TexasJeff
04-11-2008, 01:16 PM
I recently got in two new Lee moulds--both of them .358 for my .38 Special loads. One is a 148 gr WC, and the other is a TL 158 SWC.
Went through the Lee-menting process, starting with the cleaning. Used an x-acto knife to deepen about every other/every-third vent line. When I had some boolits that I was satisfied would do good for the polishing, I used Mother's Aluminum Wheel polish for the finisher. I used a light fiberglass polishing compound for the first lapping--kept the cordless drill slow and steady. Cleaned it out with brake cleaner, blew the excess out with compressed air, then applied the Mother's.
Those are some kind of shiny boolit cavities.
As has been mentioned here from time to time, the Lee moulds don't seem to align when closing as easily and consistently as other iron moulds do--at least not according to my VERY limited experience.
So, I made a "tapper" sprue plate stick of 3/4" cabinet grade oak. The stick is 3/4" square and the last four inches of the stick, I put it under the drill press and bored 1/2" holes which I then filled with lead. I cut another 4" x 3/4" of wood and used wood screws to attach this four-inch piece over the filled lead holes. I then belt sanded it to make all surfaces flush and level.
The sprue stick looks like a "P" with the "P" end being the weighted end that I use to tap the sprue. It ALSO serves a perfectly flat surface to rest the mould on while closing it--giving me perfect alignment every time.
Last thing I tried was when finished casting, I would take a large rubber band and close the mould up, put the rubber band around the handles to hold it tightly shut, then set the mould on my hotplate. At the end of the casting session, I did this with the other Lee mould, and then simply turned off the hot plate.
This allowed the aluminum moulds to cool in a slower fashion, and with the moulds shut (rubber band on handles), the alignment stayed true.
Not sure how much difference any of it makes, but they're sure dropping nice, pretty boolits for me.
Jeff
Went through the Lee-menting process, starting with the cleaning. Used an x-acto knife to deepen about every other/every-third vent line. When I had some boolits that I was satisfied would do good for the polishing, I used Mother's Aluminum Wheel polish for the finisher. I used a light fiberglass polishing compound for the first lapping--kept the cordless drill slow and steady. Cleaned it out with brake cleaner, blew the excess out with compressed air, then applied the Mother's.
Those are some kind of shiny boolit cavities.
As has been mentioned here from time to time, the Lee moulds don't seem to align when closing as easily and consistently as other iron moulds do--at least not according to my VERY limited experience.
So, I made a "tapper" sprue plate stick of 3/4" cabinet grade oak. The stick is 3/4" square and the last four inches of the stick, I put it under the drill press and bored 1/2" holes which I then filled with lead. I cut another 4" x 3/4" of wood and used wood screws to attach this four-inch piece over the filled lead holes. I then belt sanded it to make all surfaces flush and level.
The sprue stick looks like a "P" with the "P" end being the weighted end that I use to tap the sprue. It ALSO serves a perfectly flat surface to rest the mould on while closing it--giving me perfect alignment every time.
Last thing I tried was when finished casting, I would take a large rubber band and close the mould up, put the rubber band around the handles to hold it tightly shut, then set the mould on my hotplate. At the end of the casting session, I did this with the other Lee mould, and then simply turned off the hot plate.
This allowed the aluminum moulds to cool in a slower fashion, and with the moulds shut (rubber band on handles), the alignment stayed true.
Not sure how much difference any of it makes, but they're sure dropping nice, pretty boolits for me.
Jeff