Homemade?

[Johnny_V]

It's nice when you can utilize what you have laying around. Been trying to do that myself lately. BTW,great job..

[44magLeo]

I mentioned this before, my lead ladle. I made it from a short fat 1lb. propane bottle.
I first took one out back and shot it with my 22. This vented the bottle.
I then filled up my sink with lukewarm water, straight cold is a bit to cold, I then submerged it so it filled it with water. This pushes out any residual fumes. I did this several times till it didn't smell anymore.
Now on to pics. I then cut off the top about an 3/4" down. I then cut out part of the top were the valve and pressure bleed is. This makes a lip to hold back some of the slag when pouring ingots.
I then cut the bottle off at the seam.
Snap the top onto the bottom.
At this pint if you can weld or know someone who can weld the top on the bottom, weld it. I have an acetylene torch kit and can on a good day weld with it. I can braze easier, so I brazed it together.
I then drilled a 1/4 inch hole at the side of the top as a pour spout.
I had a 36 " section length of 1/4 " rod I bent around for the handle and brazed it on.
The first few pics I used a fresh bottle to show what I did. The last ones are of my ladle after I used it for about 100 lbs. of lead.
This ladle holds about ten lbs. when full.
I have thought about adding a tube down the inside to make iy a bottom pour, just need to find some at a reasonable cost.
It's not pretty but it works and I made it myself.
Leo

[OS OK]

My HP Test Tube, the steel backstop that recycles my lead, my milk jug box & my 55 gallon rubber mulch trap for rifles.

building the lead backstop...

home made targets...



my BrassCatcher...

mould oven...

upside down sizing press...

"Necessity is the Mother of Invention!"

[mf79]

home made tray for 25 auto from 2 1/4" pieces plexiglass

[mf79]

home made 9mm
30 rd mag loader

[mf79]

home made 223 30 rd mag loader

[mf79]

Attachment 264700
home made brass lathe to use old pipe cutter , can adjust length of brass

[mf79]

Attachment 264701
home made converter to change dillon ball handle to roller, tapped threads for handle and one horizontal for 3/8 bolt for round closet rod for handle

[mf79]

Attachment 264704
home made roller cart for reloading made from 3 drawar set from old desk

[44magLeo]

I made a smaller lead ladle. This time I used a tall skinny 1 lb. propane bottle.
I shot it to vent just above the seam. Cut the bottom off at the seam the cut the top off a bit from the bullet hole.
The bottom half has a steel base on it that might be tough to get off. So I cut the threaded part off the top half. This threaded part extends down inside the bottle. Inside this part is a core just like a valve stem has. I took it out and threaded a sheet metal screw in the hole it left. Did it from inside so the bottom is nicely rounded.
Made a handle out of a piece of old steel tent tubing I had. Just flattened one end and bent it to 90* and bolted it on with a 1/4" carriage bolt.
Used a small Cresent wrench to form a bit of a lip for a pour spout.
I'll use this for getting the lead out of the smelting pot the big ladle can't.
It holds about 8 lbs.
I didn't fire up the smelter to test but I did put enough water in the pot to see how well it works. Did very well. Got much more out of the pot than the big one. Not having the top half covered with the pouring lip made the difference.
Next time I use the big pot I'll try it out. It might work well for filling the Lyman or Lee ingot molds.
Leo

[Hank Ryan]

You did a great job, Leo. Just reading about your process, I'm able to distinguish that you really took your time with this one.

[44magLeo]

Thanks. I always like try to make something before I buy something.
Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't.
I really like it when I use up some of the stuff I have around here.
I like to think it of as part of the 3 R plan, Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. Then again isn't why we are on here. What we do is on the 3R plan.
We recycle old lead by reducing it so it can be poured in a mold so we can reuse it.
Leo

[DMatteson]

very nice setup

[Twmaster]

Played around in the workshop today. Took an old Herter's 41 Mag expander die that was missing the expander assembly and turned it into a "powder cop" die.

Machined a bit of 3/4" brass hex rod into the guide for the rod. Turned a groove in an old Lee decapper pin and added a small red O-ring for the depth rod.

[Isaac]

Twmaster: Nice job. Repurposing a good ole die. Good looking work, too!

Isaac

[1I-Jack]

Nothing fancy, just tired of chasing loose primer tubes around.

[Johnny_V]

Nice holder. I too got tired of searching for my tubes so I made a rack for mine too. Also used a Sharpie to identify size and put clear tape on them to preserve the writing.

[JSnover]

I like it simple and cheap. Here's a gun rack on one side of my workbench and a general purpose rack on the other side. A wood dowel, a piece of expanded metal scrap and a hand drill.

[fatnhappy]

Lyman should have come out with extended drop tubes for their new funnel.

took about 30 seconds to make a couple caliber specific ones with a brake line flaring tool and some copper tubing

[Twmaster]

Spent some time in the workshop. 50BMG decapping die. Made from 1-1/4" thick wall aluminum tubing. Since I like to decap my brass before cleaning I made this decapper. Had a spare Lee die nut handy. The body, cap and pin are shop made.

There's a 223 in the foreground for size comparison.