Little Dandy

[daboone]

I've had one that came with 12 rotors and the Bailey Boat rotor but I have barely messed with it. I read several old posts here but want to stir the pot for suggestions on setup, use, freehand or mounted? Storage of rotors? Any useful info.

TIA

[square butte]

Use mounted - Store rotors in a segmented plastic box with a bit of VCI ( vapor corrosion inhibitor ) paper.

[toallmy]

Good call on storage , those rotors like to rust . I loaded a lot of light handgun rounds with a little dandy powder measure over loading blocks in the past , but just because it was simpler for me to just run down the line of prepared brass . Click click right down the row - but it is much safer to charge the case one at a time with the stand , instead of looking at them lined up in a loading block . I think the little dandy is a wonderful little powder measure !!

[Minerat]

I use mine free hand loading 5 shells at a time in a block. I store my rotors in a drawer but the plastic box idea is a great one.

[BudRow]

Store them in a 12 gauge plastic ammo case MTM, Frankfort or J&J. They hold 25 and are perfect.

[Airman Basic]

A 20 gauge shotshell plastic box holds 25 rotors perfectly, end up to see which one you're picking. I also use it handheld over loading blocks. Inspect the blocks with a strong light after loading to make sure you didn't miss any or double any up. Pay attention!

[daboone]

I have a 20 gauge Plano Shot Shell Box but it's holes are to small for the rotors to fit.

[Chill Wills]

I use mine freehand over a loading block. For me that is where the value of it is. Then as always, the penlight that is on my bench gets used for looking down into each case to insure the powder charge is correct and NOT double charged or empty.
For what it is worth, the two most used tools on my bench are the penlight and dial caliper.

The dry mountain west is friendly to iron based items. I can just store the rotors in a wood block I made with 7/8" holes drilled in it. I also have made most of the ones I use. Brass, steel and aluminum serve.

[Greg S]

The Lil Dandy Measure is a handy tool, great for travelling.

[Green Frog]

The little flip top boxes for reloaded 16 or 12 gauge shot shells are perfect for holding 25 rotors, then you put the other three from your complete set in your three Little Dandies and you have them all accounted for. I still need to buy one more body so I can practice what I preach! [smilie=l:

Then when I break down and buy the custom rotor from Bailey Boats I'll just have to buy one more body... you can't have too many Little Dandies! :rolleyes:

Froggie

[EDG]

I like using any RCBS measure with the metal spouts. It seems you get powder bridging with the plastic spouts.
There is not much to using them. Your time would be better spent actually using them.

[daboone]

Metal spouts? Metal Drop tube for the Little Dandy? Where?

[alamogunr]

I have all the LD rotors and made a walnut holder for them. I make sure that they don't rust by periodically waxing the holes with JPW and coating the outside of the rotors with same. Having all the rotors covers most of my needs but there is always some slight variation in a charge that the Bailey Boat adjustable rotor would cover.

Does anyone know if the price is the same($49) as always? If so, all I have to do is get a USPS MO in the mail.

[Airman Basic]

I have a 20 gauge Plano Shot Shell Box but it's holes are to small for the rotors to fit.

You're correct. On second look, mine is a 16 gauge.

[oldhenry]

The Little Dandy is the only component of "The Green Machine" that should be kept. It's a great device for handgun calibers.........unfortunately I don't use mine anymore since I got the Dillon 550 (but I'm keeping it anyway).

When I used it: hand held & results checked with a pen light.

Storage: in a nifty hinged cloth lined wood box that I acquired (unknown source) & have not the foggiest idea what it was designed for.

No special storing precautions & no rust.

The hand made items by Chill Wills are beautiful.

Henry

[dverna]

Good call on storage , those rotors like to rust . I loaded a lot of light handgun rounds with a little dandy powder measure over loading blocks in the past , but just because it was simpler for me to just run down the line of prepared brass . Click click right down the row - but it is much safer to charge the case one at a time with the stand , instead of looking at them lined up in a loading block . I think the little dandy is a wonderful little powder measure !!

