Casting Techniques, LEE Mold

[Bigjohn]

I recently purchased a new mold from LEE 459-500-3R (As shown in my avatar). This is not the first and possibly won't be the last LEE mold I will or do own. I will openly admit to making mistakes in preparing and use these molds in the past but it has been a learning experience.

Now down to what is what is behind this thread; Since most of my previous LEE molds have been for smaller calibres, I have cast some quite respectable boolits out of them, until this mold. As I am in the middle of the reconstruction of my casting bench, I've had to use a backup unit to cast these boolits; a LEE 10 pound bottom pour furnace, which was brand new at the time I started this session.

Before commencing the casting session I read the LEE information sheet thoroughly and followed these instructions as best I could. Including the LEE recommended method of lubing the sprue plate and alignment grooves. As a result the mold is dropping good looking projectiles BUT it heats up very quickly and I am having trouble keeping it at the correct temperature. I've tried slowing down the rate of casting, the damp pad and furnace/metal temperature adjustments.

If you look closely at my avatar you will notice it leans to one side slightly this would be as a result of dropping the boolit from the mold while still to hot. Some boolits have even shown signs of metal tearing in the last grease groove as if the act of dropping the boolit from the mold has tried to tear the base from the boolit.

I have heard of casters using a fan box to control the temp. of a mold by blowing air over the mold after the metal has been poured.

I also realize that it has been some years since I last used LEE molds and maybe my technique is rusty as most of my latest efforts have been with LYMAN and C.B.E. Molds. The metal I am using is salvaged ww at approx 800F (LYMAN Thermo).

I believe this profile should shoot well in my Browning BPCR and Pedersoli rifles and need to cast more constitantly to achieve better accuracy.:coffee: :Fire:

ANy suggestions would be gratfully appreciated.

John:castmine:

[454PB]

I cast the Lee 500 gr. GC boolit for 45/70, and yes, it takes a different technique. I'm a Lee fan, although I own a lot of Lyman, RCBS, Saeco, and NEI moulds.

I find that I have to slow down to get good results with a boolit this big in a mould this small and made of aluminum. I use the wet sponge method and run the lead at high temperature. Still, I have to cast at about 1/3 my normal speed to get good straight boolits.....as you may have noticed they will actually bend once dropped from the mould.

I don't lube my Lee moulds, instead I use my boolit knocker (hardwood hammer handle) to align the blocks as I close them. I've been using them without lubing for many years and thousands of boolits with no damage to them. I got tired of discarding boolits ruined by the application of just a little too much lube on the guide pins. As long as they are properly guided closed and not slammed closed, my method works very well.

[Bigjohn]

454PB, Yes, I've noticed that the boolits can bend when dropped from the mold. I am looking at the boolit in my avatar now as it sits on the bookshelf just across from the computor desk. The bend is pronounced to say the least. I normally use other brands of molds for my casting sessions mostly of cast iron or brass.

I normally cut the sprue using a hand (in a welding glove) and carefully open the mold and shake the boolit loose if required. I used the gloved hand to guide the blocks closed. You could say that I treat them too carefully but hey, to me they are a major expense and I want them to last.

I may need to try some further alterations to my technique.

John.

[Dale53]

BigJohn;
Try this, if you haven't already. After the sprue changes color (signifying that it is hard) wait at least six seconds (six REAL seconds) before trying to cut the sprue and dropping the bullet. This should allow the bullet to reach necessary hardness before dropping. Be sure and drop on a padded surface.

Good luck!
Dale53

[Bucks Owin]

I cast the Lee 500 gr. GC boolit for 45/70, and yes, it takes a different technique. I'm a Lee fan, although I own a lot of Lyman, RCBS, Saeco, and NEI moulds.

I find that I have to slow down to get good results with a boolit this big in a mould this small and made of aluminum. I use the wet sponge method and run the lead at high temperature. Still, I have to cast at about 1/3 my normal speed to get good straight boolits.....as you may have noticed they will actually bend once dropped from the mould.

I don't lube my Lee moulds, instead I use my boolit knocker (hardwood hammer handle) to align the blocks as I close them. I've been using them without lubing for many years and thousands of boolits with no damage to them. I got tired of discarding boolits ruined by the application of just a little too much lube on the guide pins. As long as they are properly guided closed and not slammed closed, my method works very well.

My method exactly too, except I rub a carpenter's pencil on the bottom of the sprueplate and on the alignment pins and V-grooves occasionally when it seems to need it....(when they get sorta "sticky" and blocks don't want to align easily) I really like my Lee moulds and find them "less fussy" than my iron ones.....

FWIW,

Dennis

[Bigjohn]

Well, a couple of days ago I had another casting session with this mold and the LEE pot.

This time I sat a wall clock with a second hand on a pile of wood in view of the bench. Ran the temp. up to 850-900F and slowed down the rate of casting.
Through the use of the clock (only as a guide of time), slower casting speed, damp pad of cloth etc I was able to turn out some real good looking boolits. It was just on dark when I finished so those that are left after the first cull are still to be rechecked.

When I saw the first indications that the mold was becoming too hot I touched the mold to the damp pad for a bit longer (10 count) and frosting has been kept to a minimum.

Thank you your tips, they were just what the doctor ordered.

Lubing the mold will be an issue I will need some further work on as it does not like when it's dry. I did try to reduce the amount of beeswax I was putting on the mold to avoid problems in the cavatity with some success.

John.

[mattc]

another method that works is to have 2 molds going, fill the first one set it aside, fill the second,set aside open the first refill and set aside and open the second....
I find the lee molds cast good when the mold is between 350 and 400 degrees, I drilled a small hole in my mold and I have a minuter casting thermometer that when inserted in the hold is setting right above the hinge bolt on my handles, it seams to work good for monetering my mold temp
another method of cooling that works is to set the mold on a block of ice, of course that is a little hard to do when it is hot outside

[Pawpaw]

Something I learned is to increase the padding the bullets fall on. Others have actually built a sloped padded ramp to droo the bullets on.

I've bent bullets out of a 311 mold when I was casting too hot. But then, I like the frosting. It lets me know that I am working hot enough and seems to help the lube stick to the bullets.

[Leftoverdj]

A generous coating of graphite much reduces the need to lubricate. I liberally coat my moulds with bullets in the cavities. A birthday candle will lube where you need it to without getting surplus wax all over the mould.

I cast at a much lower temperature than I use for iron moulds. Once the mould is hot, I go to just above the point at which the spout freezes on me.

[mattc]

also depending on how hard you want your boolits you can drop them in a bucket of water which will harden them but it will also keep them from bending

[454PB]

another method that works is to have 2 molds going, fill the first one set it aside, fill the second,set aside open the first refill and set aside and open the second....
I find the lee molds cast good when the mold is between 350 and 400 degrees, I drilled a small hole in my mold and I have a minuter casting thermometer that when inserted in the hold is setting right above the hinge bolt on my handles, it seams to work good for monetering my mold temp

Yes, I also use the two mould method and failed to mention it as a good alternative. I use an infrared thermometer to check mould temperature occasionally, and mine seem to hover around 380 to 400 degrees. The readout on a digital infrared is very shaky and you have to kind of "average".