Lyman Big Dipper Casting Furnace 110 Volt

[vmathias]

Looking at this for my first furnace. Does anyone own this and or recommend?

[upnorthwis]

I prefer a bottom pour myself. I've still got the first Lee I bought about 30 years ago.

[kenyerian]

Nothing wrong with dipping. I started casting with a plumbers pot back in 1968. Lyman has a couple of kit's available that would get a guy started very well. Yes I have used bottom pours (have an old Lyman and a Lee) sometimes I would rather use a ladle . I keep a small Lee full of pure Pb for maxie balls.

[country gent]

I have one I dedicated to case annealing. never cast with it. Its a good solid pot and works very well. For ladle casting I perfer a rounded bottom as it allows me to dip the pot much lower before stopping. This pot and most electrics are flat bottomed square sides meaning that the there will be more that just cant be gotten out easily. My casting pot is a propane cylinder cut 2" above bottom radious. Holds 120 lbs or so of clean metal, has the raioused bottom to allow dipping down to almost empty. Works great for me. The lumann is a solid well built unit that will give years of service. (one reason to buy what you really want is this equipment will probably be going when you arnt anymore)

[Ed_Shot]

I've had a Big Dipper for a few years and it has given good service. It's easy to dip from.

[Ken in Iowa]

I am using one now. It works well enough. The mouth is much wider than the puny little 4# LEE melter that I was using. This is much handier for ladeling. The 10# capacity is barely adequate for me as I cast a lot of boolits in the 200-250 grain range. The little LEE sees duty now melting lead to top off the Lyman.

Some casters have reported temperature control problems. One fellow discovered that there is an adjustment screw in the shaft of the control. Removal of the knob exposes it.

Using a Lyman dipper, 4# is about the minimum required.

I purchased the Big Dipper kit with the dipper, ingot mould, lube samples and the Excellent Lyman cast bullit handbook included. I am quite satisfied with the package.

[LongRangeAir]

Yep, that little screw head under the knob will allow you to increase the temp a bit. good Idea is to use two screwdrivers on opposite sided of the knob to get it off. Keeps it from getting cracked.

I was about to throw my fairly new Lyman pot in the trash until I found this out while tinkering with it. I now use it to pre-melt for the RCBS ProMelt:razz:

KnifeMaker

[HeavyMetal]

Gadzooks I like this forum!!

I bought a Big dipper in a yard sale a few years ago, with a bunch of molds and lead, and I've been using it as a dipper pot for my single cav HP molds.

Never knew it had a temp adjustment until just now, I always ran it wide open and it always seemed to run a lot cooler than I liked.

Since I plan to test a new "to me" 4 cav 452374 today I was planning to play with the thermostat before firing it up, guess I know where to start!

[imashooter2]

Own one, can't recommend it. The thermostat implementation is TERRIBLE even adjusted. Dang thing cycles on and off WAY too much and is very slow to heat because of it.

[Chill Wills]

Ten pounds is not much metal but may be just fine if you only cast small bullets or small lots of bullets.

For a little more $$ I would consider the 20lb LEE dip pot. All mine hold temp well!
I have been casting with them for decades. I have five pots. One for each alloy and I cast a lot.
LEE replacement elements are under $10 and easy to put in. I have only had to do this once in all this time.

For me, dipping is the way to go. I mostly cast large to very large bullets.

[HeavyMetal]

I think we need to take a look at the name "Big Dipper" years ago this was the Mag 20 dipping pot, of which I bought one in a yard sale as I mentioned.
With Longrangeair's suggestion I went looking for an adjust procedure on Lyman's web site and, as usual was disappointed.

I did discover the are calling a Lee clone the Big dipper pot, I had heard lee had given licinse to Lyman and might be making these for them but until this time had not thought one bit about two different pots sharing the same name.

If the OP is buying a good used pot, and want to ladle pour I can't say enough good things about the one I found.

However if the OP is buying the new Big dipper, dude save a buck and buy from Lee or scour the gun shows ya might get lucky!

What ever you do don't pay Lyman for a Lee dipping pot!

By the way the adjustment screw, inside the control shaft, is counter clockwise to run hotter clockwise to go colder.

Just turned mine up to read 725 with the dial set at 7.5 it stopped cycling so fast as well so most likely they were all set "cool" probably because of Lyman number 2 melt points???

[cajun shooter]

When it comes to ladle casting, there is only one pot to use. That is the Wagge 4757, contact the company direct as it is not a listed item. A lot of aftermarket dealers like Buffalo Arms sell this pot. It's the best in the business and none of the others will come close.
I've had one on my casting bench for years even when I also had the RCBS Pro Melt which is also above the others.
If you are casting big bullets like the ones for the so called Buffalo rifles, the best way is to ladle pour them. Your weights and mold fill out will be much better than those from a bottom pour. Take Care David

[Chill Wills]

When it comes to ladle casting, there is only one pot to use. That is the Wagge 4757, contact the company direct as it is not a listed item. Your weights and mold fill out will be much better than those from a bottom pour. Take Care David

I can't agree with you David. That expensive pot is not a good use of my money when I get great bullets from a pot that holds it temp well and gives decades of hard service for a small fraction of the cost. It is the LEE 20lb dip pot and a have a bunch of them for the different alloys I like to use. I think if you have a lot of money and this expense makes you happy, great, but I would not feel like I did a service telling a kinda new to the game guy, they need a high$$$ melter to make match grade bullets.

No slight intended. Just my experience. BTW-some of the stuff LEE puts out I would not own but the 20lb ladle pot is a real value.

Michael Rix