Lee 6 cavity sprue plate question

[Muddydogs]

I am getting a lot of wear on the sprue plate where it goes under the catch. The washer is wearing on both sides of the notch cut into the sprue. Tonight I started to get some flashing around the base of the bullet which I assume is due to the sprue plate not fitting tight to the mold blocks due to this wear. Any fixes for the besides a new sprue plate? Any way to prevent this from happening in the first place? I have cast about 2000 bullets with this mold.

[Trapperscott]

I dont have the answer, but I have the same problem. I'd like to know if there is a fix for it also.

I was about to post the same question here, glad you did.

Scott

[Buckshot]

.............There is no mechanical fix. It's steel on aluminum so guess who wins in the end? You can just about totally alleviate this by using some high tech lube (Bullplate) or similar. In addition once the mould has been used the sharp edges of the SP will eventually assume a wider surface where the spring loaded thimble contacts the SP. In other words, once the SP wears to a certain point (wider contact surface) the wear pretty much ends. But, you DO need to have a lubricant there on the SP.

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

[Muddydogs]

I dont have the answer, but I have the same problem. I'd like to know if there is a fix for it also.

I was about to post the same question here, glad you did.

Scott

I am going to try adding a thin washer to the catch to see if that will tighten up the sprue plate. As for the lube I don't see anyway that lube will help since it is steel on aluminum. Maybe I am doing something wrong but I lube my mold up each time and give the area in question an extra shot but as near as I can tell as soon as the first bullet is cast the lube is burned off, by the time 5 bullets are cast the mold is as dry as it was before I lubed it. I'm using Zip Lube from Randy Rat.

[7Acres]

I would suggest Bullplate as well. I use it now and my molds don't wear like you describe. Before using Bullplate I had wear and galling. Bullplate is awesome stuff.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

.............There is no mechanical fix. It's steel on aluminum so guess who wins in the end? You can just about totally alleviate this by using some high tech lube (Bullplate) or similar. In addition once the mould has been used the sharp edges of the SP will eventually assume a wider surface where the spring loaded thimble contacts the SP. In other words, once the SP wears to a certain point (wider contact surface) the wear pretty much ends. But, you DO need to have a lubricant there on the SP.

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

+1, always listen to Buckshot, he honestly gives out some of the best advice on the forum.

[Walter Laich]

+1 Bullplate

see it's available again

[Muddydogs]

I sure wasn't trying to offend Buckshot thats for sure sorry if I did. I understand his wear concept and that is why I thought about a thin washer to take up some space at the catch as the sprue is worn down to the shape of the thimble and this is where I think I am getting lift in the sprue. I have a metric ton of Zip Lube but will have to look into the Bullplate stuff. As I remember which is hard for me I think when I was looking for a lube a year or two ago the Bullplate wasn't avaliable so upon forum recomindations I got some Zip Lube from Randy Rat. Wonder what the differance is between the two.

[Buzz64]

Just received some Bullplate a couple days ago. Contact them at The Bull Shop bullshop@nemont.net. Here is some info if you want to look into getting some...

For two bottles of Bullplate sprue plate lube shipped (to zip 66043) will be if paid by check $11.50 to,
The Bullshop
PO box 245
Saco Montana 59261
or if by paypal $12.50 to congiolosicrew@aol.com

[Springfield]

I had to replace the sprue plates on my 44-40 moulds at about 40,000 bullets each. Not because of wear at the plate catch but because they just weren't flat anymore. They all wear there and there isn't much you can do, but yours sounds excessive. I LOVE Bullplate. If you pull the bolt to put in a thin washer not only will the bolt not stay tight anymore but you also have less thread engagement, and there is too little as it is. I usually end up putting in a threaad insert and another bolt, and also a set screw. I use some of my moulds quite a bit and have to retrofit both bolts. The moulds are great, the pivot/locking system kinda sucks. Using the Bullplate also alleviates some of the top finning as the lead can't stick.

[Muddydogs]

I have pulled all my molds apart for cleaning when I first got them and have not noticed the bolts working loose but as I understand I might have gotten the sprue plate to tight as this can cause finning as well. I will mess around with the sprue tonight and see if I can get rid of the finning.

Thanks for the Bullplate info. I was looking for there site or contact info.

[Buckshot]

Muddydogs, I sure wasn't trying to offend Buckshot thats for sure sorry if I did. I certainly didn't take it as offensive. My comment, "............once the SP wears to a certain point (wider contact surface) the wear pretty much ends." is similar to many mechanical objects that run together. Like a new engine. After x number of miles the parts get used to each other (so to speak :-)) and thereafter most all wear takes place when it's cold. That is assuming proper lubrication. I think that once those sharp corners of the SP slot have made a hundred or so trips under the spring loaded thimble, they have worn to the point that they're broad enough (enough surface area?) so that the thimble's pressure is no longer much of an issue, if lubed. The wider area is certainly MUCH better able to carry a film of lube then those sharp corners.

