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PSA: I read that a standard ladle can lose up to 15% of its heat just from a bad skim before the pour.

Found it in an old trade journal from the 80s... makes me rethink my whole pre-pour routine now. Anyone have a better method for keeping that temp up?
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4 Comments
paige166
paige1662mo ago
Preheat your ladle with a torch for a solid minute before you even think about skimming. That extra step alone saved me a ton of temp drop last season. Just get it hot enough that water sizzles off fast.
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troychen
troychen2mo ago
Get it hot enough that water sizzles off fast" is the understatement of the year. Honestly, my first time trying that I nearly welded the ladle to the table. Took me half an hour to chip it free. Now I just wave the torch near it and hope for the best.
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olivia_white93
Honestly, is a couple degrees of temp drop really that big of a deal? I just dip my ladle in the melt for a few seconds to warm it up and call it good. Never had a problem with thermal shock or anything cracking. Sounds like people are overthinking a simple step.
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abbyp61
abbyp612mo ago
Heard lining the ladle with ceramic wool helps.
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