Rotometals... anyone happy doing business with them?

[Trinidad Bill]

I just called Rotometals (because of their ad on this site) with the intention of purchasing some bullet casting alloy, a Rowell ladle for melting WW, and perhaps some lead shot. The order would have been well over $100.

Since I had never done business with Rotometals, I did have a couple of questions, which was the reason for calling.

I was told, by the young lady who answered the phone, that they offer no technical assistance and that I should consult this forum(or others) for information. Then, use the web site to order what I needed!

After this brief exchange I terminated the conversation feeling like I would NEVER do business with these folks.

While I do enjoy using internet web sites, especially those who support the forum I participate in, I do like a little customer service from the folks I do business with. The person representing Rotometals led me to believe that they did not have customer service.

Maybe Rotometals is just too busy or ... maybe just a bad day?

[Love Life]

What technical assistance did you need? You are ordering a known alloy. Melt it, pour it, shoot it.

[Frosty Boolit]

Well, bad as that may be, we would be happy to answer your ?'s here if we can!

[ShooterAZ]

They are OK to deal with. I've ordered from them several times with no problems. They only offer free shipping (on qualifying orders) for orders placed online. Exactly what kind of customer service are you expecting on your lead purchase? The data for all their alloys is posted on the website. Clearly they prefer orders to be done online.

[45bpcr]

I'm happy with them.
I bought about 1100 lbs of 16-1 and 20-1 alloy off them last year.
The only complaint I have is I almost always get a discount offer from them the week AFTER I order :-(
They smelt good consistent repeatable alloy.

45bpcr

[lwknight]

They supply metals. Period.
What we do with the metals is a specialty.
How could a metal supplier have technical data other than physical properties for 1000s of different uses that their customers are in to doing?

Pretty much they are straight up honest folks albeit that the prices are generally a bit high .
You get what you pay for in a timely manner. What else could you expect?

[cbrick]

I've ordered from them several times and never had any problem. Keep in mind that Roto Metals is a full service foundry to the metals industry which is their primary business and boolit casting alloys is a side line, this is why they prefer your using the web site to order. Also keep in mind that Roto is doing boolit casters a huge favor with the service & products they offer us. When the office & shop is busy filling orders of tons it can be a real hassle to stop & talk boolit casting & an order of a few pounds.

They have always had great delivery times for my orders after I placed it. Sorry you seem to have gotten upset but truth is they are great folks to deal with.

Rick

[RedHawk357Mag]

Have bought from them and all in all pretty happy with them. I got exactly what I ordered, in a timely fashion, and package usually arrives intact. That last thing is sometimes a hard thing to accomplish. I recently found zipmetals dot com. Prices are nicer but I know nothing about them. Sorry to hear your encounter was not mutually fruitful.

[wch]

I've consistently had excellent (fast) service from Rotometals; I think that this company supplies more than adequate information regarding the alloys that they sell.

[Wots]

This must be your lucky day. Just got this email from them.
St. Patrick's Day Sale, Starts NOW!
Now through Sunday, March 16th, Save 5% on your website* order.
Use website coupon code "lucky5" during online checkout to save instantly

[Piedmont]

Wow. I just went and looked. I wish I had some of your bank accounts. Got into this because I was poor and cheap and guess I still am both!

[gray wolf]

Wow. I just went and looked. I wish I had some of your bank accounts. Got into this because I was poor and cheap and guess I still am both!
Yes Sir, I got the same problem, I would love to pick up the phone and say:
Howdy Sir, Please send me 350 pounds of your very best #2 alloy, and I will take a shot of Jack and a short Beer to go with it.

[Trinidad Bill]

This must be your lucky day. Just got this email from them.
St. Patrick's Day Sale, Starts NOW!
Now through Sunday, March 16th, Save 5% on your website* order.
Use website coupon code "lucky5" during online checkout to save instantly

Thanks for the "lucky5".

I placed my order, took my shipping discount and have moved on. Sometimes you are just on the wrong side of the majority! I am ok with that.

My technical question was around the Rowell ladle but I am sure the product will do what I need.

[cbrick]

My technical question was around the Rowell ladle but I am sure the product will do what I need.

What is your question on the ladle? I have four different Rowell ladles and very possibly your question can be answered here.

Rick

[Trinidad Bill]

What is your question on the ladle? I have four different Rowell ladles and very possibly your question can be answered here.

Rick

I was waffling between a #3 and a #4 to fill my ingot moulds (standard stuff). I just wanted to make sure it had a reasonable capacity in the ladle. I decided on #3.

[Dale in Louisiana]

I have had nothing but perfectly acceptable service from Rotometals.

It is a source of amusement to see my mail lady packing one of those 'If it fits, it ships - for a flat rate' boxes that weighs sixty pounds.

dale in Louisiana

[alamogunr]

I was waffling between a #3 and a #4 to fill my ingot moulds (standard stuff). I just wanted to make sure it had a reasonable capacity in the ladle. I decided on #3.

Good move. I bought a Rowell about 10-12 years ago and didn't waffle. As usual I overdid it. I bought a #5. An all day WW cleaning session will leave your back in pain.

The OP should have asked his question here. I'm sure he would have gotten a lot of answers based on experience.

[cbrick]

Good move. I bought a Rowell about 10-12 years ago and didn't waffle. As usual I overdid it. I bought a #5. An all day WW cleaning session will leave your back in pain.

The OP should have asked his question here. I'm sure he would have gotten a lot of answers based on experience.

I got the #5 for the same reason and if the smelting pot isn't a really good size it's just plain to big & not practical. #3 should serve him well for most ingots.

