Rookie questions

[kelbro]

Still gathering stuff and will be starting to cast soon.

Some of this is kind of confusing so please bear with me.

Alloying/WW melting in the big pot:

When you get your melt going and up to temp, you flux right? Stirring your flux in and scraping the sides and bottom. Do you skim the dross and flux off and then pour into the ingot molds?

Pouring into molds:

Assuming that you are using clean ingots, you still flux right? I've read of leaving the flux on top to hold the heat in and keep from losing the tin. If that's the case, how do you dip your ladle in and scoop without picking up the crud on top?

I went ahead and ordered a Lee 4-20 bottom pour thinking this would be easier than ladeling but if I am doing a small batch, I might just ladel out of the melting pot.

Any hep would be appreciated.

[docone31]

I really do not flux.
I use Kitty Litter on my bottom pour pot to keep an insulating layer over the melt. I have found, when I flux and get a smooth, shiney, clean melt, oxidation rushes to take its place.
Just melt it up, it cleans itself. The crud floats to the top.
In ingoting, just pour it. When you remelt it, the crud will float to the top.
I think, some of us flux too much, too often.
It is good to have a good clean melt. I have just not found lead to be too picky.

[Nora]

I like to flux twice. Once wile making ingots and again when I top off the pot. Mine is a Lee 4-10 bottom pour. If it's of a black color and looks dirty skim it off. If it's any other color than blackish, keep it stirred in. That is part of your alloy. I prefer not to leave any dross in the pot wile casting. With the bottom pour you also don't have to worry about getting any of the crud in your boolits as long as you don't run the pot out.