Wanna buy a 5 cavity mould?

[Charlie Horse]

I've always considered myself to be fairly mechanically inclined, but this mould lapping thing is a bit beyond me. To make a long story short, I had a lap bind in the cavity and the screw ended up drilling into the nose of the mould. Between that and the way this mould refuses to release boolits, I now have a $45 boat anchor for a very small boat.
I think I'll just stick with the tried and true commercially available designs. No more GB's for me.

[buckndee]

Which GB mould did you wound and which cavity?

[dubber123]

Same questions, and I almost had the same thing happen last night. Twice. I got lucky, and called the whole thing off!

[garandsrus]

I believe that it's the 38/357 Keith mold...

sknhgy - How many of the cavities are sticky? Can you see anything that would cause the boolits to stick? I didn't have any problems with the test mold I cast with. I have not lapped many molds (didn't need to), but I would be willing to take a look at your mold. There are people more experienced at lapping than me, so maybe one of them could assist instead.

The problem you are having has nothing to do with the fact that this was a group buy, it can happen with any mold, Lee or otherwise... In fact, most of the group buys are designed to release boolits more easily than their commercial equivalent. I am wondering if Lee messed up your mold by milling the cavities off center, or something similar. The molds are warranted by Lee. If they messed it up, they are supposed to fix it.

Let me know what you want to do...

John

[Catshooter]

I have a friend who missed both of the .357 GBs. If you'd like I'll buy it. PM sent.


Cat

[Slowpoke]

I have a few of the six cavity group buy moulds, I have never lapped one yet for burrs, but they all have had some burrs, one six cavity took the better part of 3 hrs to clean up, this last one the 358429 look alike took only 30 minutes and I was pleasantly surprised, I just use a exacto blade on the large burrs and some 0000 steel wool on a q-tip for the rest. The pin nearest the handle was out to far but two raps and all was well. I cleaned this mould with simple green hot water and a electric toothbrush, instead of my usual break cleaner. Smoked it for the first pot but forgot to smoke it again after I cleaned it up for the second pot, I guess she broke in because she cast like a dream with the second pot sans smoke.

I ran off a pretty big pile this afternoon, pretty straight forward. Got lube in the front cavity right from the start so I had a five cavity for the first 15lbs. Little rusty, last boolits cast was back in April. Got er cleaned up for the second pot.

I separated 5 out from ea. cavity to be weighed and measured, four cavities were dead nuts on .360 all three bands, two cavities were .3595 on the base band and .360 on the other two. The weights went from 173.1 gr. to 173.3 gr for the 30 boolits from six different cavities, ww + 2% added tin.

I think you fellow's better get your moulds made before this new machine wears out. I believe I am thru buying moulds in this life. I was perfectly content with two moulds for 15 years, then the wife decided she wanted a computer back in 89-90 now I got three ammo cans full and its all the computers fault.

The one or two cavity Lee''s are great practice material for mould lapping.

good luck

[Bret4207]

..... I was perfectly content with two moulds for 15 years, then the wife decided she wanted a computer back in 89-90 now I got three ammo cans full and its all the computers fault......

good luck

Only 3 ammo cans of moulds? I have a dead refrigerator filled with moulds and more on the way! It's a delightful disease, isn't it?

[JudgeBAC]

sknhgy: I feel your pain after ruining a 6 cavity mold yesterday. So far, I have had bad luck with the group buy six cavity molds. I recently purchased an NEI six cavity mold and it produces great boolits. Believe it or not, I have better luck with Lee single and double cavity molds than the six cavities.

[OLPDon]

I've always considered myself to be fairly mechanically inclined, but this mould lapping thing is a bit beyond me. To make a long story short, I had a lap bind in the cavity and the screw ended up drilling into the nose of the mould. Between that and the way this mould refuses to release boolits, I now have a $45 boat anchor for a very small boat.
I think I'll just stick with the tried and true commercially available designs. No more GB's for me.

If you have a can of dropout give the mould spraying burnish with a wooden stick and give it a second go with casting. I use dropout on most of my moulds and like it.
Don

[TAWILDCATT]

first thing I do is take a stone and do the face of mold. then a fine file and do the edges.then check the cavities,if I see burrs I carefully remove them.smoke mold and lube and go go go.never had problem

[Springfield]

I just cast 3000 38 bullets in 2 1/2" hours last night. Did the same thing on Wednesday with 45 caliber moulds. If you clean them and make sure they are hot before you start casting the LEE 6 cavs work fine. And yes they do take some breaking in.

[happy7]

Springfield, how do you do that? I would love any tips.

[wiljen]

Springfield, how do you do that? I would love any tips.

couple of articles on castpics.net under the cast boolits archive / classic posts section

Lapping a lee mold
Leementing a mold

they cover what you are looking for I believe

Wiljen

[JohnSmiles]

Ok, going to step out on a limb here and offer a suggestion.
Now, keep in mind I have never lapped a mold, and maybe I am missing something alltogether, and if so just ignore me.


If I understand the process, you use a cast bullet which has been drilled out and had a screw threaded into it, which you place in a drill and slowly work the inside of the mold over with.
The problem is the slug binding and the screw driving through the stationary slug and damaging the mold, correct?
Now, if I am correct so far, wouldn't a longer screw and a bushing between the slug and the drill prevent that?
I mean, the screw could not go any deeper, it could only strip out this way, right?
Could be made out of brass, aluminum or steel for that matter, as long as it filled the gap between the base of the slug and the mandrel of the drill.

That make any sense, or am I simply way out in left field?

[JSnover]

I've never done it eiter but it seems a short panhead screw would eliminate the problem.

[jjamna]

I cast it then remove the screw then use an ez out. No way for it to travel.

[kycrawler]

cast a few boolits put them in the bench vise and clamp lightly thread in a drywal screw with the sharp tip cut off then when you use it to lap the mould turn it counter clockwise so that if it binds the screw backs out instead of damaging the mould

[miestro_jerry]

I smoke my Lee molds with an old fashion candle, non of this new wave stuff. Then warm them on top of the pot. Generally two or three throw from the mold with get it to the right temp. Now and then I have to tap a bullet out once in while the mold is warming up.

Some of my molds have personalities and you have to remember them to prep for them before doing serious casting. I have many different styles of molds, 2 cavity, 4 cavity and 6 cavity ones. They all take some getting used to. I work two molds at a time when I am casting.

This is how I work my Lee molds and actually several of my others.

What caliber, shape, weight is your mold and how much do you want for it.

Jerry