Brand new Lee 2 cavity won't close completely, new styel alignment pins.

[Rushthezeppelin]

I just got all my stuff from Midway in and starting going through it. Lee 20# pot looked fine. I start cleaning up the 312-155-gc mold I got with a brush and soap. Hold it up and I can see light through it. I go and take 1k grit lightly to all the outer edges (careful not to touch the edges of the cavities). Upon closer inspection I've narrowed the problem down to the alignment pin closest to the sprue plate pivot. Go out and set that half of the mold on a block of wood and took another block of wood to cushion the hammer blows. Can't seem to budge that alignment pin back into its side of the mold a bit more. I didn't want to use a ton of force on it. Any suggestions for how to get that pin (the male pin not the hole it fits into

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/28/ypeza3y2.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/28/4uhehyqe.jpg

[JeffG]

When I had a pin come out of one of my Lee molds, I ended up padding it with some rags then put it in the vise and pull it back together. Most of Lee molds I have I can see a sliver of light at the bottom anyhow if the light is just right and it doesn't affect the bullet. It needs to vent.

[Rushthezeppelin]

When I had a pin come out of one of my Lee molds, I ended up padding it with some rags then put it in the vise and pull it back together. Most of Lee molds I have I can see a sliver of light at the bottom anyhow if the light is just right and it doesn't affect the bullet. It needs to vent.

TY I guess I will at least give the mold a shot before I try and get an exchange at midway.

[Rushthezeppelin]

Well I'll be it seems to cast just fine. Had a few samples out of a quick dozen or so that actually looked respectable.

[jonp]

New Lee mold I just got has a little light showing through both cavities. I've cast a few hundred boolits with it and they seem fine. No fins, easy drop etc. Maybe this is a test by Lee of a new venting system.

[mold maker]

Measure both ways across the boolit to assure it's round. If so problem solved.

[hickfu]

If you want to squeeze those pins back into place you will have to heat that mold up be fore you try, I personally would send it back for another mold. Do you a hot plate? When I have a pin come loose I heat the mold on the hot plate up pretty high and then either the 2 blocks of wood and a hammer or I take it into the garage for the vise to do it.


Doc

[gwpercle]

Rushthezeppelin,

I pulled out the three "new" Lee moulds I have . A 358-105-SWC, 410-195-SWC and C312-185-1R and not one of them shows even the tiniest sliver of light , I looked carefully from the front , back and sides...no light shows.

I hate to send stuff back...but in this case, that mould just ain't right and out of round boolits or fins is just going to cause you problems...Send Er Back. Midway even paid the postage both ways on my last two returns.

I do really like the "new" moulds but all of mine are O.K. and cast great once cleaned of the manufacturing oil. I'm firing up the pot in the A.M. to cast some more for my 303 British.

Gary

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

THANKS for posting the images of the newer Lee mold!!

Any mold showing light between the halves is defective for what ever reason.

In the case of Lee, likely in manufacture.

I had heard that there had been an up grade, -- WAY OVER DUE!!!! -- but went to the Lee web site about a week ago, and the molds shown still appeared to be the poor design of years past.

And yes, I have owned and used some of those.

I do have some of the Lee 6 cavity molds, not that I think they are great molds, but simply because I can cast a lot of "banger" bullets for handguns without a huge outlay in mold cost.

However, the 6 cavity molds are much better quality then the older single and double cavity type!!

I do wish they would up grade some of their mold designs and get rid of the slight bevel base that some have.

Bought a couple of the 6 cavity plain base molds for the .38/357 and even though the basic design looks really good, there is that bevel base.

Also Wish they had some much better choices for the .44, but they don't. Likely would have bought a .44 mold in 6 cavity if they did.

Figure I'll need to just spend the bucks and buy a good design from one of the custom mold makers.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[deerspy]

I bought one from gun show and got the same thing I can put a .002 shim in between the blocks at the pins and it leaves a heavy parting line, I was told it was new but after looking at it more I think it was used it had a gouge in top of block and burs in the cavity, think I might try a different brand .

[Floydster]

Well, I have seven of the old type Lee molds and every one of them I can see a sliver of light when I close the mold, and they all cast very nice bullets, just sayin.

[fecmech]

I have a 6 cav that the one male pin kept working out and holding the halves apart slightly. At first I tapped it in and it was ok for a while. I finally tapped it in and used a prick punch to peen next to the pin on the outside of the block.

[DLCTEX]

I bought a new style Lee in 430-200 rf two cavity and the sprue plate had scratched the top of the mould right out of the box and the cavities had slight burrs. I stoned the edges of the sprue plate and leemented the cavities and no more problems.

[mpmarty]

I have Lyman, RCBS, and LEE molds and by far the LEE molds are easier to use and cast better boolits.

[Rushthezeppelin]

Well did little more casting tonight. Messed around with temps on the new pot a bit till I got a full fill of the mold and no wrinkling. Sure enough it is casting great, aligned bullets with the ever so slightest hint of a line between the two halves, I know this is pretty much par for the course so I'm happy. Glad I don't have to mess with returning the mold. Got a handful powder coated, they look like *** (compared to others results with dry tumbling) but they should at least be good enough to help me find a load that will cycle my 300blk with this bullet.