Lyman Broken Handles

[bouncer50]

Well i broke my spare mold handle. Damm Lyman break handle by the screw in the mold. Is their way to weld them back up. Like to braze them or mig weld them. They are not cheap to replace $$$$$ either. Or are their other handle can be used instead of Lyman that are cheaper and a better design then Lyman weak spot where they break.

[mac60]

I'm not arguing whether they are "better" or not, but the Lee handles for their 6 cavity moulds are cheaper and they can be adapted for use on an awful lot of other mfrs. moulds.

[jeepyj]

I had a set brazed once. They lasted for a while then broke in the same spot.
Jeepyj

[454PB]

I've braze repaired a few, so far, so good.

[rancher1913]

I broke one and then rethought my process that caused it, now I tap in a different spot and so far so good.

[country gent]

I believe I would put a pice of carbon round in the hole and tig weld over that with a soft filler the wall thickness is very thin at this point and any "hard filler is liable to be brittle in this thin cross section. I would start by grinding a U down the handles where it is to be welded. fit a piece of carbon round stock size of screw hole into it and tig weld (Mig weld could be done also but harder to control fill and flows). Once welded pack in sand or other hot medium to slow cool and keep soft. Clean up weld as needed remove carbon and tru hole if required. Gringing the u channel gives a little more thickness to the weld allowing it to be stronger.

[MT Chambers]

The Lees are made of pot metal and break fairly easily, however mold handles should not be used in a manner that causes them to break. I seldom use anything by Lee yet I still have 3 broken sets of Lee handles but have never broke Lyman, RCBS, or Saeco handles.

[Bent Ramrod]

I have a set of SC handles that someone broke (through the mould block screw hole) and repaired by drilling and tapping holes in the outside of the broken ends and bolting a strip of metal along the outside. The metal strip is the same depth as the broken part and so does not interfere with the mould blocks. The bolts are deep enough and the fit of the broken pieces is tight enough so nothing flexes, even when it's hot.

[mac60]

The Lees are made of pot metal and break fairly easily, however mold handles should not be used in a manner that causes them to break. I seldom use anything by Lee yet I still have 3 broken sets of Lee handles but have never broke Lyman, RCBS, or Saeco handles.

Lee mould handles are not made out of "pot metal". They're steel. Apparently, Lee handles are not the only ones that break. The thread is about a set of Lyman handles that broke. Post #1, 3, 4 & 5 were made by people that have broken Lyman handles (one person said he has broken several). Lyman handles are more than twice what Lee handles cost, which is reason enough for many to buy them.

[bouncer50]

Lee mould handles are not made out of "pot metal". They're steel. Apparently, Lee handles are not the only ones that break. The thread is about a set of Lyman handles that broke. Post #1, 3, 4 & 5 were made by people that have broken Lyman handles (one person said he has broken several). Lyman handles are more than twice what Lee handles cost, which is reason enough for many to buy them.

Thanks for the kind words. Your right about the cost of Lyman handle around 40 bucks for that price i can buy two new Lee handles and some spare change back. The weak spot is where the hole is drill metal is thin compare to the rest of the metal. The heating and cooling stress the metal in thinner part of the hole which i believe is why they break at the weak point. Instead of redesigning the mold for a larger part of the handle metal is under less stress at the weak point of the handle hole. But they make money selling handles

[MT Chambers]

Lee mould handles are not made out of "pot metal". They're steel. Apparently, Lee handles are not the only ones that break. The thread is about a set of Lyman handles that broke. Post #1, 3, 4 & 5 were made by people that have broken Lyman handles (one person said he has broken several). Lyman handles are more than twice what Lee handles cost, which is reason enough for many to buy them.

I beg to differ, the Lees are "scintered metal" ie: pot metal......I've got some broken ones beside me!!

[mac60]

I beg to differ, the Lees are "scintered metal" ie: pot metal......I've got some broken ones beside me!!

OK - I e-mailed Lee and asked them. They said they are scintered steel - which is pot metal. So I was wrong about that (you were right). Given your irrational hatred for Lee Precision I'm absolutely shocked you have anything on your bench made by Lee. Lee isn't the only mfr. of reloading equipment that makes something that wears out or breaks. Everything doesn't have to be machined out of Swedish tool steel to do a given job.

edit: You keep using the term "pot metal" - more research is needed to find out what the term actually means. Lee is saying scintered steel - is that pot metal? Or is "pot metal" some other alloy? I'm gonna find out.

[bouncer50]

Well i look it up. The primary component of pot-metal is zinc. Sintering steel metal such as iron copper and aluminum is made into Sintering steel. So sintering steel is a higher grade of pot-metal what i understand.

[Dutchman]

Two Lee mold handles. Top mold is Lyman 2 cavity, bottom is RCBS 2 cavity.



The RCBS mold requires handles with about .300" arm thickness. You can see where they were milled.




You can see what looks like copper particles in the Lee handles.





From Wikipedia:

Sintering is the process of compacting and forming a solid mass of material by heat^[1]and/or pressure^[2] without melting it to the point of liquefaction. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sintering

From Google:

Pot metal—also known as monkey metal, white metal, or die-cast zinc—is a colloquial term that refers to alloys of low-melting point metals that manufacturers use to make fast, inexpensive castings.

Dutch

[MT Chambers]

Bottom line is that it is a cheaper way to make things, instead of using real steel, even the sprue plate is made of "sintered steel" on Lee 6 cav. molds. The use of "die cast" aluminum, sintered steel, etc. reduces cost to manufacture and is the reason Lee is less expensive than other makes.

[MT Gianni]

AS a 25+ year caster with over 30 Lyman molds how are you breaking handles? I have yet to do so or come close.

[mac60]

Well i look it up. The primary component of pot-metal is zinc. Sintering steel metal such as iron copper and aluminum is made into Sintering steel. So sintering steel is a higher grade of pot-metal what i understand.

OK - so I guess to say that the Lee handles are made of "pot metal" would be correct terminology. I did a little research on what other mfrs. handles are made of. This is what I came up with:

Lyman cast iron
RCBS steel
Saeco ductile iron castings

Everything does not need to be machined from a billet of solid steel to be a useful product. I own six sets of Lee handles and have used them extensively. I've never broken a set (I'm NOT saying they can't be broken - just that I've never broken a set).
Bouncer50 - you should be able to have your handles brazed. If the break is close to a screw hole maybe they could build up a little metal and redrill the hole for you.
Dutchman - obviously, you could have Lyman handles on the Lyman mould and RCBS handles on the RCBS mould - just curious as to why both moulds are wearing Lee handles.

edit: I have it on good authority that sintered steel is still steel. It's just formed instead of machined. The term "pot metal" refers to an alloy containing zinc (e.g. zamak).

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Want some good handles ?
contact Red River Rick
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-Mould-Handles

Also, NOE makes some fines handles as well

[jbutts6785]

Want some good handles ?
contact Red River Rick
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-Mould-Handles

Also, NOE makes some fines handles as well

Yep. His handles are the best.

[mazo kid]

AS a 25+ year caster with over 30 Lyman molds how are you breaking handles? I have yet to do so or come close.

I was wondering the same thing.....I have been casting balls and boolits since the early 70s, have umpteen different mold makes along with handles and have (knock on wood!) yet to break any. What are you doing to break handles? A light tap with a wooden striker usually gets any sticky boolit to fall from the mold, for me anyway.