Lyman 10# Big Dipper or Lee 10# Production Pot?

[Jal5]

I am getting ready to take the plunge and buy one of these and need some advice. I know it is preference bottom pour vs. ladle but what are the other pros/cons of these two units. I am a beginner and want to get my equipment together. Thanks.

Joe

[mooman76]

I've been ladle casting for 40 years. See no reason to change and it really just personal preference. I'd go with a 20# pot though. Only a little more and you will probably wish you did later on.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The Lyman 10# is fairly new and it looks like it was/is made by Lee. Its strictly for ladle casting. (and you can put a ladle into it and atually stir the melt) The Lee ten pounder is a bottom pour and a bit on the claustrophobic side for stirring and trying to ladle from it. No sense in going into the "dripomatic" nickname as reams of comments and cures are everywhere on this forum. One can cast good bullets with it and of course good bullets have been cast with a ladle for over the last century+. A bottom pour is faster than a ladle, so it comes down to how much of a hurry you're in and/or what your needs are in terms of production numbers. The quality as both units are made by Lee is pretty much the same, but as a caster I never liked being cramped in a little pot with no room to stir or ladle if I chose to, and having to deal with a drip situation with or without me having to be present to catch it. Another factor is...if you attempt to smelt--especially dirty metal or wheelweights in the Lee production pot you are going to have a lot of crud on the bottom and in your valve area and assembly/spout and mega problemos to go with it. In a ladle style pot you can clean up crud and dross a lot easier from the bottom of the pot. Another somewhat minor point is that you probably never would by accident tip over the ladle/dipper pot as it sits flat on the bench/tabletop
A bottom pour is a convenience, but only if it works well; if you have to struggle with it and it bothers you then you're better off with the ladle method.. LLs

[doghawg]

The Fedex guy just dropped off my MidSouth order. The Lyman "Big Dipper" is made in china.........At least the Lee stuff is made here.

[Cowboy T]

I'd go for the Lee Production Pot's bigger brother, the Pro 4-20. It is a 20lb, downpour-spout model, and it works great. You also have a lot more room not just for more lead, but also for manoeuvering your stirring spoon/ladle around in it. And it's really not much more expensive.

Additionally, the Pro 4-20 includes a handy little shelf to rest the mould on when you're casting.

[doghawg]

As a follow up.....I used the Lyman "Big Dipper" yesterday and it had a hard time getting up to 700 degrees with a full pot. I haven't decided whether to call Lyman or just use it as a feeder pot to melt rejects and sprues in to replenish a good pot. Maybe this one is just the exception and the rest are just fine but what did I expect for 28 bucks........

[GLL]

If you want to ladle cast the pot you should consider the Waage K4757 !

22 pounds of Pb and good temp controls.

Significantly more than $28.00 though ! :)

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/DF1271887CEBA67/orig.jpg

[Jal5]

Anyone else have that problem with heating up the Lyman Big Dipper pot?

[Casting Timmy]

Which ever way you go, ladle or bottom pour it's nice to have a big pot. It really makes a big difference when you cast bigger bullets. Small pots sometimes start running out of lead when you're pouring big bullets. As soon as you get the mold running good, you;re getting out of lead.

Currently I use two 10lb bottom pours from Lee. This allows me to keep casting without worrying about running out of lead. As one pot is melting down more lead I just pour from the other pot.

[Doc Highwall]

I say go with the LEE Pro 20# then you can both dip and bottom pour.

[Elkins45]

I say go with the LEE Pro 20# then you can both dip and bottom pour.

Having that valve rod in the way makes it awfully crowded if you're using a decent ladle like he Lyman or RCBS. The Lee ladle (glorified spoon) fits better but it doesn't hold enough lead to cast two big bullets. It also makes a good place for crud to hide when you're trying to skim the dross.

I guess I'm just contrarian but I never could get the hand of making a good bullet with a bottom pour pot.

[Doc Highwall]

Just one word "Technique"