Using them to charge a loading block of cases is a disaster waiting to happen if a double charge will fit in the case. At least for this ADD person. My advice, mount the measure, charge one case, seat bullet immediately.

For a patient and disciplined reloader who is not rushed, charging all the cases may work 99.999% of the time. Is one double charge in 100,000 rounds ok? I suppose most using the Little Dandy will take a long time to load 100k.

There are thousands of users who have never had a problem but only you can judge if you can be careful enough.

[pworley1]

I use mine mounted and store my extra rotors in a plastic 12ga storage box.

[BudRow]

If you buy used rotors, inspect them carefully. Make sure the haven't been altered by the previous owner.

[country gent]

Rotors can be tweaked to lighter charges in a couple ways.
If you have a set of leather punches thin card wads can be punched and pressed in the bottom to lighten a charge. This works pretty good Playing cards make a .020 thick wad to adjust with and are plastic sealed.


Tape can be used to make the cavity smaller in dia by adding to the side and trimming flush with top edge. Masking tape or book tape are roughly .005. I like the book/ packaging tape for its better adhesive and again its plastic.

For a more permanent tweak a little JB Weld and cut to throw the charge with a flat ground drill. I have done this with solder also. Solder makes a nice adjustment and flows in nice.

I like the Idea of the Bailey Boats adjustable rotor. Don't care for each adjustment the hopper has too be emptied. Im working on a rotor that's click adjustable ( similar to Harrels or culivers) with a slide similar to lymans 55. Am going to start machining the prototype here shortly. What I heave in mind are 12 clicks per revolution which with a 20 TPI will open the slide roughly .005 per click. slide will be .437 wide and .5 deep This should give and adjustment range from almost 0 to around 25 grns. I get the prototype done I can adjust number of clicks to where it needs to be for .1 grns or less. Im currently considering brass for the material for the stability, reduce risk of sparks, and last for me ease of machining. But steel isn't out of the question either.

[Minerat]

I don't empty mine to make an adjustment on my BB. I take the plastic drop tube out, put the cap on the hopper and adjust away. I have almost quit using the RCBS rotors.

[country gent]

Dang I didn't think of that Minerat. I looked at the pics and haven't worked with one.

[Walks]

I use mine free hand over an old Flambeau twin-60 loading block. When finished I step over to a small floodlight at night or outside to check powder levels.

Store the measure by screwing it into the old aluminum bar that comes/came with the old Uni-Flow powder measure. It's fastened to a shelf up in a corner of the bench, cover with an old sock.
The rotors are stored in their boxes at the back edge of the bench under the bottom shelf overhang. Just wipe them down with silicone rag, store them back in their boxes. Wipe clean with acetone before use.

I have another aluminum bar screwed to that low shelf to hold the measure during use.

I've had one since they first came out. Bought all rotors the first year. Most all my handgun loads are based on what those rotors throw of a given powder. I even use the #26 rotor for .223 with Ball Powder.

I'm kinda interested in that adjustable rotor. It's kinda pricey and I can't even find a picture of one.

[Minerat]

Dang I didn't think of that Minerat. I looked at the pics and haven't worked with one.

Thanks country gent, but even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. It was just me being lazy.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I drilled out one of my rotors, it was soft as butter. It worked so well, I thought I would drill another. It was harder than $40.00 worth of jaw breakers. Never did get a drill bit to cut it.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[Chill Wills]

Not that that Baily adjustable thing is wrong, different people like different things, but I have regular powder meters already that work better, with faster adjustment. To me the value of the switch rotors like RCBS supplies is it is simple and fast for a block of pistol type cases. No adjusting, put the rotor in, check one drop on the scale and go.

[country gent]

One of my favorite measures to use is along the lines of the little dandy. I made it up as a fill in project at work. Its a sliding bar measure ( similar to Dillon or Belding and mull or lee auto disks) bar is 3/4" thick and 1 1/2' wide has a 3/4" hole bored and ground in it slides in the housing under hopper fills the cavity forward drops it into the case. I have a bunch of numbered cavities made for it. Once a charge is found next time just find that numbered bushing and drop it in. Its a great little measure for pistol rounds or even some of the smaller rifle rounds like 22 hornet 218 bee. It does pretty good accuracy wise also.

