than running out of metal in your ladle!

MJ

[44man]

It will be hang time with an RCBS or Lyman ladle so you can turn the mold again. Just a short time while you fill the ladle again.
The Rowell just lets you pour one after another keeping the mold level and it will keep the lead HOT. It would be my choice with many cavities but since I use two cavity molds I am fine with a Lyman.

[MGySgt]

The newer Lyman ladles have a bigger bowl on them, but you still have to drill out the pouring hole to get a good flow. The only issue I have with the RCBS is that blasted fin on the bottom - it keeps hitting every thing :)

I use the newer Lyman (with the spout drilled out larger) to fill everything from 1 to 6 cavities. You may need to dip more lead for the bigger boolits in 4 to 6 cavities, but I get much more consistent boolits from the ladle than I ever did from a bottom pour. I tried twice to use bottom pours and both times I got so frustrated with rejects and more variance in boolit weight - I just stuck with the ladles. I have a Rowell # 1 and # 2 - but they are too large for the mouth of the pot when I set my 4 - 6 cavity moulds on the lip. So I stick with the new Lyman ladle.

[44man]

I think I will grind off that silly fin. I don't know what it is for.
My old Lyman does not have the stupid thing.

[Larry Gibson]

No disagreementwith MJ that using a proper ladle is good also. Many of us don't fine using a bottom pour furnace dificult to use at all and can mould lots of excellent quality bullets quickly using it, especially with the multiple cavitly moulds. I have used the Rowell #1 & 3 ladles and they work fine but since I only ladle pour cast bullets of 300 + gr in weight all of those moulds I have are single cavity and the 2 Lyman ladles I have (spouts drilled larger for faster flow) work just fine and as well as the Rowell's did.

Just a matter of what woks for you and what you want to use I guess. I'll continue to use both as both methods work for me.

Larry Gibson

[Rattus58]

I got to say this does not seem to work for me. Tried for over an hour and could not get it right. Poring from the ladle the lead would cool to quickly. I got a couple of good bullets but seemed like alot of trouble for a handfulls. Got bored and tried this. Kinda bites knowing i have a Lee 4 20 waiting to be opened on 5-23 can't waitThat is the only means that I have to pour and what I do is I pour a line up the sprue to the fill hole overflow and back down into the pot. You have to tilt the mold sometimes in order that you can fill the mold and let the air out then right it to overflow... the only time I have real problems is with two piece molds like the lyman 580677... but then too... after a bit you overcome the wrinkles... in my humble opinion... I use a torch to blacken thoroughly the mold as well before pouring and that makes for a smooth bullet too... though somewhat smaller... :grin:

[MGySgt]

I think I will grind off that silly fin. I don't know what it is for.
My old Lyman does not have the stupid thing.
The instruction sheet with it said it was for faster heating and to help scrap the walls and bottom of the pot.

Well that is what it said - it is more of a PITA than anything else!

[Changeling]

I have a Lyman ladle that I bought at a church /yardsale. It's brand new, but old, so it must be the smaller bowl type. However for a couple bucks it was a good buy.
When you say drill out the spout for better flow, what size drill did you guys find works best?

Asking all these questions because I haven't ever poured any bullets yet! I have/or getting, all the top notch equipment and supplies.

[snuffy]

Everyone has their own techniques and preference and that's perfectly fine; however, it's not true that using a Rowell is twice the work and I seriously doubt you've ever used one much less become proficient with it.

One has to take a break from pouring to open the mold regardless of how they are transferring alloy; and, a 4 to 6-cavity mold can be filled in less time with a #2 than an RCBS bottom pour furnace with fewer rejects.

Naturally, there are pros and cons to each method and I've used just about every manually operated boolit casting method one can imagine. The downside to the Rowell method is that the caster needs to transfer alloy to the mold over the surface of the melt and develop technique to control alloy flow.

Once that is accomplished, using a Rowell#2 is very consistent, efficient and flexible. Every boolit mold has its own individual quirks and peculiarities that can easily be addressed by refining pouring techniques with a Rowell ladle and I use the #2 for everything from 2-cavity .30 caliber Lyman molds to my 44 caliber 6-cavity Lee mold.

The tiny Lyman molds fill with no more that a splash from the 2 pound Rowell (I have been known to use the 1-pounder occasionally) while the bigger, .35+ caliber ferrous molds, take a couple more seconds to ensure all the sprues are perfect.

With experience, a simple glance at the product of the cast will indicate whether you need to pour more slowly, more quickly, pour a taller or shorter column, spend more or less time pouring the sprue, etc.... there is no fiddling with mold guides... just pouring... 6 big cavities in 3-5 seconds (if you will). You'll also require less power to keep your melt at the proper temperature because alloy is entering the mold more efficiently.

Less heat also means less oxidation of the melt. Granted, I didn't have my brand new RCBS bottom pour for years and years because I was dissatisfied with it's production quality and sold it after a couple months to purchase a dipper-only Magma "MasterPot"; however, there's no way I could pour a quality 200+ grain .30 caliber boolit with that thing running at 650F. With the 40# MasterPot and a Rowell#2, I cast .30-.35 caliber boolits from RCBS and SAECO molds at a zero rejection rate (after about a dozen preliminary casts) and I can do it at 650F (or less in the case of SAECO 356 and RCBS 35-200) with perfect fillout using a combination of range scrap and WW metal (which is a stick-on/clip-on blend); and, (no brag, just fact) can do it within +/- .2-.3 grains of the mean boolit weight for at least an hour of casting.

