Sprue plate lee mould

[nueces5]

A small problem that may have an easy solution.
The sprue plate is loose every time I make a couple of boolits. The screw that fixes it loosens. It has a small washer that should hold it. I do not know if to take it out and put a new harder one, made of steel, since the mold is made of aluminum. I ask before breaking the mold. Thank you

[Rich/WIS]

Only permanent fix is to remove the screw and drill and tap the side of the mold for a set screw. If a newer mold the plate screw is a reverse thread. Sometimes removing the screw and wrapping with a strand or two of steel wool will work, although it may not be a permanent fix.

[Dieselhorses]

There is supposed to be a "bow washer" under screw that keeps tension on screw but allows sprue to move. That washer may be worn. I keep a few extra on hand as I also use some a little bigger for my RCBS Uniflow.

[Longknife]

Did you know that Lee has parts for each mold they sell? Look up your mold on this site and on the page you will see "parts". Click on that to see what is available....Ed

http://https://leeprecision.com/

[Conditor22]

Only permanent fix is to remove the screw and drill and tap the side of the mold for a set screw. If a newer mold the plate screw is a reverse thread. Sometimes removing the screw and wrapping with a strand or two of steel wool will work, although it may not be a permanent fix.

This ▲▲ just remember to either use a brass set screw or put a small lead ball between the set screw and the sprue plate screw

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?32584-Leementing-Documentation-w-Photos

A VERY SMALL drop of synthetic 2 stroke oil mix on the screw occasionally helps keep it from working loose.

I found that a needle tipped bottle works best for small drop of oil

[gwpercle]

I had a new two cavity that would not stay snugged up.
A member suggested removing the sprue plate screw and pushing one or two strands of #0000 steel wool down into the hole with the strands standing up so the threads can screw into them and then replacing the plate, washer and screw. I don't know why this works but the screw has yet to loosen . It's easy , cheap and simple to try....I'm all about an easy fix and this one worked !
Gary

[MT Chambers]

It is a special feature with Lee molds, kinda like a "fail safe", the screw will loosen on first use, and the alum. is very soft, usually stripping the threads. Best remedy is to put mold in round bin under bench and leave it there.

[Ed_Shot]

I had a new two cavity that would not stay snugged up.
A member suggested removing the sprue plate screw and pushing one or two strands of #0000 steel wool down into the hole with the strands standing up so the threads can screw into them and then replacing the plate, washer and screw. I don't know why this works but the screw has yet to loosen . It's easy , cheap and simple to try....I'm all about an easy fix and this one worked !
Gary

+1 Works like a charm!

[David2011]

Putting them in the round bin is a little harsh. Posts 2 and 3 have good solutions. Lee molds are not my favorite but I have a few and make the majority of my boolits with them. A synthetic oil as suggested goes a long way toward keeping Lee molds working smoothly. Apply it very sparingly with a Q-Tip or needle point Oiler to the pivot and top of the mold while hot and only with boolits in the cavities. You don’t want it in the cavities.

[Stephen Cohen]

I have moulds by Lee RCBS Lyman and CBE, I am yet to find an RCBS that is not undersized and need a little lapping, Lyman and CBE are fine moulds yet I can get two or three Lee for the price of the others and don't mind the extra work in getting them up to par, a simple grub screw solves the problem with sprue plate and they are easy to lap if needed. I guess we get what we pay for in life but don't be too hard on Lee they are good value for the price IMO. Regards Stephen

[gwpercle]

For the price Lee sells a double cavity mould complete with handles.... I'm amazed at what a decent job it is. True you have to do a little hand finishing and they aren't works of art but you can cast boolits with them , and casting with a Lee mould beats not casting anything at all.
Gary

[nueces5]

I took the ideas and added a little work to the washer. Now it works fine, I'm going to heat the mold to see if it works.
Thank you!

[nueces5]

Except for drilling a hole for a retaining screw, I did everything they told me. The one that gave the best result was the steel wool. I was adding little by little, until the screw was fixed.
Good tip !!!!
Thank you

[BudRow]

What I did was take the screw out and drilled down to the steel handle with a #21 bit. The screw is a 10-32 thread. Take a starting tap and carefully tap down to the steel handle. Because the starting tap has a gradual taper, it will cause an interference fit when I screwed a long threaded screw deep into the hole. Crank it down! Check often so you don't bind the pivoting action of the mold block. Then allow enough stud length above the mold block and cut the screw head off. You now have a threaded stud secured in the block and you can double nut the sprue plate. Works for me.

[Taterhead]

My 2 cav Lee purchased new in 2016 has no washer, so the reverse-threaded pivot screw would need constant fiddling. A bow washer would help, but I've since moved on, and it colllects dust. Many different types of frustrations with that mold.

[RED BEAR]

I have cut down a few lee molds so the original spruce screw wouldn't work i just drilled through the screw so i could use the shoulder on the screw to keep the spruce plate in line then drilled through the mold and just use a regular bolt and nut on the new molds i had to cut a half circle out of bottom and use a spacer i got at hardware store.239218239219239220

This is a permanent fix i know its hard to see but the original spruce screw has a hole drilled through it. I have tried the set screw in the side but there are so few threads that it messes up faster than the spruce screw. This has made an excellent 65 gr 32 acp mold.