[daboone]

After reviewing some related thread on the Little Dandy I found a helpful and money saving tip. The RCBS lock rings can be use as rotor knobs for the rotors.

[Green Frog]

The rotor type powder measure dates back to at least the pre-WW II days when Pacific made their pistol measure using brass (then steel during WW II) rotors calibrated and marked for Bullseye and later Unique Powders. After the Little Dandy became established, Lyman tried their Accumeasure on the same principle. It came with 15 brass rotors, about half of which had two small cavities, so the total number available was nearly the same as the Little Dandy. For whatever reason, it didn't seem to catch on. I've been fortunate enough to get a couple of LDs and a complete set of rotors as well as a couple of AMs with all of their rotors, but although I have several of the Pacifics and their later (Bair) iterations, I'm still trying to assemble a complete set of the rotors for that system. [smilie=2:

No, I'm really not OCD, but everybody needs a hobby! ;)

Froggie

[Wayne Smith]

Froggie, if you come up with duplicates of the Bair roters let me know.

Country Gent, that sounds like my Pacific slide measure, but bigger. The Pacific uses a 1/2" hole.

[Green Frog]

Froggie, if you come up with duplicates of the Bair roters let me know.

Country Gent, that sounds like my Pacific slide measure, but bigger. The Pacific uses a 1/2" hole.

Wayne, I'm beginning to get the idea that the only way I'll get a collection of Pacific/Bair rotors will be to make them. :( They weren't made in all that large numbers way back when, and were never that common around here, so I just find the occasional rotor or two (usually in a box with a powder measure) and have tried to build up a set... but it's very slow. The downside is that I have about 4-5 of the measures and only about a dozen rotors with virtually no dupes. Have you been able to get any you would be willing to swap? :?:

BTW, the later Bair/Pacific powder measures used a slide and bushing rather than the rotor... sounds like the style Country Gent has built for himself. By comparison, they would be a snap to make, but that's a story for another thread, this one is about the Little Dandy and its rotor style of inserts. We could go on for a long time talking about this style since it is so widely used, even with some modification in Dillon and Star Progressive Presses. ;)

There is a certain attraction to having a powder measure with fixed capacity charge chambers... you get a consistent load. There is a certain disadvantage to it though... you only get those specific loads for which you have the proper chambers. :???:

Froggie

[Wayne Smith]

If you ever get to your machine tools I think I have two blank rotors that I'd send you.

[Rick R]

I use my Little Dandy handheld over a reloading block and go back over the charged cases with a bright flashlight to check levels. For what it’s worth I normally use a powder charge that will visually overfill or overflow the case with a double charge. Some powders work much better than others, 2400, BE86, W296/H110 all flow like water. Unique not so much but it gets used A LOT in my loads.

I have a wooden box with a foam liner that I bored holes in to hold the rotors upright, I wipe the rotors every so often with Gunzilla to keep away the rust.

[three50seven]

I use one of these with mine: https://gun-guides.com/UNIVERSAL-Perfect-Powder-Measure-Adapter%E2%84%A2-for-Handguns-by-Gun-Guides%C2%AE-p83298045
and mount it directly to the top of my Lee powder-through expander dies.

I use a plastic tackle box with the adjustable dividers to store my rotors in.

[alamogunr]

I PM'd Bailey Boat about his adjustable rotor for the Little Dandy. Here is his reply:

"John, I do still make them but am not accepting any orders at this time. The machinist that has been making them for all these years for me has gone MIA. I’m currently totally out of stock and if I don’t hear from him this week I’ll be forced to find someone else to make them for me.
I’ll save this email and when I have the situation under control I’ll holler back at you….
Sorry for the delay… Bill White"

My reply to him was that I didn't really need the adjustable rotor but it would be nice to have. In the meantime, if I need a different charge than the standard rotor, I can utilize one of the temporary fixes mentioned in above posts.

