Ladle/dipper Recommendation?

[randoma]

New caster trying to decide what to get for a ladle.. I realize that is a ridiculously open-ended question that is all based on user-preference, but needing to buy one mail-order and not finding much in the way of good pictures, I'm kind of at a loss for what to get!

Lee is clearly the cheapest, but Lyman and RCBS have ones that aren't much more..

At the present I just have a Lee 2-cav .45 caliber mold (on order) and a cast iron pot and hot plate for heating. So I'm looking for something suitable for a small budget! :D

[detox]

Both the Lyman and RCBS work well. I once broke my Lyman handle where it screws into cast iron dipper. I had to rethread then screw it back on. I never have owned the RCBS

[williamwaco]

Lyman and RCBS are minimal but are fine for a two cavity mold.

The Lee is a toy. If you buy it, you will eventually toss it for one of the others.


.

[randoma]

Is there something you'd recommend other than those three?


Lyman and RCBS are minimal but are fine for a two cavity mold.

The Lee is a toy. If you buy it, you will eventually toss it for one of the others.


.

[jmort]

I'd get the Lyman ladle

[bangerjim]

I use the Lee "spoon" for just that.............stirring and skimming my casting pots! That is about all it is worth.

I HIGHLY recommend the Lyman one. I have it and it works extremely well, keeping the pour clean since it pours from the bottom side. And it holds more than enough soup to fill a 2 cav 300gn 45 mold in one dip. Being CI it holds the heat very well.

I bought mine locally at Sportsman's Whorehouse.


banger

[country gent]

I have usedthe luman ladle for years with excellent results. It holds enough for bigrifle bullets and the spout allows for pressure casting the mold. ( I use all singe cavity olds for rifle bullets cast from 20-1 alloy) I have opened the spout up to .200 dia on my ladles. I tested a RCBS today for the first time. I worked very well and holds aout 1/2 again what the lyman does. It cast very good looking bullets from a Lyman 38 cal 335 grn postell mold, A 45 cal 535 grn postell, and a brooks adjustable 45 cal PP mold. total run was around 500 bullets in 5-6 hours. Rowel makes a very good ladle also buttheir smallest is a 1 lb capacity. Alot to be handling for extended lengths of time. I will be sorting and weighing bullets tomorow, so will know more then. My bullets are shot out to 500 yds over black powder. Either the lyman or rcbs would be a good choice. I also agree with williamwaco, The lee is a toy only allows for pouring ( cant pressure pour with te spout on it) is small capacity and short in length ( meaning your hand is closer to the hot lead). Pick up a stainless slotted serving spoon at the local wall Marts, krogeers, dollar general for fluxing and skimming. You dont really want that in the ladle your casting with.

[North_of_60]

I'm new to this as well. I decided on the Rowell bottom pour. Just came yesterday form Rotometals.

85252

85251

[randoma]

In practice, how much difference does a bottom pour ladle make? Also, could I just make a ladle out of mild steel (rather than cast iron)? I'm assuming the main thing is to have some mass so it doesn't cool too much while you're pouring.

[bangerjim]

In practice, how much difference does a bottom pour ladle make? Also, could I just make a ladle out of mild steel (rather than cast iron)? I'm assuming the main thing is to have some mass so it doesn't cool too much while you're pouring.

The Lyman unit cost me about $30.....much cheaper than wasting hours of you time trying to cobble together something that is available commercially, a proven performer, and is designed exactly for the job you are doing! Quality tools = quality work.

But only you can put a value on you time! Mine is worth $180/hour!

banger

[detox]

The Lyman and RCBS are designed to pressure fill. You tilt mould then put the ladle spout into sprue plate opening then pour. You can also pour away from sprue plate opening, but fill may not be as good because of less pressure (especially at base of boolit).

Dip deep into pot to prevent getting top level slag into dipper. Slag is #1 cause of voids. When ladle casting, flux about every 30 boolits to prevent heavy dross/slag build up on ladle and surface of melt.

Candle wax will work as flux. Drop in wax then stir pot until vortex swirl forms. Stir until wax stops smoking then skim off residue.

Remember that each mould is different and some will require different alloy temps for each. I have one that likes 700 degrees melt temperature and another that likes 800 for perfect fillout of boolit. Buy a casting thermometer and take notes

I preheat my moulds using propane torch...about 150 degrees is a good starting point for mould. I check temp with cheap infra red thermometer.

