Back in the saddle and a new believer in aluminum molds

[gnappi]

Sorry in advance for the longish post.

In spite of the too warm weather, I setup my gear on my patio, got my industrial fan to cool me and blow the smoke away, and started casting .40's yesterday.

This was my first time using LEE 6 cavity aluminum molds (and my first time casting .40's) and I have to say, I'm impressed. I'm STILL using my rusty 35+ year old RCBS promelt furnace. In the past, using steel Lyman molds I really needed two molds, one to cool enough to let the sprue cool while I poured the next. The Lee cools enough in 4-5 seconds so I can knock of the sprue and quench (my first time trying it in larger production). I timed myself at 800+ per hour, easily equal to using two of my Lyman 4 cavity molds. I really doubt two molds will beat that especially with having to maintain adding a 2 lb. ingot to the pot every 70 rounds or so and fluxing.

Also the less weight of the 6 cavity aluminum compensates a bit for the Lyman steel weight and did not feel tired till about ~3k were in the water. Good thing the RCBS furnace has the mold support, I cant imagine using a furnace without one.

In the past I was very happy with the trench cut in my Lyman sprue cutter, but it caused a LOT more pot maintenance, the Lee was a lot better in that regard too.

So, right now my only Lee mold is the .40SWC, and yesterday I ordered a .40 TC. Once I PC the two styles I'll get to check the performance of the two styles and go from there in large production. Oh, I figure that the .40 is a good balance between the .45 and 150 grain 9's I cast regarding number of rounds I can produce from a pound of lead. It's not a bad bad getting nearly 30% more bullets per pound from my 220 grain .45's

[robg]

lighter molds help my wrists too.cast in 1 hour sessions usually cast about 300 boolits running 3 x 2 cavity molds .308/357/45-70.

[gwpercle]

When you start getting older and especially if you have arm, hand , wrist and joint problems ...
A pair of Lee double cavity moulds become your friends ... the light weight is a big help .
Gary

[Conditor22]

stay away from the4 ideal/lyman 4 cavity molds --- they ae beasts but once you "tune them up" they (the ideal & older lyman) cast beautiful boolits.

to save wear and tear on my hands/arms, I put a block of wood on my casting table, set the mold handle on the wood then tap the sprue open ----- soooo much easier on the hands/arms

[MT Chambers]

aluminum molds are no better, they are cheaper to make, and because of even softer alum. Lees are the cheapest of the cheap. Cutting equip. used in mold making lasts longer when used on alum. and some outfits plug alum. for the same reasons. The negatives with some alum. is they wear out quickly which my not be bad for some but if you cast alot ,failure is just around the corner. I used to use some Lees both 6 and 2 cavities and now they are in the cupboard worn out. Outfits can sell their alum. molds for less than brass or iron, but that may be a negative.

[SODAPOPMG]

If you are looking to reduce the wear and tear on your body
Keep using the steel molds and get a master caster
Your butt will get sore from sitting before your arm wares out

[gnappi]

I look at it differently. ROI is the thing. After several thou bullets they more than pay for themselves. I am not of a mindset that needs to drive a 70s clunker to get my ROI.

Sure my many Lyman molds more than paid for themselves but I think given the cost of TMJ or FMJ I do not need to worry about the $45 investment if they fall apart i will buy new if it happens. At 50% more capacity (and throughput) at 1/3 the price of better molds I consider them more of a disposable than long term investment.

[Mk42gunner]

Unless you are the type of person that can as my Dad used to say, "tear up an anvil on plowed ground," I think it is very hard to wear out or destroy an aluminum mold, even a Lee, before it has dropped enough boolits to more than pay for itself.

One good thing about aluminum molds, if something happens where you have to drop everything for a year or two with no maintenance, the cavities won't rust. The sprueplate might, but the cavities will be okay. I am still dealing with the after effects of a leaky roof on my iron molds while taking care of my mom.

Robert

[GregLaROCHE]

The Lee molds work well for me and I don’t have to worry as much about corrosion. Plus they come with handles.

[468]

I molded for decades with steel 2 cavity molds. I just wanted better production, so I tried a Lee 6 cavity aluminum mold...and then another. I’ve had very good luck casting .40’s and .45’s. My new .38/.357 mold will deliver Monday. Can’t wait to give it a go!

