New casting ladle--for me

[gray wolf]

I have been using a standard type of ladle that my friend gave me.
all cast Iron and about a 2 1/2 inch bowl.
In my quest for clean ingots I ordered a new bottom pour 2 pounder from
Roto metals, with the wooden handle and the 2 1/2 inch bowl.
I want to flux my smelting pot with saw dust, so here is the question.
If I put a layer of saw dust on top of my smelt and scoop through it with the bottom pour will all the saw dust float to the top and stay out of the ingots.
It's a 2 pound ladle and I plan on pouring 1 pound ingots. So that should leave a pound there a bouts of lead in the ladle for the next scoop.
I bought this ladle because I was under the impression that this was the purpose of the bottom pour.
So am I correct ?

Thank you

Sam

[stubshaft]

YES, all of the debris/dross should float to the top.

[montana_charlie]

I don't have a Rowell bottom-pour ladle, but this is what I think...

If you point the enclosed spout downward, toward the surface of the lead, as you immerse the bowl, any sawdust that enters that spout should be forced out through the bowl opening as the ladle fills.
Then with the full bowl totally immersed, lifting the ladle out of the pot should cause all of the sawdust to flow off of the load as it comes above the surface.
I would expect to see (basically) no sawdust on the load...meaning you might be able to pour two ingots without pausing.

I would like to have a Rowell for making ingots of prepared alloy, but my plan is different from yours.
I would start with a Rowell big enough to hold 25 pounds (I mix twenty pounds at a time.) and do the melting and mixing in that big (#7) ladle. When it's ready, simply pour it all out into the ingot moulds.

CM

[onondaga]

I think you made a wise purchase and it will work fine.

Gary

[gray wolf]

Thank you for all the feed back, I was hopping to get good results from this and
it seems like I made a good choice.
The cost of the ladle and shipping was a lot for me to spend. it will probably be my investment for the season.

Sam

[Von Gruff]

So I take it that the same applies, albeit in smaller quantities for the likes of the Lyman casting ladle. The melt can have a sawdust covering to reduce tin drossing out and using the Lyman ladle, a clean cast can be done without the sawdust being a problem.

Von Gruff.

[bhn22]

You'll be fine, right up to the point that the lead in the pot is lower than the capacity of the ladle. At that point you could see some charred sawdust remaining in the ladle.

[gray wolf]

So I take it that the same applies, albeit in smaller quantities for the likes of the Lyman casting ladle. The melt can have a sawdust covering to reduce tin drossing out and using the Lyman ladle, a clean cast can be done without the sawdust being a problem.

Von Gruff.

I think there is a slight difference in the two ladles, correction please if needed
The Lyman ladle allows the dross and saw dust to float to the top ( natural occurrence )
As the ladle is tipped to pour the bullet the lead exits the ladle from the middle of the melt in the ladle.
The true bottom pour ladle has a tube built into the bottom going up the side of the ladle,
this allows only lead from the bottom of the ladle to exit.
At least that is what I am understanding.



You'll be fine, right up to the point that the lead in the pot is lower than the capacity of the ladle. At that point you could see some charred sawdust remaining in the ladle.

As long as it remains in the ladle and does not transfer to the ingot-- then I would say it is doing it's job. I could be missing something on this one.
I like the way you men take these things apart and allow us to explore all the aspects of
how things work.

Sam

[Von Gruff]

I think there is a slight difference in the two ladles, correction please if needed
The Lyman ladle allows the dross and saw dust to float to the top ( natural occurrence )
As the ladle is tipped to pour the bullet the lead exits the ladle from the middle of the melt in the ladle.
The true bottom pour ladle has a tube built into the bottom going up the side of the ladle,
this allows only lead from the bottom of the ladle to exit.
At least that is what I am understanding.

Sam

Thanks Sam. It was a misunderstanding on my part as to how the Rowel ladle worked differently to the Lyman

Von Gruff.

[shaune509]

I used a 6" ladle as the melting pot over a 200,000btu gas forge, the bottom pour and 30" handle made the task easy.
shaune509

[Dannix]

I would like to have a Rowell for making ingots of prepared alloy, but my plan is different from yours.
I would start with a Rowell big enough to hold 25 pounds (I mix twenty pounds at a time.) and do the melting and mixing in that big (#7) ladle. When it's ready, simply pour it all out into the ingot moulds.