I once ladle casted only until I got good at using my RCBS Pro Melt bottom pour pot. I can produce same results with eather. You will also have to flux less often using bottom pour.

[randoma]

Thanks for the very informative answer, Detox.

Is candle wax any better/worse than sawdust for flux? I have lots of sawdust, not so many candles...

I have a non-contact infra-red thermometer, with a max temp reading of 1000F - is that acceptable to taking temperatures or is the surface going to be significantly cooler than the rest of the pot? (I'm assuming it isn't since you have both)

Bangerjim - the Lyman is only $21 shipped at Amazon, but I have a little machineshop and part of the fun is seeing what I can make. And yes, on many occasions, I've spent hours just to make something that I could buy for less than half what I spent in materials.. Here's an example:

Roller Stand (http://www.smidgie.com/928/machineshop/roller/)

Sometimes the journey is it's own reward.

[bangerjim]

Thanks for the very informative answer, Detox.

Is candle wax any better/worse than sawdust for flux? I have lots of sawdust, not so many candles...

I have a non-contact infra-red thermometer, with a max temp reading of 1000F - is that acceptable to taking temperatures or is the surface going to be significantly cooler than the rest of the pot? (I'm assuming it isn't since you have both)

Bangerjim - the Lyman is only $21 shipped at Amazon, but I have a little machineshop and part of the fun is seeing what I can make. And yes, on many occasions, I've spent hours just to make something that I could buy for less than half what I spent in materials.. Here's an example:

Roller Stand (http://www.smidgie.com/928/machineshop/roller/)

Sometimes the journey is it's own reward.

It may be that price. I don't keep trac of what things cost. If I want it...I just buy it when I see it.

An IR thermometer will NOT work for molten lead temps. 1) it does not read shiny surface well and 2) if it did, it is only reading the temp on the top surface. You want to read the temp down in the pot where the heating element is. I have 2 of them.

It will read the INSIDES of your pot because they are NOT shiny! But that again is not the real temp you want.

I know what you mean about making things. I have a large and very complete machine and wood shop and sometimes catch myself designing things in my head that I know I can make in hours and hours, yet I can buy commercially for a small investment! In my younger years, I did a lot of that making almost everything. Now as the old clock on the shelf runs down, I buy what I want.

More power to you!

banger

[Mk42gunner]

I like the RCBS dipper or ladle, it has a fin on the bottom that is handy for clearing a spot to get clean alloy from. I try to never get slag/scum/oxidized stuff into the ladle.

Robert

[dikman]

Randoma, a fellow club member has a Lyman dipper, and I thought the design looked very good. Unfortunately, they are expensive here in Oz, and shipping on them can cost almost as much again if bought overseas! So I made my own from mild steel plate for the sides, a piece of 1 1/2" pipe with a segment cut out and high temp silver soldered the sides onto the pipe. I turned a nozzle down on the lathe and silver soldered that to the pipe, welded a nut to the side and made a handle from steel rod, screwed into the nut. It works pretty well, and has cast a lot of balls, but there is one minor problem with using steel (as opposed to cast iron) - the lead tends to stick, even though it's hot, and occasionally clogs the nozzle. I solved it by buying an RCBS Pro-Melt :roll: (yes, I know, it would have been cheaper to buy the Lyman ladle).

If the Lyman is only $21 shipped, then buy it. That's great value!

[randoma]

Dikman - thanks for the caveat regarding steel.

[williamwaco]

Is there something you'd recommend other than those three?


See:

http://www.rotometals.com/Ladles-for-Casting-s/8.htm

http://www.theantimonyman.com/ladles.htm

These are very popular.

I personally use the Lyman but I only use it on two cavity molds. It will not adequately fill a six cavity.

[detox]

Your infrared thermometer is perfect for checking mould temp. Some of my moulds reach as high as 280 degrees and some as low as 150 , but never over 300 degrees. When you find the sweet spot make a note of it then pre heat to that temp before next casting.

