ladle or bottom. It's been a long time...

[housedad]

It's been a lotta years since I did casting. Back then I did it with an old iron pot, a rcbs ladle, and a coleman stove.

I'ma little older now, and want better. (read easier)

So, since I never used a bottom pour and I hardly remember ladeling, What is the differences in the pots and what type is used for what casting.

This not for smelting, obviously. I got a turkey fryer and a dutch oven recently for that.

It seems a never ending debate over bottom or ;adle, so I am just looking for info as to the pros and cons of both types.

Thanks

Bion

[montana_charlie]

What kind of bullets do you want to make?
CM

[mold maker]

I think most who ladle pour have been doing it that way for a long time. I like you got lazy with age, and determined to try bottom pouring. I haven't found anything I can't pour with any of the bottom pour pots.
Many are put off by the so called dripomatics. That is a problem caused by one of to causes
You either have a valve/seat that doesn't fit, or trash between the two. Either has a simple fix. If the valve doesn't close because of fit, you use fine compound to lap til it does. If you have trash in the valve, you do a through cleaning job and keep the trash out of the pot.
By the way no brand is immune to either problem.
Having arthritis, and a work related loss of the end of my thumb, makes handling a large ladle and a 6 cavity mold really hard. The bottom pour solved this completely.
Right now, Midway has the Lee 20# bottom pour for $58. and change. The savings versas a big name pot buys a lot of powder and primers.

[kevin45acp]

I have done it both ways and now cast from a bottom pour Lyman. It works well and the mold guide eliminates alignment issues.

[timkelley]

If you get a bottom pour pot you can ladle pour or bottom pour, as needed.
If your dripomatic does infact drip, put an ingot mold under it and get on with your pour. I can't quite understand why it bothers some folks so much.

[badgeredd]

FWIW, I recently asked a friend about ladle pouring. His comment was HE prefers the ladle for itty bitty boolits. I asked because I've been doing pretty good with a bottom pour on boolits of 6mm and larger (a bit of a learning curve on the 6mm though). I want to learn to ladle for little boolits when I can have him over to show me and I get a better pot (bigger mouth) for it. If you do get a drip, they aren't that bad to fix on the Lee pots, or you can learn to live with it like said above. Either way, I think that I could not have gotten into casting without a lot of personal help with the ladle. But that is me. Now that I pretty much have the casting thing under control (I learn something every time I cast a bunch up) and I know what to look for with my rig, I will soon learn the other part of this hobby.

BTW, I hated Lee molds, until I found there is a different method required for them (for me) as compared to my iron molds. I also found that a couple of the iron molds require a different technique than the others. STILL learning!!!!!

Edd

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Seasons greetings. Both methods and the equipment related thereto work very well. Ladle casting is more economical to set up for, but is slower in terms of time versus production rate. Good bottom pour pots are costlier and are considerably faster in terms of time and production. How quickly you can produce good bullets also depends upon the quality of...and number of cavities in, your mold. Debating the pros and cons can be, and often is, an endless succession of opinions, sworn testimonials and a long story. You have to first ask yourself some questions about what your actual needs and expectations are and also consider your budget limitations if there are any and how much time you have to devote to casting. Then review what is on the table product-wise before making any decision. LLS

[housedad]

Wow.Just the kind of info I was needing. Thanks folks.

One more question. I have not seen either one of the 20lb the rcbs, Lee, or the Lyman machines . Can you tell me what the pots are made of and how thick in each?

Thanks

[afish4570]

I try (with leather gloves on) a pr. of pliers holding a wooden tooth pick or piece of copper wire inserted into valve from the bottom (outside of pot) alittle care and you won't burn yourself....Dross always builds up in this area and effects the flow. Before flow gets really bad try the above cleanout method. Copper is softer than the seat and will not harm it....afish4570

[imashooter2]

I cast a lower reject rate with a dipper, but the bottom pour is so fast and convenient, that's what I use these days.

[stumpjumper]

i use bottom pour for all pistol boolit`s, but for the 500 grain 45-70 i use a ladle.

[Bret4207]

I can cast anything with a ladle. No frogging around trying this and that and fighting drips and dirt. I can "feel" what I'm doing with a ladle, I can see too. I vote for the ladle.

[montana_charlie]

I thought that hole on the bottom was just for draining the pot...to check every possibility when trying to find your wedding ring.
CM

[EDK]

Wow.Just the kind of info I was needing. Thanks folks.

One more question. I have not seen either one of the 20lb the rcbs, Lee, or the Lyman machines . Can you tell me what the pots are made of and how thick in each?

Thanks

The RCBS or LYMAN are both pretty heavy duty item; the LEE is built considerably lighter. They all work. I had a 20 pound SAECO dipping pot...another heavy duty unit. Get the LEE for now...save the yankee dollars...and go up if you really feel the need.

4 or 5 LEES versus a LYMAN or RCBS...My Impala versus a BMW or LEXUS...what a choice in the current economy!

[DLCTEX]

I don't have any problems seeing what is going on with my Lee bottom pour. I have ladle cast and bottom poured and prefer bottom pour for speed and also cleaner alloy. The dross and such floats on top, as does zinc. I can cast some good boolits with zinc contamination with bottom pour, but with ladle all the zinc is on top and messes things up. I cast 44 gr. 22 cal. to 54 cal. black powder with bottom pour Lee.

[zampilot]

Ditto with Noclue, I bought a Lee Pro 4-20 cuz it was available local. It drips once in a while but it's not the major problemo I once thought it would be, at all. But I do use the Lyman ladle for Boolits!

[dukenukum]

I own three electric pots 2 lee bottom pours and the small lee dipping pot a friend of mine has a Lyman all seem to work well but my lees were cheaper .

[scooter]

My vote is for the Lee bottom pour 4". My dad has the old low Lee pot and it works for all but one mould, a Lyman hollow base .577" 510gr. Minnie. 20 years ago we just unscrewed the base and turned it around then C-clamped it to the bench for that work. When I bought my own, it was a no-brainer to get the 4" under spout, now I just have to hold all my molds up as I pour rather than get lazy and let them rest like I did when I was a kid using his short pot.
Kevin

[atr]

well....I still use a dipper,,,started that way years ago and have never felt the need to have a bottom pour system. I tend to work slowly when I cast (and reload) so the slowness of a dipper really doesn't bother me. I did progress up from a coleman stove and melting pot to an electric pot...better tempt control with the electric. Although I still have the coleman
set- up for the day when I get off the grid entirely. Dinosaurs like me die hard I guess.

[part_timer]

I use the Lee 4lb dipping pot with a dipper. I'm also thinking about a bottom pour but not sure yet. I'm mainly thinking abut a 20# over the 4# just due to less filling of the pot when casting big boolits.