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Thread: warning Lee molds have left hand threads

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    warning Lee molds have left hand threads

    After the fact I found an archive post that new Lee molds have left hand threads, not right hand. I don’t buy much new stuff but with 13 Lee molds all worked to perfection I bought a new one and proceeded to rip the threads out of it.

    Why they changed it and when I have no idea, heads up if you ninny your molds.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    old molds rh thread new ones lh thread.after years undoing things i learned if it wont turn one way try the other way .

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    This is good information to know. The old Jeeps were left hand lug nuts on the left side and right hand on the right side. Good idea to not get too severe with any and try both ways.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master



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    The idea is to prevent the sprue plate screw from loosening as it's moved to the left........unfortunately, mine didn't stick to the game plan, so I had to drill/tap for a 6-32 set screw in the block. NOW that left hand screw doesn't move.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I have an old style Lee mould I got used that had a stripped sprue plate screw. I removed the handles and drilled the sprue plate pivot hole all the way through for a 1/4" cap bolt. I had to relieve the jaw of the handle a bit. Put an old style mechanical locknut on the bolt and it's been running for years this way.

    For a new style mould with a stripped pivot screw, I think of drill the mould block from the side, through the pivot screw with a 1/16 or 3/32 bit and insert a small pin.

  6. #6
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    The Lee 2 cavity left-handed thread molds have an "L" stamped in the top of the mold

  7. #7
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hossfly View Post
    This is good information to know. The old Jeeps were left hand lug nuts on the left side and right hand on the right side. Good idea to not get too severe with any and try both ways.
    A couple of generations of Dodge/Chrysler cars & trucks were that way.

    It got real interesting working on a older one that someone had replaced one or two left side studs & lug nuts to RH ones
    they'd broken off.
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  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    You didn't notice the letters LH stamped next to the screw , right above the mould numbers untill it was too late . Return the mould to Lee and see if they can help .
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    Hossfly, Kenworth semi trucks does the lefty loosy on the left side too.

    I was helpin him dissmount and remount tires on his rig before we could go shootin. "Turn the top of the nut towards the front of the truck" - my MAD grandpa ... after I twisted off 2 studs with a 1" impact gun at about 10 years old. Shoulda known better the other side didnt have to hammer that long...

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
    sundog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    I have an old style Lee mould I got used that had a stripped sprue plate screw. I removed the handles and drilled the sprue plate pivot hole all the way through for a 1/4" cap bolt. I had to relieve the jaw of the handle a bit. Put an old style mechanical locknut on the bolt and it's been running for years this way.
    I've done the same thing. Works fine and does not affect the boolit one bit. Could even be an 'improvement'.
    It ain't rocket science, it's boolit science.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    So the two cavity handles aren't pinned on? Maybe this explains why I was never able to get them off the blocks...:^P

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    This was an improvement by Lee so that not only the screw would come undone but it would also strip the threads of the very soft aluminum.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winger Ed. View Post
    A couple of generations of Dodge/Chrysler cars & trucks were that way.

    It got real interesting working on a older one that someone had replaced one or two left side studs & lug nuts to RH ones
    they'd broken off.
    International Harvester also used studs with left hand threads on one side and RH on the other. It is also interesting when someone replaces the studs on just one wheel on one side so that 3 wheels have RH threads and one wheel has LH threads.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy
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    Petrol. Older family friend has been working on an Ford F1 rebuild for 20+ years, he put the nova clip in the frame with the F1 hubs flipped. If his estate sells that unfinished truck when he passes the new owner may be real perplexed as to the wheel nuts being L/R in front and R/L in rear if they even catch the lefttys before they bust the studs.
    Shaune509

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by shaune509 View Post
    Petrol. Older family friend has been working on an Ford F1 rebuild for 20+ years, he put the nova clip in the frame with the F1 hubs flipped. If his estate sells that unfinished truck when he passes the new owner may be real perplexed as to the wheel nuts being L/R in front and R/L in rear if they even catch the lefttys before they bust the studs.
    Shaune509
    hahahaha

    I'd like to be there when that is reveled

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check