Rowell Ladles - #1 and #7 -

[jmort]

So I ordered a #1 and a # 7 Rowell ladles directly from Advance Car Mover Co. for around $80.00 delivered. Wife comes home with this large box and I'm racking the two brain cells I have left, what on earth did I order that could require a box that size? Nothing I decided. Well it turns it to be the ladles. The #1 nice, compact, wood handle, perfect. Since I wanted to pour 4.5 pound ingots, and I thought a 7 pound ladle would work just fine. That #7 is a big thing. Feel like I belong in a foundry. That is a whole lot of ladle for the money. Until you handle lead, you have no idea have dense it is. Big surprise for my mail box people. Anyway, will see how useful the #7 is. My smelting pot may be just big enough for that big boy.

[Racenviper]

I just ordered and received #1, #3, and #4. I have only used #1 and #3. My pot is currently to small for #4. They are nice.

[jmort]

They are nice. Should have got a #5. Impressive American industrial craftsmanship.

[sagamore-one]

Been running a pair of #8 Rowell ladles for over 20 years. Dad and I had a tradition of smelting on Memorial day. This is my first year without my mentor. Not sure how much a #8 holds, but you sleep well after a full day of smelting.

[Racenviper]

8 pounds

[jmort]

"Been running a pair of #8 Rowell ladles for over 20 years"

That makes me feel better. The size seems a bit much and your's are even bigger. Sorry to hear about you loss.

[383]

Aren't some of the larger Rowell ladles actually large enough to use as a casting pot?

[GLL]

My #8 easily holds 40 pounds of alloy !
The #8 does not refer to how many pounds of capacity.

Rowell #3, #6, #8 and a LEE 6-cavity for scale !
http://www.fototime.com/8DAD95AEB9BF389/orig.jpg



Jerry

[sagamore-one]

The #8 is a real handfull.

[jmort]

"Rowell #3, #6, #8 and a LEE 6-cavity for scale !"

My #7 fits right between those two. It is a casting pot of sorts. The #8 does look like a load.

[hermans]

jmortimer, please shed some light on the use of the ladles for me.....I have 4 RCBS ingot molds, they are the ones that have 4 x 1 lb ingots in one mold. So I have my melting pot filled with alloy, the problem is getting the alloy into the ingot molds, since the pot wiith alloy is rather heavy, I would guess about 40 lbs or so. Do you use the ladle to get the alloy from the pot into the ingot molds. What size ladle would you recommend cast the one lb ingots?
I know this sounds like a stupid question, but I would like to get the right size ladle the first time, since the shipping to South Africa is going to cost an arm and a leg anyway.

[hermans]

Just got word from RotoMetals, they would ship the Rowell #4 ladle to me for $59...that is the shipping charges only, so all I have to do is make 100% sure that it would be the right size ladle for my operation?

[GLL]

hermans:

Here is a handy reference chart that shows sizes and capacity of Rowell ladles.
The #3 is the largest designed for single hand operation. All of the larger ladles have the sliding sleeve on the handle. I have a #3 and it holds just under 4 pounds of alloy. The #4 holds 4.5 pounds.

The #3 is a very handy size for my own use ! It is a great deal for $27.00 ! :)

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/A95A73191DFB8AB/orig.png

[jmort]

I would check with Advance Car Mover Co. for manufacturer direct pricing. I got the #1 for ladling to the mold and the #7 for ladling from my cast iron dutch oven when smelting. The #7 is bigger than I imagined. I wanted to be able to pour four 2 to 2 1/2 pound ingots. I would also contact Advanced Car Movers as to how much the #4 holds. It may be just right. I would have gotten a smaller ladle. Hopefully someone here can give you some advice based on experience. I'm just getting started with smelting.
Note: GLL posted that most useful chart so it appears the # 4 would be perfect for you and a #5 would have been perfect for me. No way I'm moving 25 pounds of lead around in that ladle. Will just dip less lead out of the smelter.

[GLL]

Here are a #2 and #8 for comparison.

http://www.fototime.com/003B1DF8018F85E/orig.jpg

Jerry

[montana_charlie]

The number on the ladel is roughly equivalent to the diameter of the cup. A #7 holds 25 pounds of lead, and I mix alloy in 21-pound batches.
So, I have been watching eBay (for years) hoping for a used #7 at (something like) half price.

