Lyman Mould Handle Repair

[AZ Pete]

Anyone have ecperience repairing Lyman mould handles. I have a pair that broke, through the mould block mounting hole. The metal looks like cast iron to me. Any luck welding this stuff?

Thanks in advance for the benfit of your experience.

[dmftoy1]

I don't know if it's cast iron or not, but if it is then it can be welded but it's not a job for your average bubba. If I remember correctly you need a rod with a high nickel content . . .but it's been a long time.

Good Luck!

Have a good one,
Dave

[trk]

Last week I fixed a broken Lyman 55 powder measure handle.

It was cast iron. I ground a 45degree bevel on one broken part and fixed the two into position by clamping each to one aluminum plate (built up as necessary with shims to align).

Then using an oxy-acetylene tourch I brazed them together.

The operation was successful.

Consider the cost of a new set of handles to the amount of time required to repair.

Nickle is a very good method too.

[Dale53]

Welding cast iron is for someone with much more than average welding skills.

However, brazing or silver soldering, cast iron has a much higher rate of success for the "less than professional". I have had very good results using a good grade of high temperature silver solder for tasks such as this.

Dale53

[Boomer Mikey]

Midway has these frequently for ten bucks, you couldn't get them welded for that, but if they were mine I'd braze them - cause I've got the gear.

[DLCTEX]

Cast iron can be welded with a mild steel rod, or wire, if heated red hot over the length of the piece, welded, reheated, then allowed to cool slowly. Slow cooling may be problematic in something as small as the mold handle. Brazing would be best in this case IMH. Dale

[Buckshot]

................The handles are not cast iron and can be easily welded. Been there, done that.

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

[AZ Pete]

Thanks gents for taking the time to help. Being a common bubba, I will weld them with an arc, per Buchshot.

[bobthewelder]

Na, do it all the time. Preheat the handle with a torch until it glows, let it cool just long enought to goto black heat, use 99% nickle rod or another rod meant for GREY cast iron, and weld it. let it cool on its own, you can also bury it in sand to slow the cooling, but on small parts it isn't usually nessessary. Preheat and the correct rod is the key to welding cast iron.

[bobthewelder]

OR if they are steel, even cast steel as Buckshot states, wire feed or arc away, just keep the amps down so you don't melt the hanles into oblivion. My problem with Lee handles is the wood on the Spru plate, can't weld wood, so I'm at a loss.

[454PB]

I've repaired them by brazing. They always seem to break right at the mounting holes, so you'll need to redrill that hole.

[georgewxxx]

You guys found out the hard way how to tap on your handles to get the boolit to drop out. The hinge pin is the only safe place to tap on the handles to extract those mean ones. Breakage is from that constant side rapping. The inertia of the mould flopping sideways and your tool you use to hit it with slowly fatigues that metal casting into breakage. That's a no-no, hit the pivot pin only please, and save yourself some headaches.......Geo

[DLCTEX]

The best fix I've found for wood is Gorilla Glue, or another of the polyurethane glues. Be sure to dampen wood before glueing. DALE