First Lee 6-cavity and a minor modification...

[koehlerrk]

OK, got a Lee 6 cavity 40 cal TL 175 SWC mold from another member here, and it was my first mold that had more than two cavities.

Couple things I found is that the sprue plate handle gets in the way, and that if I didn't keep it squeezed shut, I got fins on my boolits.

My solution was to shorten the sprue plate handle by two inches. I still have enough leverage to break the sprues off easily, and now I don't have to contend with the third handle getting in the way and making it tougher to keep the mold squeezed shut.

This probably isn't news to anyone who's used them for a while, but this is new to me, and I just got done making about 400 of those little boogers, and ZERO finned boolits this time. :bigsmyl2:

[leadman]

I never had a problem with the sprue handle getting in the way. Just grabbed the 2 handles for the mold like any other mold. As you found out if you grab the sprue handle the mold opens a little bit.

[koehlerrk]

Guess I either have big hands (guilty) or I have a mold where the sprue handle is on the low end of the clearance with the mold handles, because it doesn't clear by much.

Either way, it was something that worked for me, figured I'd make mention of it here.

[MattOrgan]

I had the same problem with my Lee 6 cavities, no clearance. I solved it by removing the wood handles completely. I keep an 8 " long piece of 1 inch black pipe on my casting bench and just pick it up, place it on the sprue plate stub and pull the plate open. Lots easier for me, no different that picking up my plastic mallet to strike the sprue plate on other molds.

[leadman]

I'm a lefty so hold the mold handles in my right hand with my palm up and thumb on the right side. Only need clearance for the thumb so this might be the difference.