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Jeff H
08-02-2010, 09:32 PM
Alignment pins in a new LEE 6-cavity playing peek-a-boo.:veryconfu

I have been casting for a good forty years and for at least twenty with LEE molds. I have cast with them with little trouble while others berated them, but ran into a new (to me) problem today.

My first 6-cavity mould (yes I have handles, thank you) is a RDO 359195 and I fired up the pot tonight and ran about twenty pounds of tiny ingots, because they're not suitable for souvenirs let alone boolits. So, I gave it up to give it some thought and dug out my second 6-cavity - an RDO 22550 and noticed something immediately. The pins in the 359 mold are set way back into the mold so that none of the shank of the pins is protruding past the face of the blocks. All that shows is the "dome" of the pin and it slops around in the chamfer on the mating bushings like a marble in a wash basin.

The big question is - can I drift those pins out to where they will do some good, or is this strictly a LEE warranty job? I am not a complete idiot when it comes to such things, but I have $71 in a mold t hat I may never be able to get again, and if they did something crazy, like freeze the pins, heat the blocks and drive them in with X tons of force, I can see it becoming a mess quickly. I am not above D/Ting for set screws if the pins decide they want to work back after I have drifted them forward but that may offset them. I have a number of 2-cavity LEEs sporting a set screw on the sprue plate screw, so I am not too faint-hearted about working on them.

By the way, if you D/T aluminum - vegetable shortening is a superior lube for both drill and tap. No galling and it captures the chips so they don't drag and mess things up.

Anyone had to drift the pins in a 6-cavity LEE before?

Thanks.

Jeff H

docone31
08-02-2010, 09:44 PM
I have found Lee pretty easy to deal with.
Try to fix it, if not send it to them. They are pretty quick.

RayinNH
08-02-2010, 09:53 PM
Take a photo and E-mail it to Lee and get their opinion. I did it once on my son's mold and it took a hydraulic press. They are very tight. I'd let Lee fix it...Ray

Jeff H
08-02-2010, 10:41 PM
Yeah, I guess I knew that but was in denial.
I have a window of opportunity to get some casting done and I can't do that without one of my molds. The pins look like they are over-sized, as they pushed some aluminum ahead of the shoulder as they are pressed in.

OK, bummer, but I thought I would throw it out to you guys before I sent them away.

Thanks, guys.

Heavy lead
08-02-2010, 10:48 PM
I effed one up one time that had the same issue yours did, too big a pin, when I pushed it in in broke the aluminum ahead of it and I had to JB Weld it in place.
Another reason I won't spend 70 bucks for a group buy Lee that is worth the 35 bucks they sell the regular ones for.
Sorry for your problem and I feel your pain.[smilie=b:

Jeff H
08-02-2010, 11:16 PM
......Another reason I won't spend 70 bucks for a group buy Lee that is worth the 35 bucks they sell the regular ones for.....

Thanks for sharing that experience. More reason to send it back.
As far as spending $70 on a $30 mold, it's worth it to have the particular design.
While I have used a lot of LEE moulds, there are not a lot of LEE designs that I really like that much. I would have jumped on a 2-cavity in a heartbeat, but it was only available as a 6-banger. Man, my little 10# gets low really quick when pouring almost 1,200 grains a whack! You should see the 432340! There's not a lot of aluminum left in the blocks.

Thanks for the input. Hopefully, LEE will turn it around quickly so I can start sending some of these down range.

leadman
08-03-2010, 12:47 AM
The pin and bushing are installed in the mold at the same time. The mold is closed to seat them.
This is according to Pat, the Tech at Lee. I had a group buy Makaov mold that the pin was loose in. Pat sent me oversized parts and I installed them with permanent loc-tite, no problem.
I think if you used the proper size punch you will be able to move the pin easily. You may have to stake the metal behind it to get it to stay.
Also make sure the bushing does not have a burr on the insside diameter. Several of my recent molds have had this and this may be why the bushing or pin is in too far. I used a little round file for a chainsaw chain to clean it up. This burr also makes the mold hang up when you try to open it.

Jeff H
08-03-2010, 09:07 PM
......I think if you used the proper size punch you will be able to move the pin easily. You may have to stake the metal behind it to get it to stay.....

Thanks, Leadman. I e-mailed LEE after looking through the FAQs. Tried my 22550 tonigh and it works flawlessly,.... except I didn't clean it out as well as I should have, but the mechanics of it are good. Sure notice a difference in how long it takes t oheat the .22 mold v. the .35 mold.

Anyway. I asked LEE if they recommended that I do it or they do it. With the force required being unknown,.... and reports of that fix not going well....

The way that .22 mold worked, I can see developing a relationship with the 6-bangers.

Jeff H
08-10-2010, 11:50 PM
Well, I changed my mind. I didn't send it back - figured I would test the pins to see if they would move with moderate force first. Laid the halves on a hardened fiberboard bench (masonite) with a hole drilled to match the pin size and using a brass drift and brass hammer, drifted the pins to where they should have been.

I was surprised at how easily they moved. I have had disassembly pins in firearms tighter than that. But, they are where they should be now, no muss, no fuss. Will try to cast some this week.

Thanks for the advice, all.

Jeff H