[Airman Basic]

I'm not the only loader who double drops the LD, am I? For example, I drop two #15s to get my load of 4227 for 44 mag.

[rking22]

Nope, I double as well. Use mine hand held over the block , then count each charged case as I check them with the light. When doing 1 at a time, if I get destracted it goes back in the measure and charge again. Easier for me to stay focused 1 time while I inspect the block. Also ,like when using unique, I can verify any short charges, level of each case should match it's neighbor.I really like the fixed charge. I use a piece of paper in the reservoir to note powder type thats presently in it. Got 2, buy them wbenever I run accross one reasonable $.
I find them to be more repeatable, with powders like unique, because I can "snap" the rotator each direction.

[daboone]

Here are some things I learned so far.

Kids playground chalk is great to get the rotor's numbers to pop out, be visible.

RCBS lock rings attached to the grip portion of the rotors make them easier to rotate.

Nobody makes a powder baffle for the LD.

These rotors are susceptible to rust. I've cleaned the light surface rust with 0000 steel wool followed with paste wax.
​​​​​
A plastic sixteen gauge box is good for storage of the rotor.

I started testing it with Bullseye, 700X, Red Dot, Unique and 2400 just using the appropriate RCBS rotors for loads I'm interested in time 20 dispensing. I was impressed with the consistency delivered (+/- 0.1) with each of these powders. I did note some cutting but this didn't seem to cause and significant difference. Some were very close to the printed Chart loads some were not. This testing was done with the LD mounted on a stand. Today I will see how it does freehand, not mounted. The Bailey Boat adjustable rotor looks like it will fill in the gaps but I haven't really done any serious testing yet.

Thanks for all your advice, comments and suggestions.

[daboone]

PM sent. I'll take it

[daboone]

PM sent. I'll take it

[blackhawk man]

Done.

[rockshooter]

I just received my adjustable rotor the other day- I hope Bill White can get back into full production. The rotor is a real work of art. I have all of the Little Dandy rotors, have been using then as my main pistol measure for probably 20 years. I bought the adjustable one to be able to use loads that the rotors can't do- the intermediate loads. The adj. one doesn't do anything different than any regular powder measure, it just does it on a smaller scale- sort of like using the smaller pistol measure on the RCBS full-size powder measure. As for a baffle- just stick a funnel on top with a small tip inside the Little Dandy- the funnel regulates the powder level.
Loren

[daboone]

A friend made this red oak storage block for the Little Dandy rotors.

232028

[Bailey Boat]

Fellas, I finally got some time to peruse the forum and am glad I came across this thread. Several things I saw in here I'd like to address.

1. The measure doesn't have to be inverted or emptied to make an adjustment. Place the rotor in the "dispense" position (as far clockwise as it will go) and insert the adjustment tool into the bottom of the body, engage the adjustment screw and adjust away.

2. Powder baffles are "available" by googling "Uncle Nick's Powder Baffles" and choosing the 1 5/16" template. It can be made from any material thin enough to be cut with a pair of scissors. I have used aluminum roof flashing, soft drink cans, beer cans and I have known of a couple of people to use plastic.

3. I'm hoping my supply issues are behind me and will soon have a new batch of rotors ready to go. I was able to find a local machinist with a suitable sized setup and the ability to grasp the concept and he has a batch in process at this time. Please stand by and accept my sincere apologies for the Nov/Dec delays.

4. Even though I don't always get the time to hang on the forum much I can always be reached by email (bawhite@ctc.net) or a PM here on Cast Boolits......

[ctrshot]

Are adjustable Lil Dandy Rotors still available for purchase? Sure wold like to get one.

[Krag 1901]

I love my LD, I don't have all the rotors but enough to use for most handguns and powders I use. I seat the boolet after charging rather than risk a double charge!

[Three44s]

Are adjustable Lil Dandy Rotors still available for purchase? Sure wold like to get one.

Try the contact info in Bailey Boats post right above yours.

Three44s