Skimmer

[Chris C]

What do most of you use for a skimmer? I'm kind of embarrassed. I bought a skimmer from RotoMetals. Looked as if it'd be a real performer. Turns out the durned thing is as big as a shovel. Not really, but it seems like it. I certainly can't use this thing as a skimmer in my pot. Oh well, I might use it some day if I find a big load of lead and need to render it in a big cast iron pot or something. In the meantime, I've now a really nice wall hanging. I'd like to find one of those old serving spoons they used in the military at the mess hall...........but haven't seen one of those in a hundred years. So what do you use as a skimmer?

[jroc]

That's what I use is an old serving spoon got it at salvation army store when I was looking for pewter. It wasn't slotted though. I drilled about 4 - 1/2" holes in it about 1/2 way back on the spoon works good. Put a wood handle on it because heat will travel up the hand while your using it.

[rancher1913]

got my skimmer at goodwill, has narrow slots is stainless and has a wooden handle---cost me a buck if I remember right.

[Victor N TN]

Mine is just a piece of 1/4" flat bar stock with a bend near the end.

[leeggen]

Go to a restraunt supply and you will find those spoons.
cd

[lightman]

When you go spoon shopping, be sure that the spoon you buy is either 1 piece or put together with a rivet. I had one that was soldered and you can guess what happened to it! Good Will, Walmart or a good restraunt supply store would be good places to look.

[country gent]

I added rivets to my spoons and spatula (just in case you know belt and suspenders ) its easy to do just drill a snug hole for some 3/32 brass rod, brazing rod with the flux removed works or a soft nail for steel. Set on a hard punch in a solid vise and with a ball peen hammer form first head. flipp over and finish to length leaving a small amount to form head. Set on solid surface and form second head I put 2 rivets in each joint. On soldered spoons the solder holds everything in lace while riviting after it dosnt matter.

[Chris C]

Figured I'd find a one-piece spoon and set it in a wooden handle with an eye-hook to hang under the table. Need something with a long enough handle to be able to stir the pot and still keep the wood out of the alloy. I'll find something. Believe me, it'll be a whole lot better than this "shovel". :D

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[Mike W1]

That "shovel" would be great for smelting in a large pot. I picked a couple stainless spoons at Goodwill, drilled some holes in em', ground the front edge to fit the contour of my pot and added large wooden handles. 25¢ @.

[Chris C]

Someday in my future, a plumber's pot and tank will fall off a truck and I'll come into a thousand pounds of alloy the same day. When that dream comes to fruition, I'll have just the right skimmer..............until then, it hangs on the wall.

As for the spoon idea, that's precisely what I plan on doing. Right now I'm tied up with some projects here on the property, so it'll have to wait until a day too cold to work outside.