Now one might notice I use a fairly up scale furnace but I've been casting since about '73-'74 shortly after landing my first full-time job; however, if money is an issue and propane reasonably priced, I would recommend a turkey frier, a cast iron pot (w/ lid) and an RCBS thermometer to get started. That way, a green caster immediately starts casting on what will eventually end up his permanent ingot rendering equipment, can migrate to a more upscale furnace when the cost can be justified and not concern himself about unloading their disposable Lee equipment when they've out-grown it.

MJ

The trick on forums like this is to NOT get your nose outa joint because others don't agree with you. Another trick is to NOT make a post with a 60 line paragraph.:holysheep

Another trick is to employ whatever pouring technique is best for whatever mold you're using. I use 3 methods. 70% is bottom pour, 25% is pressure casting using the above mentioned technique of placing the nipple of the lyman bottom pour dipper in contact with the sprue taper, and 5% is flooding the mold with the Lyman ladle.

Some molds just won't work with the flooding method. The excellent miha cramer hollow point types would be one of them. Or any other HP mold that has external HP pin holders. Flooding lead all over the cramer sliding HP pin holder would take minutes of prying lead loose from them to allow boolits to fall free. You'd most likely lose the "E" clips that keep the pins from dropping through,(yeah it happened to me!).

Another thing is disturbing the surface of the alloy by constantly dipping the ladle into it, speeds oxidation of the alloy. Your percentage of tin drops steadily as this happens. Also, the technique of keeping a covering on the alloy, like leaving sawdust carbon on the surface, can't be used when ladle casting.

To each his own. Be flexible, try different things, don't let anybody tell you there's only ONE way to do it.

[Marlin Junky]

The trick on forums like this is to NOT get your nose outa joint because others don't agree with you. Another trick is to NOT make a post with a 60 line paragraph.:holysheep

Another trick is to employ whatever pouring technique is best for whatever mold you're using. I use 3 methods. 70% is bottom pour, 25% is pressure casting using the above mentioned technique of placing the nipple of the lyman bottom pour dipper in contact with the sprue taper, and 5% is flooding the mold with the Lyman ladle.

Some molds just won't work with the flooding method. The excellent miha cramer hollow point types would be one of them. Or any other HP mold that has external HP pin holders. Flooding lead all over the cramer sliding HP pin holder would take minutes of prying lead loose from them to allow boolits to fall free. You'd most likely lose the "E" clips that keep the pins from dropping through,(yeah it happened to me!).

Another thing is disturbing the surface of the alloy by constantly dipping the ladle into it, speeds oxidation of the alloy. Your percentage of tin drops steadily as this happens. Also, the technique of keeping a covering on the alloy, like leaving sawdust carbon on the surface, can't be used when ladle casting.

To each his own. Be flexible, try different things, don't let anybody tell you there's only ONE way to do it.

Nose out of joint? Hardly, I'm just trying to set the record straight and nowhere did I say there is only one way to do anything. Some of you guys need to read things more carefully and think before you jump. I have no axe to grind, no dog in the fight... so to speak.

BTW, if one is annoyed by lead splatters sticking to the bottom of their molds when using a Rowell ladle, simply treat the exterior of the mold with Zip-Lube. Also, if using a Lyman hollow point type mold, substituting the wood handle for an aluminum one... assuming one is wearing gloves while casting... which one should... will eliminate handle charring. I've never worked with a Cramer type mold.

The melt surface oxidation issue is not a problem either. Draw the alloy into the ladle with the "funnel" opposing the bottom pour spout while lowering the ladle into the melt and you will significantly limit the "disturbance" mentioned above. The design of the Rowell bottom pour spout insures (if properly used) no dross enters the mold cavities.

MJ

[bbqncigars]

A good thread that's got me thinking. Now I've gotta check to see what size my Rowell is. I'll need a #2 for the 3 cavity 850gr fifty caliber blocks, unless I can get away with multiple pours before dropping the boolits.

[Marlin Junky]

A good thread that's got me thinking. Now I've gotta check to see what size my Rowell is. I'll need a #2 for the 3 cavity 850gr fifty caliber blocks, unless I can get away with multiple pours before dropping the boolits.

Use the link in post #11 to access Buffalo Arms catalog where you'll find the depth, diameter and volume spec's for the #2 ladle.

A more realistic working volume is about 1.5 pounds... IIRC, 2 pounds is the volume when filled to the top.

MJ

[Larry Gibson]

I have a Lyman ladle that I bought at a church /yardsale. It's brand new, but old, so it must be the smaller bowl type. However for a couple bucks it was a good buy.
When you say drill out the spout for better flow, what size drill did you guys find works best?

Asking all these questions because I haven't ever poured any bullets yet! I have/or getting, all the top notch equipment and supplies.

1/4" drill bit worked for me on both my Lyman ladles, again I ladle pour for 300+ gr bullets........99% bottom pour for the rest.

Larry Gibson