New Lee mold fix

[seaboltm]

I bought one of the new Lee 379-250 molds for my 38-55. On the first casting session, no problems.

Second casting session was different. Sprew plate screw would not stay in place. One of the alignment pins pushed out giving me many bad boolits. In fact, I got zero boolits during my second session.

So I used a punch to push the alignment pin back into place and went back for session 3. No bueno. The pin pushed out again and the sprew plate screw would not stay in place.

So, I did the following fixes:

1. I put the pin back into place, and then I took a 1/8" Starret punch, placed half of the punch on the aluminum and half over hanging the pin hole. A quick pop or two with a ball peen hammer and I was rewarded with a perfect stake. In fact, it was so easy I added a second stake to the pin and then added two to the other alignment pin even though it had yet to move (I wasn't taking any chances.)

2. I keep 6-32 allen head set screws on hand, because well, they are handy. I also have the needed drill bits and 6-32 taps. So, I drilled a hole into the aluminum mold and into the sprew plate screw hole as shown in the pictures. Aluminum is easy to thread so that was simple.

Results: perfect. Those pins don't move, and there is really no way they can. And the sprew plate screw is now held securely in place.

Advice: don't over tighten the set screw as it is easy to strip aluminum. When staking the pins in place, go easy with the hammer. Aluminum is easy to move. Don't hit so hard as to move the pins deeper into the mold half. Just enough to barely touch.

This has probably been covered, but just in case I decided to post it. Oh, total repair time: 10 minutes.

[Cooperwin]

Two of two new style molds that I bought this spring had to be "finished" just like yours. Would the cost to the manufacturer be that much more to sell a completed product? Other companies might be getting a new casters repeat business just because of a couple of short cuts by Lee that that new person doesn't know or is able to finish. As long as the widgets sell, they don't have to be good.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Agreed, lots of new casters are put off by buying New equipment and then having to work on it , or find someone to help, you came to the right people, someone on this site has been there , done that.....:redneck:[smilie=1:

[Ben]

I'm hearing a lot of complaints about the pins
falling out or moving.I have some of the new
style Lee molds, mine have not done this yet.

If they do, now I know what to do to fix it.

I wish that Lee would drill and tap a set screw
hole on their molds for the sprue bolt.

Ben

[Bustedmp]

I have 3 new Lee molds and 2 of them suffer this problem, it isn't until the mold get good and hot that the locating pins move, but is a pain either way. I just finished casting a few .358 105grn SWC for my wife and about every 5 casts, I had to push the pins back in place. I am going to be staking the pins asap. My next mold purchase will be a bit better quality!