Problem with Lee 6 cavity molds

[tom barthel]

I must be superman. I just broke my second sprue lever. I only used hand pressure. Both items are less than two years old. I just sent one back and now need to send another. Could wheel weight bullets be harder than the cutter can handle? The first one was with a GB C358-180RF mold I got here. The second was on a 358-158 RF mold I got last year. My OLD two cavity molds have NEVER messed up. Is this a common problem?? Can anything be done about it? Would cutting the sprue left handed help? Has anyone else had this problem?:confused: :???:

[fatnhappy]

Nope. never done it myself, but my dog ate the wood handle off my fatter 30 mold, the day it arrived. Does that count?

[tom barthel]

Nope. never done it myself, but my dog ate the wood handle off my fatter 30 mold, the day it arrived. Does that count?

Could have been your Glock. Ask Lee. You never know unless you ask.
LOTSA LUCK.:roll: :-D

[SharpsShooter]

I have broken one sprue cutter lever on a 6 cavity also using just hand pressure. It really surprised me as I was not exerting much pressure and the alloy was nowhere near cooled off. Replacements are easily obtained with a call to Lee.

SS

[Johnch]

:groner: Yep :groner:
Been there , done that

I broke 2 in the last year , 1 was my falt when I let the aloy harden , the other it wasn't

I called Lee and they sent me new ones for free

Johnch

[MT Gianni]

I have broken 2 and my fix is to let the mold warm up for a couple of minutes with 1 corner well onto the melt. Cast from the back cavity, first 1 bullet only, 3 pours rejecting all. Then 2 cavitys 3 pours each rejecting all. Then 3 cavitys 2 pours, 4 cavitys 2 pours, 5 cavitys 2 pours then 6 cavitys. By then the mould is warm enough for real casting to start. Gianni.

[Lloyd Smale]

IVe broke probably a half a dozen and two in one day once so it happens.

[imashooter2]

I broke one on a borrowed mold, but someone had drilled a through hole in it for a pin to keep the handle in place. It broke right on the hole. I got a free replacement form Lee inside the week.

[44woody]

Tom Barthel I have broken a few of them but every time I did the spew plate was not closer all the way look on the bottom of the bullet you just broke the handle and I will bet the spew cut off point is off center ie the spew plate was not closed all the way if you find your self in this way again stick a flat head screw driver under the pivit point and you can cut the spew with out breaking the handle off :castmine: 44woody

[Swagerman]

Mt Gianni method sounds cool.

I only have one 6 cavity Lee mould, and the lead I use is not that hard.

However, I don't like the way the sprue cutter is designed, it needs to be beefed up thicker on its handle shaft.

Come on Lee, it won't kill you to do it.

Jim

[Springfield]

Your lead is too cold, or more likely your mould is not up to temp yet. You don't think it is too cold, but it is. I have been casting thousands of bullets a month using 7 different Lee 6 cavity moulds for the past 2 years and I haven't broken one yet. Get some Bullshop Lube and cut those sprues sooner. End of story.

[PatMarlin]

Has anyone ever thought of grinding a "canal" on the LEE spruce plate to connect the plate spouts and make one fast- continous pour spruce, on a 6 banger?

[KYCaster]

Has anyone ever thought of grinding a "canal" on the LEE spruce plate to connect the plate spouts and make one fast- continous pour spruce, on a 6 banger?

Yeah, Pat. I did that to a 45 SWC, way back when I was hand casting to feed my IPSC habit. It helped get a consistant puddle without having hot lead running all over the place. Now that I have a bunch of these GB six bangers I think I'll try it again.

Thanks for the reminder.
Jerry

[smaj100]

I just got a new 6 cavity mold for my 40 its the tumble lube variety. I'm having a problem with cavity's next to the handles not filling out properly. I'm dropping the mold into the melt until I see a little smoke off the mold about 15 seconds. I get good frosting on the heads before I pop the sprue plate. I'm getting good fill out on the nose and bands just the base seems to not be filling out. I'm getting a rounded edge on the base. I sprayed the molds with FA mold release agent. I've tried filling the mold front back and vice versa with the same result. I don't have any problems with my other 2 cavity molds. Am I doing something wrong, do I need the heat the mold longer? Any help you can throw at me would be great.

:lovebooli

[SciFiJim]

smaj100 - I have had a similar problem. A possible solution is: while the sprue is still liquid on that cavity, jiggle the mold gently. If that helps the base fill out then the problem is lack of venting for that cavity.

[shotman]

You need a little more Tin and melt needs to be hotter. Get rid of the mold release and get Kroil. wet mold and blot the wet off. Q tip the cavs and cast

[Springfield]

Dipping for 15 seconds isn't nearly enough time. Try 60 and see what happens. The worst that can happen is it gets too hot and you have to wait for it to cool.

[smaj100]

Dipping for 15 seconds isn't nearly enough time. Try 60 and see what happens. The worst that can happen is it gets too hot and you have to wait for it to cool.

Well I threw some lead into the mold tonight after letting them come up to temp for more than 60 seconds. It took a little longer than normal for the sprue to frost over but it seemed to help fill out the molds better. I'm still not getting 1 or 2 of the 6 with rounded bases. I think i'm gonna clean them really well and try recoating them with the FA mold release. I've had great success with my 308 and 380 molds and the release agent.

:castmine:

[Springfield]

Then the next thing that seems to help with recalcitrant moulds is to drill out the sprue just a little bigger. This has worked wonders for me. Mould release doesn't help fill-out, just release.

[Buckshot]

.............If that FA mould release is the spray stuff Midway sells (Frankford Arsenal) ditch it. shotman mentions Kroil, and I don't doubt him, just haven't used it so if you have some try it. For myself I suggest you get ahold of Dan or Tina at The Bullshop (See link at page bottom) and get some Sprueplate lube. After using it I won't use anything else.

................Buckshot

[hiram]

We once had someone selling extended 1 and 2 cavity lyman sprue plates made from steel. Can we get 6 cav sprue plates out of steel? Anyone with a contact?

[TAWILDCATT]

H&G cuts a grouve in there sprue plate.yrs ago when i worked in machine shop I took all my 4 cavity lymans and used a ball mill to cut a groove between the cavities.works like a charm and gives the extra lead to allow for shrinkage.
:coffee: [smilie=1: