How long do lee ignots molds last? Mine just broke....

[Geezer in NH]

Mine are fine. I do not bang them on the garage floor to make them releaser either.

[mdi]

Jes wondering; how many people really know what "pot metal" is?

[mac1911]

If your going to order the lee handle replacement they won't charge you for the part. Problem is LEE shipping is not cheap. So order plenty of items to offset the charges.

[psweigle]

I'm sorry to see your lee ingot mold has broken. I have a second hand ingot mold from lee that is still going strong. Yours is not the norm. The only time I called and emailed them with a broken piece, they sent it to me free of charge, no shipping in either direction was required by me. I'm wondering if they changed policy.

[mac1911]

There are not to many companies that will pay for shipping to them for a warranty.
If they credit your shipping after review that's great.
Lee although on the slow side has been great for me on customer service. The shipping charges are high from most companies on small items.
You still have to pay shipping back to brownells but they will warranty any tool they sell for life.

[mac1911]

Well, bought mine new about a 2 months ago and made about a 100 ignots with it. Then I got busy about a week and a half ago and have made about 1000-1500 ignots. I noticed the wood handle cracking a couple days ago and coming loose. I emailed lee and they will send me a new $2 replacement for $6.95 shipped or I could send it in. Well the metal arm snapped today. Thank god the lead cooled enough so it didn't splash when it hit the ground.Attachment 198753

I notice this is the newer design. With the different size ignots. Could be a casting problem from the factory. I look at the other manufactures same style ignots and doubt they are made any better or even in a different factory.
Mine is 7 years old. I don't lift it by the handle. I lay it on the ground and fill it. Then I just flip the mold over.
I'm guessing these new molds are not very "strong" or yours was bent and already stressed.
I can't sit here and say lee is the best BUT they darn close to the best for the price point. I have since found commercial grade muffin tins and other cast products to use for ignots.

[EDG]

Die cast aluminum is not very strong or ductile so it will break easily especially when hot.

Die cast aluminum is an economical process resulting in very low prices but the design should compensate for the strength of the material by making the stressed sections stronger with ribs. If not just handle the mold carefully. If you break it attach a steel handle with screws that will not lock the ingots in place.

I have RCBS, SAECO and Lyman cast iron molds including the older molds with the backward N. None have ever broken and none have handles.

They do have a flange tab that makes it easy to grab them with vise grip pliers.

I would wager that more ingots are cast in cast iron cornbread molds than are cast in the proper ingot molds.

I have both the cornbread mold shaped like small ears of corn and those that are shaped like corn bread cut into pie wedges.

[retread]

I sent lee pics of it to their customer service dept. They said need to send it back with my receipt and they'd replace it.

Really? Save a receipt for years in case it breaks! Good luck with that.

[Tripplebeards]

Well, the receipt came in the mail today from the company I bought it from on eBay. Tyko sales. I took a photo of it next to the mold and tried one more time. I emailed lee customer service the pic. They are sending me a replacement without all the BS of sending in the broken one.

[Smoke4320]

That's good to hear ..

doubt I have a receipt for the first one I bought in 1979-1980
used it for about 2 years for BP hunting/ match shooting then did not touch it till about 4 years ago

[DocSavage]

I went to a couple antique stores today. Found a corn cob mold for $18, a sectioned cast iron pie plate mold with a hole in the middle for $16, and another pie sectioned cast iron pan that was heavier construction for $12. I bought the $12 one and I bet it will never brake. If I can send the broken mold back in a bubble pack for $3-4 it's going back. I like my little lee ignots but this is going to make casting go way faster than having one little ignot mold.

Attachment 198887

I have 2 of the pie pans use them in my ingot sessions along with RCBS,Lyman,NOE and Lee. Generally I handle the Lee molds with a bit of care as they are a casting and the tang that the handle attaches to isn't all that thick.

[Tripplebeards]

BTW...lee said they only give a two year warranty on the molds when I called, not lifetime. So after two years toss them and buy new again if they brake or fail.

[mold maker]

I have 5 and they all still have the handles. Yours was defective or abused. Lyman has the similar tooling and mine are all intact.

[Pressman]

It's break. Brake is what you do for a squirrel crossing the street. Or garage sales.

Just had to say that, I feel better now.

Ken

[Boolit_Head]

It's break. Brake is what you do for a squirrel crossing the street. Or garage sales.

Just had to say that, I feel better now.

Ken

Actually it's broken. It happened in the past

[Grmps]

Pressman, you sound like my Aunt (God rest her soul). She used to correct the spelling and grammar in all the letters I sent her, needless to say, I quit writing her often.

[shoot-n-lead]

I have had one for YEARS and it is still in one piece...so, I am not sure how long they last.

Longevity may depend upon treatment...

[KenT7021]

RCBS ingot mold is still cast iron.At least the one just received is.I also have an older Lyman cast iron mold and the newer Lyman that is similar to the Lee's.I handle the Lee and the Lyman ingot molds like they're made out of glass.

[JasonYbarbo]

Mine are about 5 years old and still going strong.

[C2welder]

Harbor freight has aluminum brazing rods but i think they cost more than the mold. On the other hand you could fix them when ever or just use vise grips. I purposely bought a used cast iron lyman because it did not have a handle and wasn't aluminum.