Ladle vs Bottom pour

[Landy88]

Can a cast iron Dutch oven be used for a lead pot ?

The answer I got was yes, but to use a 2qt one, instead of the big ones people use for smelting, since you want to expose no more of your molten alloy to air than necessary and it is plenty big enough for all but the highest volume casting.

I ended up getting a very heavy stainless steel restaurant grade double boiler top of the same capacity, because it was even deeper and narrower, it had handle ears on which to rest molds, and it cost less than 1/2 as much. Works well.

[NavyVet1959]

At the same time or Dont smelt and make boolits with the same pot ?

I suspect that most of us smelt in a different pot than we cast from. Part of that is that when we are smelting, we are doing a lot larger batches than when we cast. Part of it is wanting to ensure that only clean allow goes into our casting pot. That's probably a bit more important for bottom pour casting posts since a bit of contamination can easily clog the bottom pour spout. Many people use a large cast iron dutch oven for smelting and some make their own out of a 20-lb LPG (propane) tank or a freon tank. Some smelt a lot at a time and have made custom smelting pots that are even larger. Smelting is normally done outside with a natural gas or LPG burner.

[GhostHawk]

Cold, the only stupid questions IMO are the ones not asked.

You can ask a question and learn from the process. There is nothing stupid about that. The reverse in fact is true. If you ask a question, however seemingly innocent or unsophisticated, and learn from the answers. Well to me that is the opposite of stupid. That is educational.

So ask, someone will answer.

But also go read the sticky's so you don't ask every question all over again.

[GhostHawk]

For years I did everything, and I do mean everything. With a 7" cast iron fry pan.

Melted down wheel weights, skimmed clips, dross, when I had a pot full of liquid clean metal I would use a ladle to make ingots.

The last pot full I would normally pour into whatever I was making be it fishing sinkers (do-it molds rock) round balls for a muzzleloader, or cast boolits. When I could no longer get a full ladle I quit. Let the lead harden right there in the pan.

I have since added 2 lee dipper pots, an old cheap one first which was very nice. As I could set it up and leave it setup. Cast whenever I felt like it. After some 3 years I decided to be smart and get a new one with a thermostat. Keep the old one that still works as a spare.

The new one warms up faster, nice to be able to turn it down and just slide along until the pot is empty.

[Cold Trigger Finger]

Great. Thanks All. ! Often a challenge is Not knowing the right questions to ask. Now that I'm formulating the right thots, maybe I'll have the right questions to get answered with the stickies.

[white eagle]

been a ladle pouring man from day one
I have gotten good boolits and bad so I can't blame a bottom pour
for any bad products
I keep hearing speed ,faster more, more, more run two molds with a bottom pour
whats the rush

[buckshotshoey]

I have a really old ladle that my Grandpa used. I'm proud to use it. And i cast some great boolits with it.

I don't cast enough to make a casting pot worth the cost.. That, and ladles have been used to cast bullets for centuries. Good enough for me.

[Cold Trigger Finger]

Got an old 20 lb propane tank today, I'll cut it in half for a smelting pot. If I find a piece of 6"-8" diameter pipeline Pipe. I'll weld a bottom out of 3/8" flat steel and use that for my casting pot.

[Landy88]

If I find a piece of 6"-8" diameter pipeline Pipe. I'll weld a bottom out of 3/8" flat steel and use that for my casting pot.

If I had access to those pipes, and better metalworking tools and skills, I'd make a better and more efficient ladle pour pot than is otherwise available at any price by copying the principle of the surplus Swiss Cook Sets.

[byrd45900]

The ugly bullets were cast too hot.