Sawdust works good for ladle casting. I keep sawdust away from my bottom pour pot

[bhn22]

I ended up with an RCBS ladle after going through a number of Lymans over the centuries. The one I ended up with has the square back, and the "rudder" of course, and has been changed over for left-hand use. It came that way, before this one, I had to drill a hole in the opposite side of the bowl, and run the handle through the hole and into the threads on the other side. It worked, but reduced capacity a bit. I also have a 1 lb Rowell ladle that I bought for pouring ingots. It works great for ingots, but not so great for bullets. The extra capacity pouring over the mold overheats the mold pretty quickly, plus it really doesn't pressure cast balky molds well at all.

[randoma]

Sawdust works good for ladle casting. I keep sawdust away from my bottom pour pot

Why is that? Also, is candle wax different from paraffin wax (like for canning)?

[detox]

It is the same wax.

Sawdust will get trapped between pot walls and melt....eventually finding their way out spout into mould.

[Beagle333]

Lyman. (from TrackOfTheWolf) . . . . All set for casting! :-D

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/cast%20boolits/setup006_zpsba5b5247.jpg

[bhn22]

A shot of Mold Prep will help reduce the deposits that build up on the ladle. It's the only use I have for the stuff. It certainly is a disappointment on molds for me. Bead blast it first, of course.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Pressure filling with Lyman or RCBS ladles, WELL MAYBE

Above it was said that they were used to pressure fill the mold cavities, and this might be fine for a single cavity mold where the mold and ladle can be on their side and rotated for the alloy to flow into the cavity.

But, for multiple cavity molds it becomes much more tricky as the mold and ladle can no longer be rotated as a unit without the alloy being disturbed in the first cavity or a person waiting for the sprew to "freeze" on each cavity which would slow down the casting procedure to an extreme degree.

A person can try to rapidly rotate just the ladle and pressing it to the sprew plate hole, but this is questionable in practice as the metal that begins to pour from the ladle many times prevents a seal between the nipple and the sprew plate.

The bottom pour ladle on the other hand, at least mine which is I believe the second step up in size contains enough alloy to allow me to begin the pour slightly to one side from the sprew plate hole and then move the stream to the hole for filling the cavity. I do this for the first cavity and then move from cavity to cavity while maintaining a steady stream of alloy.

This provides more then enough, "pressure" to complete fill out!

I have used the Lyman type as well as open ladles, but have never used a better product then the Rowell bottom pour ladle which I have used for probably ten years.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Lead Fred]

Ive used the lyman ladle for years, decided to buy a lee for $4 bucks, Midway has them on sale.
After seeing the Lee, it is now my pot stir stick, its too small for most of my cast work.
What a waste of $4 bucks

[detox]

This provides more then enough, "pressure" to complete fill out!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

True. You just have to loosen sprue plate more. And turn up the heat.

[Kull]

Been using the Rowell bottom pour ones, no complaints.

[GLL]

I have a couple RCBS and four different sized Rowells (including the #1).
I seem to use the RCBS most often !

Before it is put into service I shorted the metal handle shank and drill out the spout a bit for improved flow.

Here is one of the RCBS ladles that is fresh out of the box.
http://www.fototime.com/DF1271887CEBA67/orig.jpg

Jerry

[wch]

I'm new to this as well. I decided on the Rowell bottom pour. Just came yesterday form Rotometals.

85252

85251

These ladles are the best on the market today.

[bhn22]

Not if you're left-handed.

[wch]

Not if you're left-handed.

Like that old cowboy song goes: "It's your misfortune and none of my own."

[alamogunr]

How does a left-hander use a Lyman or RCBS??

[Smoke4320]

How does a left-hander use a Lyman or RCBS??
While standing on his head :) :)

[Mk42gunner]

How does a left-hander use a Lyman or RCBS??

In their right hand.

Unless they drill and tap the boss on the other side of the bowl for the handle, IIRC it is a 5/16-18 thread. Just realized this answer is for the RCBS, I don't think the Lyman is quite so easily changed for left hand use.

Seriously, I find casting to a be a task that requires skilled, or at least learned, movements with both hands.

