Skimming dross?

[abcollector]

I'm new to this area here and have a few questions in figureing out equipment to buy/make for casting bullets.
What type/kind of ladle/skimmer do you guys use to remove the dross? How big should the holes be to let the lead run out?
Do you just use a ladle to stir/mix the alloy melt?
When you flux to clean the alloy melt, (say we're using beeswax for the flux) how much do you use and how frequent?
I understand you flux to clean the alloy melt initially, but do you flux the alloy melt again when you're casting bullets?

Trust me, more questions to come!

Thanks!

[NVcurmudgeon]

I'm new to this area here and have a few questions in figureing out equipment to buy/make for casting bullets.
What type/kind of ladle/skimmer do you guys use to remove the dross? How big should the holes be to let the lead run out?
Do you just use a ladle to stir/mix the alloy melt?
When you flux to clean the alloy melt, (say we're using beeswax for the flux) how much do you use and how frequent?
I understand you flux to clean the alloy melt initially, but do you flux the alloy melt again when you're casting bullets?

Trust me, more questions to come!

Thanks!

I ladle cast all my boolits, so fluxing is necessary. I used candle wax for flux for years, but now have found Pat's World Famous California Flake Flux to do a more thorough job of fluxing. The flux is stirred in with the casting ladle because it is there. A bent teaspoon makes an adequate dross skimmer. I've never used beeswax for flux, but used a piece of candle wax the size of a large pea to flux a 12 lb. pot. With Pat's Flake Flux, which is finely shredded wood chips, I put in an amount about equal to a good chaw of Redman. That is, not a major league chaw, but a good hunter's chaw. After about 15-25 fillings of the mould, the dross will start getting in the way, so it's time to add metal, flux and skim again.

[454PB]

I mostly use a bottom draw pot, and I flux throughly and then cast until the pot is empty. I leave the dross on top of the melt as an oxygen barrier, and only remove it when I'm done casting, or the pot is nearly empty.

When I do dipper cast, it's a different story. The constant disturbance of the surface of the melt requires fluxing and dross skimming every 15 to 30 minutes.

I use a common teaspoon with a 10" extension brazed on the handle for stirring and skimming.

I'm one of the few on this forum that use Marvelux and Frankford arsenal someless flux. I do most of my casting in the winter, but in the rare instance that I can open windows or doors, I use about anything with carbon in it for fluxing. Beeswax is getting hard to find and pricey, and cleans no better than other waxes or oil. For the last few years, I've been using Ivory soap for flux.

[S.R.Custom]

I use a bottom-pour pot, so my procedure is markedly different; fluxing is not as critical. To flux, I just toss a couple of lubed bullets in the pot, which is then stirred and the dross scooped off with a fork and dumped in an old tuna can.

[pumpguy]

I ladle pour. To flux my pot, I use a hardwood piece of wood. I cut them about 3/4x1/2x12 inches long. I can scrape the sides and bottom of my pot this way and the burning wood is an excellent source of carbon. I don't use pine anymore because it is pitchy and when the pitch pops, it tends to sling hot lead.

[montana_charlie]

To flux, I just toss a couple of lubed bullets in the pot, which is then stirred and the dross scooped off with a fork and dumped in an old tuna can.
I am trying to imagine what could possibly be in a man's casting alloy...that fork could pick up after a fluxing.

If it weren't for the heat problem, I would use one of those little vacuums made for computer keyboards...to lift out that fine black powder which results from 'stick fluxing'.
CM

[MT Gianni]

I have a couple of spoons by my pot I stir with. No way would any one confuse them with an eating utinsel. Gianni

[hydraulic]

I use a bottom pour and cover the melt with a layer of kitty litter. Once in awhile I stir with a hardwood stick, but never remove the dross because there isn't any. When I'm done casting I spoon out the kitty litter and the dirt that came up from fluxing with a stick. All the above I have learned from the Gurus on this forum.

[stocker]

I'm another indoor Marvelux user during the winter. I skim with a stainless steel tablespoon that I drilled for three 1/4" dowels and fitted two slab wooden handles held by the epoxied dowels. A bit of sanding belt time trims every thing up nicely.

Since starting to use Marvelux I've added a number of stainless steel accessories to the pot care can as residual marvelux does grab moisture from the air. I'm also a bit fussy about scraping any residue off the pot sides after casting.

I bottom pour most of the time.