CM
I need a smelting setup, and that sir was an inspiration.

These guys have a #7 (25lb) for $49 + shipping. They have a #8 (40lb) for only $9 more ... tempting ...
http://advancecarmover.thomasnet.com/category/rowell-ladles

A stand such that it sat on top of an oven element, and that could do the trick quite nicely.

[montana_charlie]

They have a #8 (40lb) for only $9 more ... tempting ...
40 pounds is quite a load to support with one hand...while trying to make a series of delicate pours into ingot moulds.
CM

[Dannix]

I believe the #4 and up are two-handers.

http://advancecarmover.thomasnet.com/ImgMedium/Ladle-Graphic.JPG
http://advancecarmover.thomasnet.com/ImgMedium/Ladles---1-2-3-4.jpg (http://advancecarmover.thomasnet.com/Asset/Ladles---1-2-3-4.jpg)

[montana_charlie]

You are correct.
If you have ever used a shovel, you know that your left hand supports all of the weight.
Your right is for directional control.

[Dannix]

True, while a two-hand operation, one hand/arm is indeed bearing the brunt. Good point.


I just now noted your word choice of melting and mixing ... after that semantic thread, are you talking about "smelting" and not using that word because it's technically incorrect outside our CB jargon sphere or are you strictly referring to melting down pre-"smelted" metal and alloying? One thought I had was that if using a bottom pour like this to smelt in, there could be rubbish in the spout when doing the first pour. I may go back to my original plan of using a steel pipe and a bottom welded to it with a bottom pour spout.

[alamogunr]

I have a Rowell #5. On a big clean-up of WW, it gets pretty tiresome with all that weight supported by the left arm and suspended somewhat out in front of you. I've mentioned before that 3-5 buckets of WW wears me out. I'm sure there are things that I could do to lessen the fatigue but the biggest might be a #4 ladle. Some things that seem to be more efficient are not always as they seem.

John
W.TN

EDIT: I guess I should mention that my pot holds approximately 200 lbs. It isn't worth setting up for less than 3 or 4 buckets. I still sometimes wish I had gotten the #4 Rowell ladle. It didn't seem too much when I was in my 50's, but now at 68, I find myself not filling the #5 completely.

[casterofboolits]

I have a Rowell type ladel I use to pour ingots in cast iron muffin pans. The bottom pour feature leaves the dross in the bottom of the ladel and I tap the dross out in a metal coffee can after pouring 2 and 1/2 2.5 pound ingots.

My smelting pot is a propane plumber's pot that holds enough lead to pour 27 of the 2.5 pound ingots. Approximatly 67 pounds.

[patsher]

This is a good thread -- first one I've seen where folks explained exactly how they used specific sizes of Rowell ladles. Thanks for the info, guys!

[montana_charlie]

True, while a two-hand operation, one hand/arm is indeed bearing the brunt. Good point.


I just now noted your word choice of melting and mixing ... after that semantic thread, are you talking about "smelting" and not using that word because it's technically incorrect outside our CB jargon sphere or are you strictly referring to melting down pre-"smelted" metal and alloying?
I would use the #7 Rowell strictly for blending twenty pounds of clean metals into casting alloy.

'Smelting', the process of breaking down and cleaning scrap, would take too long if restricted to 25-pound loads.
For that I use a good sized dutch oven and a ladle of this type ( http://cgi.ebay.com/USA-Cast-Iron-Ladle-Melting-Pot-Lead-Musket-Bullets-/350250073884?pt=Cookware&hash=item518c87ff1c ) which has a fourteen inch extension on the handle.

CM

[gray wolf]

Just got my 2 pounder from Rotometals, shipped from Cal.
I guess they had it drop shipped, I thought they were in Wis.
It looks to be just what it's posed to be.
The metal handle screws into the bowl and
the wooden handle screws onto the metal handle. (Ja get all of that ?)
I hope they stay put and don't come loose while it's being used.
I like one pound ingots for my use, so it should be fine.
It seems some place up in this thread it can be had for 4 buxx cheaper,
I thought I would give a sponsor a little business but I guess I got the business. LOL
Now for some warm weather.

Boy my house looks small in my avatar, just went outside and checked.
YUP it's that small. Still takes 4 cord a wood.

Sam