Improved skimmer recommendation

[Steven66]

I have used an old spoon for skimming the dross/ick/unwanted stuff off of the top of the melt. Is there anything better for the task than a spoon?

[Nobade]

I have a spoon with a stick bolted to it. I like that better, keeps me from burning my fingers.

[lightman]

I used a large kitchen spoon with holes in it for a long time. The last wheel weight score that I made pushed me to buy one of the ones shown on Rotometals web site. It was expensive but very well worth it. We ended up with 628# of clips. Skimming all of those clips a few ounces at a time with a spoon would have been a huge task.

[ReloaderFred]

Go to a restaurant supply store and look at all the large commercial cooking utensils and some things will jump out at you as useful for casting and smelting. One is a large round spoon full of holes, and another is a large slotted spoon. There may be others, but those two items are first, and will be much cheaper than buying from a casting supplier.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[country gent]

I use the large slotted serving spoon to the most out then a sold serving spoon for the last bit. The slotted spoon always lets a little bit run back into the pot with the lead

[dikman]

Pretty much the same as country gent. My range scrap ends up with a huge amount of crud on top of the melt (even after washing first!) and the spoon works fine. I replaced the plastic handle with a piece of round wood.

[gwpercle]

I used a large kitchen spoon with holes in it for a long time. The last wheel weight score that I made pushed me to buy one of the ones shown on Rotometals web site. It was expensive but very well worth it. We ended up with 628# of clips. Skimming all of those clips a few ounces at a time with a spoon would have been a huge task.
Agree...long handled , stainless steel cooking spoon with holes (perforated ) you can get them with long handles.
The holes let liquid run through but catch all dross and clips. I get them where outdoor cooking supplies and crawfish boiling pots are sold. They are the best skimmers by far.
Gary

[Walter Laich]

I dremeled a long slot in my metal spoon. now when I scoop up he dross the lead will flow back into the pot through the slot

[Grmps]

Smelting, I attach a wood handle to
https://i.imgur.com/ZsWDTyq.jpg?1
and us it for fluxing and skimming the bigger stuff
then I scrape the sides and bottom with a long handle burger spatula from a BBQ
I finish skimming with a big round, flat spoon with holes in it

In casting, I flux with pine sawdust, burned off then fluxed in with a potato masher then finished off with a wire whisp.
I leave the layer of grey granules on top of the lead to prevent oxidation and splashing when returning the sprues.

[jcren]

Haven't tried one yet, but I am ordering a heavy duty spegetti server for my next big batch of wheel weights.
215584
This Cuisanart brand is well reviewed and 14" for $10

[trapper9260]

For casting I use a table spoon that i bolt some wood on it for a handle ,as for smelting I use a ladle that I got years ago at a old used items and had one that was home made and works for me and also I have a old cast iron one that my dad had that have a way to strain the junk out.One part is broke some but still works.one of these times I will cast weld it back the way it needs to be.