[la5676]

Unless you are the type of person that can as my Dad used to say, "tear up an anvil on plowed ground," I think it is very hard to wear out or destroy an aluminum mold, even a Lee, before it has dropped enough boolits to more than pay for itself.
Robert

My grampa's line, back in the day was "you could tear up an anvil with a rubber hammer". We got the idea what he meant.

[GhostHawk]

I started with Lee Double Cavity's, and I'll admit I wore a couple molds out, trashed them mostly due to lack of knowledge.

Well along the way I discovered this place and got some higher education.
Started figuring out what I was doing wrong. And then slowly started converting my favorite 2 cavity's to 6's.

The 6 cav's have been very good for me, yes you have to buy handles. But setup correctly they rain bullets.

I still have some of my original 2 cav molds. I will not be without a 90 gr .314 truncated cone or the .312 185 gr gc.

My best 6 cavity is the .358 124 gr rnfp which gets loaded in all the 9mm + 38's/.357's.

I thank the Lord for Lee Molds as without them I never would have been able to get started in this casting hobby.

Yes it helps to think of them as a kit, some tweaking/assembly required. And if you know what you are doing with one it is not hard to pay your initial investment several times over.

Do NOT beat on them. If boolits don't want to come out fix the problem and finish with a coat of Liquid Wrench Dry Lube.

No more ruined mold blocks. If you have a sticky cavity work it over with a wooden popsicle stick to remove burrs. Run the edges, the vent lines, make sure they are closing properly. And they will cast thousands.

[Mk42gunner]

My grampa's line, back in the day was "you could tear up an anvil with a rubber hammer". We got the idea what he meant.

Yep, I heard that one too.

Funny thing is I took a lot of stuff apart when I was a kid, but now I'm not scared of trying to fix or modify things to do what I want.

Robert

[Targa]

I really like Lee molds. I had about an hour today to set up, cast, then clean up.

[cowboy4evr]

Lee Molds are just fine . I have been casting for many a year , started with lee molds and still have them and use them . When I want " top quality " molds I go to LBT Molds . Lyman molds have been a jinx for me , no more . Regards Paul

[megasupermagnum]

If you cast alot the Lee molds wear quickly and I believe that you are doing a disservice to new casters, when you cast and push the sprue plate, small amounts of lead catch where the mold divide line intersects with the cut for the bullet base. The sprue plate pushes lead into those corners and wear begins, very little at first, but it increases until you have boolits dropping with that void cast into the base of the boolit. Some call it finning but it is not, finning is caused by, improper, or incomplete mold closure, vent lines that are too big, etc. I believe the problem is worse when using hard alloys. Some will try to break it off or cut it off, or "size" it off, either way it will dog you right up through trying to put the gc on, gc's don't usually fit well on boolits made by Lee molds, but this will up the "gas check seating by hand" stakes to where won't want to watch TV anymore.

I've read this over 10 times, and I still don't understand what you mean. So if what you describe is not "improper, or incomplete mold closure, vent lines that are too big, etc.", then what is the problem? What is wearing? I must have 10 Lee molds that take a gas check, and all of them fit on just like they are supposed to. The only molds I have trouble with as far as gas checks, are 1 Lyman, and 1 NOE.

[MT Chambers]

Okay, you don't want to understand, so I'll run it by you real slow.........I have many alum. molds, mostly Lee that wear quickly, all at the same spot, where the 2 halves come together at the bullet base, the small void (a void is a small opening), begins to enlarge and then it fills with lead (lead is the stuff you pour into the mold). Once the bullet has that flaw, gas checking can be a pain, so throw the mold out and buy something better. If you can't figure this out, familiarize yourself with the mold and it will become apparent where the wear starts and increases. The latest aluminum mold that wore out the same was a BRP, now out of business. If you've read this 10 times and still can't figure it out, you need to take steps, small at first.

[megasupermagnum]

I have a minimum of 40 aluminum molds, probably more. None of them have a void of any kind. That is where you are loosing me. One issue you can run into with a Lee 6 cavity, is if you are pushing on the sprue break handle, you can actually be forcing the mold halves apart. Maybe this is what you are referring to?

[Jniedbalski]

I only have lee two cavity molds, and a few of NOE molds and a few Lyman. My lee two cavity molds I use the most some have casted 5 to 6,000 rounds. Well for under 20$ and shipping I think they have more than paid for them Self. And they are still dropping great bullets.

[MT Chambers]

Yeah I'm pushing the mold apart, c'mon man.......