With that, I could mix my lead and tin, then pour alloy directly into the ingot moulds.

The only #7s I have seen were owned by sellers who thought they had 'rare antiques' worth hundreds of dollars ...
CM

[GLL]

My #8 makes a great mixing pot for making up alloys then I dip out of the "pot" with the #3 to cast ingots.
The last 5-10 pounds in the pot can be poured directly into ingot molds without dipping.

CM is correct about the seller's "rare-antique" ladle ! I have seen a #6 & #7 for sale at swap meets with the claim they were from the 1800s and priced over $120 ! After all they are cast iron so must be REALLY old ! :)

Jerry

[hermans]

GLL and montana charlie, thanks for the information, exactly what I was looking for. I do have a much better idea of the actual size and weight I will be lifting, and jmortimer, I agree, the #4 is what I will go for, I would just have to save up for the $59 shipping charges:?

[383]

This thread makes me think I'll stop looking for a better dutch oven than I now have, or modified propane tank for that matter, and start saving for a #8.

[detox]

I use just a regular 4" plumbers ladle. I purchased mine at Ace Hardware. Lowes has them for $12.00
http://www.lowes.com/pd_119845-85223-119845_0__?productId=3642744

[GLL]

detox:

Hold it now with your inexpensive ladle !
You are the same guy who called me a "cheap bastard" in the other ladle thread for not buying a LYMAN or RCBS ladle "in the first place" ! ;) ;)

Jerry

[10mmShooter]

I'll stick with my #2 :) I just don't like the idea of moving around 20-40 lbs of lead in a ladle , if you had a accident it would be very messy. I manage to make a big enough mess with a #2 and 8 quart dutch oven( at 3/4 full it holds roughly 75 lbs)

My #2 in action


71720

[detox]

jmortimer, please shed some light on the use of the ladles for me.....I have 4 RCBS ingot molds, they are the ones that have 4 x 1 lb ingots in one mold. So I have my melting pot filled with alloy, the problem is getting the alloy into the ingot molds, since the pot wiith alloy is rather heavy, I would guess about 40 lbs or so. Do you use the ladle to get the alloy from the pot into the ingot molds. What size ladle would you recommend cast the one lb ingots?
I know this sounds like a stupid question, but I would like to get the right size ladle the first time, since the shipping to South Africa is going to cost an arm and a leg anyway.

I use a regular 4" plumbers ladle to pour into my three RCBS ingut moulds. To fill all three moulds at once i have to dip and pour about three times. I set moulds on wet towel so they cool faster and not overheat. You will sleep good at night after casting 140 lbs or 140 one pound ingots

[detox]

detox:

Hold it now with your inexpensive ladle !
You are the same guy who called me a "cheap bastard" in the other ladle thread for not buying a LYMAN or RCBS ladle "in the first place" ! ;) ;)

Jerry

You cheap bastard! Bottom pour is not needed for ingots. Just kidding;-)

[Johnny_Cyclone]

So which size would be best if trying to ladle cast with an 6,8,10 cavity H&G mold ?

[jmort]

A pound of lead is 7000 grains so a #1 would work well enough to 6000 grains just to be safe. The #1 is the only one that will work well with my Lee Precision 20 lb Magnum Melter. I would bet the #1 would be the best bet, but as you will note 10mmFreak is using a #2 with a cast iron dutch oven. You could do at least 15, 300 grain bullets with a pound of leads including the sprue.

[Johnny_Cyclone]

Was thinking that a #1 would work, but then I noticed that GLL in post#15 had a two cavity mold with a Rowell #2 and so did 10mmShooter in post#22 with his six and four cavity mold.

Thought maybe they are using the #2 to keep hold the lead temp up while going from pot to mold..

[hermans]

I use a regular 4" plumbers ladle to pour into my three RCBS ingut moulds. To fill all three moulds at once i have to dip and pour about three times. I set moulds on wet towel so they cool faster and not overheat. You will sleep good at night after casting 140 lbs or 140 one pound ingots

Thanks detox, your operation is very similar to mine, so the size of the ladle that you use will be just fine for me.