Those stinking Lee sprue plates

[44man]

After getting the bevel out of this mold, I was getting some flash at the base of the front boolit when I raised the temp. I looked at the mold sideways and could see a lot of light between the front of the plate and blocks. I removed the screw and by holding the plate on top, I could rock it. The spring washer was forcing the back down and the front up. First thing I did was cut the threads deeper and get a shorter screw. I then drilled the block for a setscrew. Then I filed down the bottom of the bushing a little and reduced the bend on the spring washer.
The next step was to put the plate in the vice with half of the hole in the jaws and bend it towards the block side. Just a tad! Then with a small, fine mill file, I worked on it until it laid flat with no rocking.
I put it back together with just the right tension and now the plate sits flat on the whole mold. The setscrew will keep the screw tight.
I still hate them because they are so thin it is hard to get a puddle on top. Most runs off or goes into the other cavity but I am not making a thick plate for a cheap Lee. I guess we have to put up with it!

[357maximum]

I feel your frustration, I have had to do that fix on a few myself.....I have the stock to make some thicker sprueplates, but have not got myroundstoit....all the mt moulds, and a few other odd customs I have are thicker plated, and work alot mo betta....thick plates are good....I like the lbt puddle plates too...

[doc25]

My lees' are ok for that. My used lymans are the ones that had the problem. How hard do people beat on these things to bend a sprue plate?

[44man]

They come that way from the factory. Even on my home made molds with all the milling I get one once in a while that will take an hour to fit. I have been using 3/16" stainless. On some molds I leave off the spring washer to take pressure off that end.
I make a bunch of very light taps with a wooden tool to cut sprues. I never cut with one stroke. I also make the holes razor sharp so there is no effort and they cut clean. I will break out a little divot if I cut too soon, just like everybody else, but if I let the sprue harden, the cut is very smooth.

[Dale53]

Try cutting the sprues by twisting them off instead of hitting them with a hammer. I DO suggest you use a pair of gloves while trying this[smilie=1:.

I get much nicer bases when twisting them off. I wear a pair of welding gloves while casting so it is a natural act (as opposed to an unnatural act:-D).

I can do up to and including 4 cavity moulds like this. However, I'm not quite man enough to do it on H&G eight cavity moulds:mrgreen: .

Dale53

[44man]

I need good gloves! I tried with leather gloves and my molds are so hot I am only good for a few. It works fine. I need the stick to tap the joint anyway and still have to pick it up. Me be lazy!!!

[Nueces]

Hey, Fellas

Please allow me to make a recommendation on casting gloves, though, with all the experience on this board, I may be just echoing.

Military flying gloves have fine, thin sheepskin leather on the palm side and green Nomex on the back side. A little sweat makes the leather very supple - you can pick up a dime - but they're still comfortable and insulate the hand well. Washable in Woolite.

The surplus outlets have 'em. Price at Brigade Quartermasters is $25.

Mark

[9.3X62AL]

Mark--

Those flying gloves prevent heat transmission from sprue plates et al?

[jhalcott]

Al, probably not and the sweat turns to steam. I use HEAVy welders gloves and some of my Lee molds aeed the stick to cut sprues. I don't think it's the hitting that warps them .They get quite hot and some of us will quick cool them on a wet cloth. Alternating heat and cold can warp metal .

[Dale53]

Look for "fireplace gloves". I have a couple of pair that I have been using for years.

They are rather supple and I have NO problems using them to twist sprues off. The bullet bases are definitely better when I twist as opposed to striking them off.

Dale53

[44man]

Sounds good Dale, I will get a pair.

[Nueces]

Mark--

Those flying gloves prevent heat transmission from sprue plates et al?

They have, for me. Short periods of contact are comfortable, but I have, as yet, no experience with multi-cavity moulds, which could result in longer contact time. I will try them when I begin using my GB moulds and report on how they work. I especially liked the good feel when casting HPs.

They're designed to give a pilot extra seconds to put out a cockpit fire, or exit stage up, without burning the skin. Flight suits are made of the same Nomex and I've seen a demonstration in which a propane torch was played over a layer of Nomex on top of thin t-shirt cotton. The wood surface underneath was not colored.

I used 'em because I had 'em. $25 is rather a lot to pay for just a look see, though. I can tell you that I sent Dean Grennell a pair years ago, and he liked them for casting, but, by then, he no longer put in long sessions at the pot.

YMMV, Mark