Robert

[mikeym1a]

It all depends on what you mean and want. If you need a ladle to get lead out of a big pot to cast ignots, you could get a punch ladle at your local food store in the housewares department. If you want to cast boolits out of a smaller pot, you could get a coffee measuring spoon there as well. I did, and got both. I have a cast iron dipper from Rotometals, and find that my punch ladle is more to my liking. The only thing I would change is I would put a wooden handle on it; same goes for my coffee measure. The punch ladle will pick up about 1 1/2lbs of liquid alloy. The coffee measure about one ounce. Of course, if you are casting out of a big pot, the coffee measure is too short. I got mine at a local food market called 'Martin's' Food Store, a division of Giant Foods. But, you should be able to find the equivalent at K-Mart, or Walley World. Hope this helps.

[GLL]

How does a left-hander use a Lyman or RCBS??

You can see the boss on the RCBS in my photo.
As Robert indicated it is easily drilled and taped for the handle shank.

Jerry

[dromia]

The current Lyman Ladle is drilled and tapped, so that the handle can be on either side for right or left hand use. It also has a threaded plug for the unused hole so that the lead doesn't get into the threads.

[alamogunr]

The current Lyman Ladle is drilled and tapped, so that the handle can be on either side for right or left hand use. It also has a threaded plug for the unused hole so that the lead doesn't get into the threads.

Strange for a company that, at times, has so little concern for its customers, to do something so simple to accommodate some of them.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

GOOD for Lyman!!!

However, at the best, it is second best to the Rowell bottom pour and yes I have a Lyman.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Bret4207]

I find the Rowell, the 1 lbs model, about right for large caliber 6 and 10 cavity moulds. It's too darn awkward for 4 cav or less. I use a Lyman for that or an old soup ladle I bent up that, for me, works almost as well and has other attributes that make it easy to use- BIG HANDLE.

The down side of wax or any type is when it bursts into flame when you aren't expecting it. Normally it just smokes like crazy and you light it off on purpose, but if your melt is hot enough or you use an open flame heat source it can "flam" as the late Mr Carlin said. Sawdust works just fine for me, better than anything else IMO, and I've never had any problems with it getting caught under the melt. In fact it's often hard to get it under the melt as much as you want.

[Ed in North Texas]

I wouldn't put up a picture of my Lyman (new in 1968 or 9 IIRC). Heat loosened the wood handle about 20 years ago and I welded a loop of 1/4" electrode on for a longer handle. Still works just fine, and I always use gloves to cast so a warm handle isn't a problem (waiting for cooler weather is my biggest problem - sweat dripping off me is danged dangerous). I just today broke down and ordered a Waage (current price is $198 plus $25 S&H, had a nice chat with the Grandson of the founder), so the Lyman and my 1 lb Rowell will be getting lots more use. My Lyman 10 lb and older Lee 4-20s will get less use now. The Lymans are a bit small and, after I weighted the handle of it with a lead filled nut under the wood, my biggest problem with the Lee is the rinky-dink mould support (I've been using a piece of corrugated steel from a shipping container to support moulds, but it isn't exactly adjustable, and doesn't guide the mould like the Lyman mould guide does).

[Ed in North Texas]

Finished a casting session today. Lyman bottom pour worked fine for the RCBS 45-250 DC, Lyman dipper out of that Lyman pot for the Lee 312-160TL DC, it just doesn't like bottom pour from either the Lyman or Lee pots. Rowell #1 from the Lee 4-20 for a NOE 316299 5 cavity worked great, better than bottom pour (go figure). A few more sessions and I'll have to lube these. Lubing and loading are best done when it is cold outside (I know, it really doesn't get real cold in TX very often. But 20s or 30s and a 15 to 20 mph northwest wind doesn't make for good shooting or spending time outside at the lead pot.)

Different tools work better for one thing or another.

[AlaskanGuy]

I saw some nice ladles in ebay today... And bought a vintage scale for her for reloading... In the search window under ebay, just type "vintage reloading" and you will have your ladles... And lots of other stuff you think you cant live without.

[starmac]

LOL I actually typed in vintage this morning and went through several pages. lol

[alamogunr]

"Vintage" is the catchword for anything over a couple of years old on Ebay. Some of the most blatant junk is described as 'vintage". May not apply to reloading stuff.

I have to admit that, if vintage is included in the description, I pass.

[starmac]

"Vintage" is the catchword for anything over a couple of years old on Ebay. Some of the most blatant junk is described as 'vintage". May not apply to reloading stuff.

I have to admit that, if vintage is included in the description, I pass.

LOL if I passed on vintage, I wouldn't have a reloading press, and not a whole lot to load for either. lol