Sprue Screw on Lee mould

[Contenderman]

The left hand screw that hold the sprue plate on keeps loosening up while casting, anybody have a solution to this problem. The mould, 30 cal. carbine rd nose, casts real nice bullets. I use them in my Ruger 30 cal carbine revolver . When casting I have to retighten ever 4 or 5 bullets. Any idea's Thanks

[slim1836]

Drill and tap a set screw in the side of the mold to lock the sprue plate bolt down once you get it where you like it.

Slim

[Wally]

Remove then screw and place a small strip of aluminum cut from a soda can in the screwhole, then reattach the screw.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'd think the best way, as Slim said, "Drill and tap a set screw".
But I have heard of a simple 'redneck' solution of wrapping a few strands of steel wool on the screw threads.
I have a couple of Lee 2 cav molds (which I bought as spares) that have this loose screw issue, I haven't done anything with them yet...so I don't have any experience.

[Grmps]

I Drill and tap all my aluminum molds.

1 reason it works loose is you may not have lubricated it enough.

Lubricating that screw is a pain, you need to make sure you keep the lube out of the boolit cavity.
I cut the sprue, lube the screw with a lube stick from a lube sizer, work the sprue and wipe all the excess lube off--repeat the working the sprue and wiping until you get no more "lube leakage"

[RogerDat]

small bit of aluminum foil or fine steel wool as a thread locker is the simple solution. Drill and tap a locking set screw is the better one, a lot of molds come with an allen head set screw as a standard feature. Lube will help. It is the plate binding on the screw and turning it that causes it to work loose. Lube helps. I picked up some un-dyed ester oil (for air conditioners) at auto parts store. Very good mold lube. Keep a Q-Tip dipped in ester oil handy while casting, along with a screw driver. I twist sprue plate open with gloved hand. I'll feel it loosen if I'm paying any attention. Which when working with molten lead is pretty much mandatory.

[Walter Laich]

after I drill and tap I put a very small piece of lead in the hold.

protects the sprue screw threads from the set screw

might have to retighten it a few time till lead takes shape of threads and hole

[turtlezx]

you saying the 2 cavity lee molds are left hand thread ???
want loosen mine but dont want to break it off
need to reserface the top of the mold blocks

[Mike W1]

you saying the 2 cavity lee molds are left hand thread ???
want loosen mine but dont want to break it off
need to reserface the top of the mold blocks

The 1 Lee DC that I own has "LF" stenciled on the block along with the mold number. I have no way of knowing if that's something recent though as it's been a long time since I'd owned one and don't remember.

[gregtu]

after I drill and tap I put a very small piece of lead in the hold.

protects the sprue screw threads from the set screw

might have to retighten it a few time till lead takes shape of threads and hole

This sounds like a good idea. I just simply do as a few others have said, and drill a hole and put a screw in to keep the sprew plate screw from turning. I had to do this because I had the same problem. I haven't had the problem since, but the idea of using lead is appealing to keep from messing up the screw screw.

[fivefang]

Slim: but do use a brass 10/32 set screw, once those lee screws get damaged from a steel set screw they tend mess up the threads ,then re drill & re tap for a larger O.D. screw, speaking from experience, yeah, I have erasers on my pencils, Fivefang

[Contenderman]

Thanks all for the suggestions will try all.

[HH928]

Good suggestions but doesn't drilling and tapping the Lee aluminum mold require a drill press?

[Traffer]

I took one that was doing that and drilled it through, tapped it all the way through the block and put a nut on the bottom. Now it goes no where. It is kind of a hassle having a nut on the bottom though. It keeps it from sitting flat. The pins got loose for me also, so I put double set screws on each pin.

[Traffer]

The 1 Lee DC that I own has "LF" stenciled on the block along with the mold number. I have no way of knowing if that's something recent though as it's been a long time since I'd owned one and don't remember.

They switched to left hand thread a few years ago because the right hand thread ones loosened up even worse.
(From what I recall)

[gwpercle]

I had two Lee moulds that had perpetually unloosening sprue plate screws. Tighten screw, cast one, two on the third cast the screw was loose ...Wrapped a few strands of 0000 steel wool around the threads and reinstalled...they have never loosened up again ...I don't know why this works but it does...try it, very simple and easy to do.
Gary

[Mike W1]

Good suggestions but doesn't drilling and tapping the Lee aluminum mold require a drill press?

It's certainly easier particularly controlling depth & vertical but not impossible by hand I'd guess.

[Motor]

Good suggestions but doesn't drilling and tapping the Lee aluminum mold require a drill press?

Like the first reply said it would likely make the job easier. I've hand drilled and tapped a lot of more precise things then a simple set screw in an aluminum mould but I've been doing stuff like that since I was a teenager. I've been a machinist for almost 40 years. :)

Motor

[turtlezx]

KISS ( keep it simple stupid) few stands wire or steel wool done with it

[Grmps]

Good suggestions but doesn't drilling and tapping the Lee aluminum mold require a drill press?

No, the angle is not critical.

I like the idea of a brass set screw. I have used lead shotgun pellets between the set screw and sprue screw (when I remember:()

[greenjoytj]

How does the custom mold makers keep their sprue plate screw from turning loosening?

[bosterr]

All of my Accurate Molds have a set screw installed. Tom has everything adjusted perfectly and sets screws are locked down. I never had a sprue bolt work loose on his molds.

[gwpercle]

KISS ( keep it simple stupid) few stands wire or steel wool done with it
Exactly why I tried the steel wool...it was so simple and so easy .
I've noticed a lot of folks seem to prefer complicated and hard...
Oh Well .

[Mitch]

something like this works good
https://imgur.com/vKg0a88
you can see the set screws i put in on both screws in this lee 6 hole.

[Mike W1]

Did something similar on one of my Lyman DC's. Definitely getting better consistency now out of the front cavity than before. Also experimenting with Aluminum Sprue plate but can't say it makes better or poorer bullets but does allow you to cast at a little faster pace.
215501

[Walks]

I have 3 30yr old molds that I put a drop of super glue into the thread hole about 12yrs ago. None of them has loosened yet. At least 3000 bullets or more cast out of each one. The 44-214-1R has cast about 12,000 bullets in its lifetime. A bit of silicone grease on alignment "pins" and under sprue plate at screw hole and it works. Have to realign the blocks by hand every time I close it, BUT IT'S STILL CASTING GOOD BULLETS.

[gwpercle]

KISS ( keep it simple stupid) few stands wire or steel wool done with it
This really works.....but I guess the simple fix is not the politically correct way.