Lyman Mold ?

[BlueMoon]

I have a couple of Lyman molds that will not adjust for tighter spru plate fit. With the set screw loose, and the screw that holds the spru plate on all the way tight, I still have a floppy spru plate. Seems the screw is too long or the hole it goes in not deep enough. Anyone with experiance with this? I'm not used to casting with the plate flopping around on it's own.

Bill

[NVcurmudgeon]

Is the sprue plate flat, and are there no burrs around the bottom edge of the screw hole in the sprue plate?

[bdoyle]

Has the little bellvue washer gone flat or gone?
Brian

[BlueMoon]

The spru plate appears to be flat but one has little pock marks on the side against the mold and the cupped washer is on both. I have run a file accross the plate and top of mold to make sure they are fairly flat.

Bill

[bdoyle]

If the washer still has some 'spring' to it then maybe a .010 shim under the washer will help. If the shoulder bolt is tight against the block then that's about all you can do. I have used a thicker washer and then adjusted the screw tension but it's kind of hokey. Lyman has 'rebuild' kits with bolts, washers and a thicker sprue plate available.
Brian

[David R]

I just added another bellvile washer on top of the one there. Worked for me.

David

[floodgate]

Blue Moon:

That mould may have been rebuilt at one time. Lyman used to use a fairly thick split lockwasher (and the tips of the cut would gouge up the sprue plate if not chamfered a bit). When they went to the much thinner Belleville (cupped) washer, they shortened the shoulder on the screw; sounds like you've got one of the older screws with the newer washer. As Dave says, two of the latter set face-to-face (or back-to-back) will fix it fast. You can get these in bulk from MSC, or as a separate item or part of a mould rebuild kit from Lyman - call their Customer Service. Things should soon get even more complicated, as I hear they have gone recently to thicker plates.

floodgate

[BlueMoon]

Thanks for the suggestions. I should have gotten back to Lyman before I cast several hundred bullets with it since it's only a little over a year old. Looks like it needs another sprue plate because of pitting around one sprue hole. It's a #287346 but seems to put out decent bullets anyway. I had thought maybe to file down or shorten the sprue screw a little but will look for another washer instead.

Bill

edit: I guess MSC is Mid South and they have a little better prices on the RCBS or Lyman molds, but I wish they would carry Saeco also.

[johniv]

Or shorten the screw?

[Buckshot]

..........Gadzooks, if it's only a couple years old and delivers excellent boolits, DON'T touch it It's a rare bird, that one is! Seriously though, go to the hardware and gitchersef a little bag of brass 1/4" ID washers. Place the washer under the belleville and against the sprueplate.

Best yet, if the store has'em is to get some wave washers to replace tired out bellevilles or split washers. For some unkown reason all I can find (anywhere) are metric. If they have them get some 7mm ones as it's close to 1/4" and they work like a champ.

.......... Buckshot

[44man]

Lowe's and NAPA sells the wave washers.

[carpetman]

Lowes and NAPPA sells wave washers---bet they get a lot of Navy business. I would guess they are like other washers except 6" wider to allow for the roll of the ship?

[BlueMoon]

carpetman, I thought the waves were the female members of the Navy.

Another stupid question. Do all the Lyman rebuild kits include sprue plate (are they all the same)? The Lyman catalog I looked at said mold rebuild kit and called it a sprue cutter.

Also, good info about the washers not matter what they are called.

Bill