My handmade dipper ladle

[sirAIG]

Hey all,

Just threw this together today as I managed to snag a pile of cheap stamped stainless ladles used in the food industry. I needed a dipper badly to start casting my first boolits. What do ya'll think? Curious if you guys see something I didnt as far as how it will function or big no-no's. Going to try it out tomorrow!!

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx343/siraig/ladle2.jpg (http://s770.photobucket.com/user/siraig/media/ladle2.jpg.html)
http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx343/siraig/ladle.jpg (http://s770.photobucket.com/user/siraig/media/ladle.jpg.html)

[Cherokee]

Looks good to me, but the spout might be a little small. Ladle casters will have to chime in.

[sirAIG]

spout hole dia is one size abot 3/16. i read somewhere lyman ladles where 3/16. could be wrong though!

[Cherokee]

Mine measures 3/16, so, should work for ya.

[Lights]

Nice job on the Ladle!

[Bzcraig]

Very nice.

[D Crockett]

very nice job D Crockett

[mdi]

OK, ya gotta share! Where did you get the cool ladle, and what is it called ("cake decorating ladle"? "Salt shaker ladle"?)...

[sirAIG]

I actually made the whole ladle myself. I used two cheap stamped soup ladles, cut off the handles and ground them smooth so I had to "bowls" that used to have handles attached. Then I welded them together, made a cut where I wanted to fill the ladle and machined a spout. Welded the spout on, made the handle out of bamboo and 3/8 stainless tubing. I'll let you all know how it works tonight!

[Bzcraig]

OK, ya gotta share! Where did you get the cool ladle, and what is it called ("cake decorating ladle"? "Salt shaker ladle"?)...

You make an excellent point! Whenever someone says "handmade" we need to ask "how did this item exists before you handmade it." As sirAIG did, most of us do. We look at something we already have or know of and think, "I'll bet I can turn that into............"

[smoked turkey]

sirAIG very nice work. It sounds like it is pretty labor intensive so might not be something you could make very economically. I use a bottom pour spout myself, but I am sure if it works good that a few "hand pourers" might just want to give one a try.

[GP100man]

I still ladle cast a few molds that are a bit fussy on the bottom pour furnace & I`ll say your "soup ladles" look large enuff ,should be lighter . You`ll have to work faster with it than if it were a cast iron as it `ll shed heat qwik ,but then again the size & capacity may offset that .

The only time you need a larger spout is on 300gr. + sized boolits that are a large caliber

[victor3ranger]

WOW, very nice!!
You wouldn't want to make another one would you?? If so, send me a private message.

[gray wolf]

Hand made in the USA how can it be anything but GREAT ??

[longbow]

Being a ladle caster myself I have to say ~ nice job!

Personally I prefer an open ladle but that one looks better than any commercial boolit casting ladle I have seen. It also looks bigger than the Lyman ladle. I think bigger is better. l am sure it will work well for you.

Longbow

[Super Sneaky Steve]

My Lyman ladel is very rough and a lot of stuff sticks to it. I think yours will do much better.

[sirAIG]

My ladle holds roughly 1lb.I just cast my very first boolits yesterday and I must say it worked perfect! As far as it loosing heat too fast, I did not experience that issue. I will say it did not stay hot enough to keep the lagle clean. Still got building and crud collected on it. But considering I made it with stuff I had lying around, I cannot complain!!

To make these for people to purchase would be fairly simple, but it all takes more time than I ever imagine. I don't think the price would be worthwhile for most people. That being said, if someone wants one, PM me. I have enough spoons to make a few more!