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I prefer to ladle pour than bottom pour from a pot. I have been using a Lyman ladle, the pour snout is tapered to help match the sprue plate funnel, and I turn the mold to it's side, place ladle in funnel, and roll the two to pour.
How does the Rowell "bottom pour" ladle compare to the Lyman in casting cleaner bullets? It appears the outlet isn't tapered to match a sprue like the Lyman, but does it pour cleaner lead that the Lyman?
The Rowell #1 has good capacity I think it holds about a pound of molten lead. For me the main advantage of such a large ladle for bullet casting is casting when it is very cold or windy, you are pouring a significant amount of heat with every dip and can heat the mold and maintain mold temperature this way.
I have never used the Lyman ladle is that the one that looks like an egg?
I regularly use the RCBS ladle it holds enough lead to fill my Mp Molds aluminum 8 cavity gang mold 358429 and make a pile of bullets fast.
This is the Lyman ladle.
I've had good luck using one.
I use a lyman, RCBS and a Rowel ladles .
The lyman is the smallest of the three but adequate for most moulds. The rcbs is bigger by a small amount. My rowel is a number 1 and full pound of lead.
Both the lyman and rcbs are a closed spout to fit the moulds sprue plate. The rowels is open topped so can pour only. It is a large spout and pours quick.
The longer handle and bigger capacity of the rowel can tire you out quicker.
The bottom pour of the rowel is nice but if your lead is clean its not much different But it also pours from the hottest part of the ladle.
My rcbs and lyman ladles have had the spouts opened up to.205 dia from 3/16" for a better flow
On the Rowell I shorten the handle to reduce the cantilever effect. Mine has a 1/4" rod so I shorten to what felt right and rethreaded with a 1/4-20 die.
I've been using your method of casting for over 50 years now and find it makes the "best" Boolits !Quote:
Originally Posted by PopcornSutton
What you are doing with the Lyman Ladle and it's fitted spout is called "pressure casting" . The Rowell ladle does not have a fitted spout , it is more of a triangle shape ... You can't Pressure Cast with a Rowell Ladle , at least not the ones sold by RotoMetal . The fitted spout of the Lyman works fine but sometimes I wish it were just a bit larger ... I thought Redding / Saeco sold a Ladle with a fitted spout but nothing in Redding catalog , they sell Saeco moulds ( but No ladles ?) and I can't find one on the interweb under Saeco or Redding .
I retired my 50 year old Lyman Ladle for a new one ( Lyman ) ...it has a longer shaft but the ladle holds about the same amount of metal (maybe a skoosh more) . I like length and you can swap it over to right or left hand use (that's a nice feature) .
For pressure casting stick with the Lyman ... if there is another with a fitted spout I can't find it .
Gary
PS ...
Okay ...found it ... RCBS sells the fitted spout casting ladle that I was thinking was sold by Redding / Saeco .
The bowl might hold just a little more metal than the Lyman ... but it has the fitted spout to allow pressure casting ...cost is $28.99 and the Lyman sells for $33.42 from Amazon and both are "In Stock" ...WOW !
You will flux and clean your alloy before starting to cast boolits , the bottom pour feature of the Rowell ladle is really a non-issue and all three ladles , Lyman , RCBS and Rowell pour from the bottom ... you want that fitted spout of the Lyman or RCBS , not the open Rowell spout if you pressure cast !
Gary
Thanks all. I have no issue with the size of the Lyman, holds plenty for the bullets I cast. I'll just keep using what I have.
The Lyman/RCBS and Rowell ladles are best for different styles of casting. With the Lyman/RCBS, you put the spout in the sprue hole, then rotate to vertical to fill the mold.
Rowell is for molds like Hensley & Gibbs 4 cavity molds (and larger) with a groove connecting the sprue holes. You set the mold on the bench, then pour the whole row of bullets in one go. A lot easier on the wrists.
I've never thought of other ladels before. I've only used a Lyman. I did try a Lee bottom pour. Hated it. Have considered building a bigger one when pouring multiple cavity 45 cal moulds. Didn't even consider that someone might actually already build one [emoji16]
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