Which Rowell Bottom pour Ladle for me?

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Hi Folks,
Need to ask your opinion:
I want to get a Bottom Pour Rowell Ladle for when I'm making ingots when smelting.......Right now I use a old oval 19th century soup ladle which fills about 3 -mini muffin tins, per pour; However now with age, My hands are not so steady so I end up with mess from time to time.
I think this style ladle would really help me but I have know idea what size to get?
I was thinking Maybe the #2 or # 3...but not knowing how heavy the # 3 would be with alloy..... I'm puzzled because my hands do have an issue with holding the ladle for periods of time.
Hoping someone here can share some experiences
Thanks
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Could well depend on your smelting pot, how wide is the opening, does it have square corners on the bottom. I have #1 and #2, bought the #5 for smelting and it's way over kill. Then of course weight of full ladle might be an issue. I would recommend a 2 pound #2 or #3 max.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Jim, re-read your post. Your only filling mini muffin tins? Get the #2, #3 would be overkill and more difficult to use and heavier.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Yep, #5 is a monster, don't even use it anymore. Bought it for my 5 pound ingots and it's perfect for about the first 2/3 of my 80-90 pound smelting pot. After that it's diameter is too large to fit into the corners of the cast iron out and ya can't fill it, end up using the smaller one anyway.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
That is the issue... I don't want to tire out pouring ingots! That is actually the problem now...but if I had an easier pour system it may not be so taxing!
I do think the #1 is too small for smelting however I was worried that the #3 would be too heavy filled with alloy
I guess it still is between the #2 & #3 I would like to pour more then 3 ingots if my hand could hold out
 

Rick H

Well-Known Member
I smelt in a cast iron Dutch oven. I'm not sure which Rowell ladle I bought. It is out in the garage. It is large, and I use it with welding gloves and both hands. It works well until you get to the bottom 1/4 of the Dutch Oven. LIke the other's say, it can't pick up a full load and it gets to be a real pain pouring with partial loads in the ladle. I end up leaving a couple of inches in the bottom for the next batch.
I like the idea of the Propane gas tank smelters with a valve for filling the ingots.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
OK I decided
Ian has never steered me wrong!
I got the #3....I figure if it is too heavy filled I can scoop less ! The connivence of this ladle alone most likely will help me a ton
 

Ian

Notorious member
what wears me out is the back and forth to the pot. I have a 2# with handle shortened for casting and it is useless for ingots. The main shortcoming is the straight handle angles the dipper too much and even at 20⁰ it only scoops about a pound.

What I use is a series of SS soup ladles, a 1# Au Jus ladle, a two pounder, and on that's close to three. The small one is for dredging the bottom.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
FWIW, the Rowell numbers reflect the number of pounds of lead it holds. The #2 hold two pounds of lead. I own a #1 and a #2, which covers all my casting and smelting needs. Both have shortened handles. I use the #1 for casting bullets less than 35 caliber in 4 cavity and under moulds, the #2 for anything over.

For smelting I use a Dutch oven on propane turkey fryer base. When the lead level gets too low, I just just use a set of large vice grips to clamp on the pot support to keep it tilted, slightly. Able to get most of the lead, that way.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I have #1 and shortened the handle. I can fill a 10 cav H+G 38 mould with it in one pour. I think anything larger would be cumbersome. Just my 2 cents.
 

alamogunr

Member
+1 on Rick's post #3. I've got a #5 ladle and, although I have a large pot, it is still too large to get the dregs in the bottom. Also 10+ years ago, I didn't notice the weight. Filled that ladle would fill 5 of 6 muffin cavities. That translated into about 7-8 lbs of lead in a full ladle. Now if I fill it that full, I'm too shaky and spill a bit before I can start pouring into the muffin mold.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
OK Ordered the #3 but changed it to the # 2 befor it shipped! Glad I did ! ...It is easy for me to handle while smelting. I'm not spilling a mess as I used to and I do not get tired lifting that one!
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
OK Ordered the #3 but changed it to the # 2 befor it shipped! Glad I did ! ...It is easy for me to handle while smelting. I'm not spilling a mess as I used to and I do not get tired lifting that one!

Hate to say it but . . . . I told you so, told ya so . . . . :rofl:

Jim, re-read your post. Your only filling mini muffin tins? Get the #2, #3 would be overkill and more difficult to use and heavier.