Rick

[Ickisrulz]

Thanks for the "lucky5".

I placed my order, took my shipping discount and have moved on. Sometimes you are just on the wrong side of the majority! I am ok with that.

My technical question was around the Rowell ladle but I am sure the product will do what I need.


Here's some descriptions for the ladles. The site is not up for ordering anything anymore though.

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

[bangerjim]

Wow. I just went and looked. I wish I had some of your bank accounts. Got into this because I was poor and cheap and guess I still am both!

More power to ya, friend! But you may be in the wrong conner of the hobby sphere!

I tell the wife....."remember this hobby that was going to save us hundreds of dollars.....is now costing us thousands!!!!!"

This, like all my other hobbies which I have been doing for many many years, just keeps sucking money. You know...that large sucking sound....normally heard around your kids and the government! [smilie=1:

HA.......ha.

banger

[alamogunr]

I got the #5 for the same reason and if the smelting pot isn't a really good size it's just plain to big & not practical. #3 should serve him well for most ingots.

Rick

My pot is fabricated from a piece of 12" dia. steel pipe and is about 10" deep. The #5 is still too big. If I was able to get WW like I could 5-10 yrs ago, I would cut a propane tank. The rounded bottom would help a lot.

[wild bill wildbill59]

Very happy with them

[stu1ritter]

My very simple order for 2 pounds of tin was filled rapidly and shipped quickly and received as expected. What more could you ask.
Stu

[Petrol & Powder]

I've had no problems with Rotometals.

[1989toddm]

Wow. I just went and looked. I wish I had some of your bank accounts. Got into this because I was poor and cheap and guess I still am both!

Yep I'm in the same boat. Too cheap to pay for anything I don't have to at retail.

[Hickok]

Wow. I just went and looked. I wish I had some of your bank accounts. Got into this because I was poor and cheap and guess I still am both!"Start reloading and making your own, it will save you money!!" I think there is a Catch-22 in that statement.:wink:

[C. Latch]

They supply metals. Period.
What we do with the metals is a specialty.
How could a metal supplier have technical data other than physical properties for 1000s of different uses that their customers are in to doing?

Pretty much they are straight up honest folks albeit that the prices are generally a bit high .
You get what you pay for in a timely manner. What else could you expect?

Agreed 100%.

[Shiloh]

Gotta agree with Love Life in post #2.

She gave you sage advice when referring you back to this forum. I have never ordered from them, but am looking at some of their 70/30 lead/antimony for hardening. I would have no qualms at all about ordering from them.

Shiloh

[Trinidad Bill]

Well if nothing else I have prompted some great press for Rotometals!

I stand duly corrected in my initial stance.

[dverna]

The only issue I had was that they are completely out of the ball park on large orders. Good for small orders.

Don Verna

[WBG]

From my point of view I have had a bad experience with Roto metals. We got a little cross threaded. Brian

[fredj338]

I agree, I order metal from them, not call them for technical advice. Try calling Hornady or RCBS, depending on the day, you may be asked to send an e-mail for technical assist. The lady that answers the phones probably only does that.
It's bothersome, but at some point you have to embrace "technology". I hate listening to a machine, but many places don't have real people to answer questions unless you put a call in & wait for a return.

[WBG]

In my situation, It may have been half my fault. I can be a jerk sometimes if I apply myself. I am getting along well at Non Ferrous Metals in Seattle. Brian

[wwmartin]

For dipping metal for ingots I use a inexpensive one cup SS soup ladle that the wife was pitching. WW

[ioon44]

I have ordered from Rotometals and have had no problems.

[jonp]

In my situation, It may have been half my fault. I can be a jerk sometimes if I apply myself. I am getting along well at Non Ferrous Metals in Seattle. Brian

I never have to apply myself. I'm a natural

[Geezer in NH]

"Start reloading and making your own, it will save you money!!" I think there is a Catch-22 in that statement.:wink:But you will shoot a lot more

[Buck Neck It]

Young lady answers the phone, and you expect technical advice? On casting lead?

If I can get a woman of any age to sell me a bag of groceries without sneering, I figure that I have scored!

[Geezer in NH]

Young lady answers the phone, and you expect technical advice? On casting lead?

If I can get a woman of any age to sell me a bag of groceries without sneering, I figure that I have scored![smilie=l::bigsmyl2:

[JohnH]

In my situation, It may have been half my fault. I can be a jerk sometimes if I apply myself. I am getting along well at Non Ferrous Metals in Seattle. Brian You have to apply yourself??? Everyone I know thinks I'm a jerk and I do all I can to be a nice guy. Applying myself usually takes me straight to all out A$$hole. I was once asked if I could give classes ;)

[Crash_Corrigan]

Sure I went out and got a Rowell #4 and I was ready to smelt......then all the sources of ww's died off...... I am going to have to scratch around and find some lead to make use of this piece of equipment.

[prs]

A few comments above about Rotometals being high priced. So you are here in WV or up in Maine or the Carolinas. You have some extra pigs of pure lead for which you have paid a fair price. So, a buyer in California wants to buy some; but he is used to getting lead for free to real cheap. He is gonna think you are a bit pricey too.

Free scrap lead is seldom seen around here now. I have two local scrap yards to visit, both involve a about a 38 mile round trip. Even with gas back down to $2.38/gallon and my PU getting 17mpg the added cost is significant. Then, what they have needs to be rendered and often it is mystery alloy and rarely tin rich. So, I don't have spend part of time off from work to go scrapping if I pay Rotometals spot market wholesale plus a typical retail mark-up for known pure alloy shipped to my door, how can I lose?

prs