I'm not going to suggest that the Bullshop's "Bullplate" is the ONLY lube that will do the job. There has been much conjecture about it, and it could very well be nothing more then a synthetic 2 stroke lube as some have suggested. Maybe it's that plus something else? For me personally it's enough that Bullplate works amazingly well, and if it IS a 2 stroke lube you can get by the quart cheap, I'd still buy it from the Bullshop. So far as I know he had it first, it works, a few ounces (I bought 4 bottles last time) lasts a LONG time. Plus it helps out a board member, and I'd rather support a member here then a store someplace that won't miss my once in 10 year purchase, HA!

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

[dudits]

"Plus it helps out a board member, and I'd rather support a member here then a store someplace that won't miss my once in 10 year purchase, HA!"

them are some great words!

[Muddydogs]

I have a few bottles of Bullshop on the way so i will be able to see first hand the difference between it and Zip Lube. I tried some Bee's wax on the SP slot on another mold with little use like someone suggested and it seems to work well lubing the slot but I tell ya you have to be fast applying the wax or you will have a river running off the side of the mold. The Bullshop should be here next week.

[7Acres]

beeswax...seems to work well lubing the slot but I tell ya you have to be fast applying the wax or you will have a river running off the side of the mold.

Yep, been there done that. Ended up with beeswax in the cavities and wrinkley bullets as a result. Bought Bullplate cleaned out the cavities and my casting experience is much improved now! You'll enjoy the Bullplate. Here's a link I found helpful for applying it http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?137982-Mould-Lube-Instructions-(works-with-BullPlate-too)

[myg30]

I had similar trouble last week with the SP and finns on the boolits. I removed the SP and wave washer. took a fine flat file, cleaned the surface of the mold where the screw hole is. Cleaned the bottom of the spruce plate. there was a small amount of lead build up in that area which I have never had before. I used a Q-tip with bull plate and lubed the area and reassembled the SP to the mold. When it got up to cast temp I relubed it with Q-tip. Now it works like a charm.
Not sure but I think my mold fell into the pot when warming up and this might be how that corner got a build up under the screw. I never paid it any mind till the galling started there. I never dip my molds into the pot on purpose.

Mike

[MikeS]

Once your sprue plate is worn there's not much you can do other than replace it. The good news is that the sprue plate from Lee is under $10.00 (I think it's $8.00 but I'm not 100% sure of that), so replacing it isn't that big a deal. If you don't like having an aluminum sprue plate, there are a few members here that make steel sprue plates for around $25.00 or so. I've never used a steel sprue plate on a Lee 6 cavity mould, I actually prefer the aluminum plate as it holds heat the same as the blocks, and when preheating the mould on a hotplate, it gets the sprue plate up to the same temp as the rest of the mould. I've also never had to replace a sprue plate, keep them properly lubed (with bullplate or similar lube) and you shouldn't have a problem.

[leadman]

I have used Bullplate lube on the catch but recently tried beeswax and it seemed to do a better job. I have had to remove the sprue plate pivot bolt to clean the lead out of this area to stop the flashing on the boolit bases. I have gone to antiseize in this area and may try it on the catch. The alloy I use has a high antimony content and it seems to cause little flakes of lead to come off when the sprue is cut. These can work under the pivot area of the sprue plate so I keep one of those old paint removers that hold a single edge razor blade handy and just drag the edge on the mold and sprue plate to remove these so they don't cause a problem. I do use BP lube on the top of the mold and bottom of the sprue plate.

[Muddydogs]

The alloy I use has a high antimony content and it seems to cause little flakes of lead to come off when the sprue is cut.

I think the little flakes of lead are from cutting the sprue too soon. Last night I was casting with my 44 mold which when I used it a week ago I was getting the flakes of lead when cutting the sprue. Last night I kept my mold temp a little lower and noticed I was not getting the tinkle tinkle of lead hitting the cookie sheet when I cut the sprue so just to see I let the mold get a little hotter and cut the sprue sooner and sure enough I started to hear the small flakes hitting the cookie sheet as well as see flakes of lead on top of the mold blocks. Also last night was the first time I employed the use of a wet towel to cool the sprue and I have to say that’s the ticket for keeping up production and cutting a good sprue.

I was rolling last night with the 44 mold, the mold was casting great bullets, bullets were falling out of the blocks with just a shake of the mold handle and I have the Lee 20 pound pot control figured out so I can maintain a constant temp for over an hour. I am also figuring out the temp drop when I add melted lead to the pot so when I get close to needing more lead I am upping my pot temp as well as the mold temp so after the lead dump my pot isn't too cold and the hotter mold makes up for the colder pot. I then slow down casting so the mold cools as the pot temp comes back up. I finally had to just put down the mold or I would have used all my lead just for 44 bullets. Let’s just hope that the unused 45 mold casts as well tonight.