Will this work?

[Chris C]

Use what ya got, just make sure that the handle is riveted or welded and NOT SOLDERED! I never gave it a thought when I started out and on the second 'scoop' the ladle stayed in the pot while I had a dumb look on my face, that could've been disastrous had it separated while in the air!
My current ladle is stainless with the handle cut near the top by the hook, I then drilled two holes thru it and use a 1&1/2" wooden dowel to extend the handle about 10"

Thanks for the "heads up".................it's spot welded in four places.

[MT Chambers]

A lot of flimsy stuff feels good until you put the weight of a full scoop of lead in it, I'd recommend the Rowell ladle or minimally the Lyman.

[dudel]

I'm just worried about keeping the slag out of my ingots.........hence the bottom pour ladle from Rotometals.

You're going to flux the smelt, then skim off the dross. Your smelt pot should be clean before you start pouring ingots.

I use a cheap ladle from Walmart. Has served me fine for many years. Plastic handle shows some wear from where it contacted the pot; but other than that, no complaints.

[OS OK]

Any slag that you dip out of the pot will stay on top as you pour the ingots, it won't remix into the ingot.
The lead is way more dense.

[tenx]

the ladle will bend and eventually break, most are just rivited on anyway, weld on a good sturdy handle or get a good one to start with. nothing good ever comes out of dropping a ladle full of molten lead. i use an old fire extinguisher bottle for a melt down rig, made a stand out of preforated steel and some scrap stainless for a heat deflector to keep the heat concetrated on the pot. it lays on its side, i cut part of the side of it that became the top or opening for the pot, the extinguisher valve handle is removed and threaded hole plugged, a rectangle burner from a junk yard, holds 85-90 pounds, with some supplemental heat when cold it will melt in about 14 - 15 minutes. my ingot mold is 10 small pieces of angle iron, lay them down with the V pointed up all side by side and weld a metal strip to both ends of the angle iron, flip it over and mine makes a 2.5 to 3 pound bar. the triangular bars stack real nice too and their length makes it easy to add to the pot. by accident mine turned out just long or short enough ( however you look at it ) to fit in a 20mm ammo can. it's tough to move but it stays put once you get it where you want it. just wanted to point out what has worked for me. i've allways thought that someone could turn a buck or two making the ingot mold. i left one side of the end plate on mine slightly long so it's easy to grab with a pair of pliers and flip over.