Lee Handles

[Castaway]

Can anyone share how they keep the wood grips on Lee handles? I’ve tried bamboo splints and match stems and they work for only a while. Thinking glue but unsure what would hold up to the high temperature.

[454PB]

I have dozens of Lee moulds, but only one that had the wood handle loosen. I mixed up some JB Weld and re-installed the wood. It's been holding fine for several thousand casts.

[Wheelguns 1961]

Yup, jb weld is what I use.

[country gent]

Im a belt and suspenders Guy. I pop all my mould handles off rough up the stems and glue them with JB weld or way lock. When that is cured I lay out a hole and drill and pin them with a 3/32 pin thru handle and stem. When gluing i work epoxy in and pump the stems in and out to get all the air out and a complete fill. once the holes are drilled and pins pressed in the ends are peened into smooth radiused heads.

[bangerjim]

Or drill and pin them!

[toallmy]

I have used wood glues on a couple sets when I didn't feel like mixing up JB it seems to be holding just fine .

[Conditor22]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?396593-How-I-Pin-Lee-Commercial-mold-handles

[Valley-Shooter]

I keep it simple.
Elmer's white glue.
I put 4 or 5 drops inside the wood handles and tap the wood with a hammer to seat them.

Never had them move again.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[megasupermagnum]

I've got 6 sets of Lee handles that I use between all my molds., and only one of them had the wood come loose. Knocking them back on tight with a mallet fixed them for a year. I then put them on tight with JB weld in the hole. They have been rock solid since. JB weld should hold up to at least 500 degrees. I've also heard of people drilling straight through, including the metal, and inserting a wood screw.

[elmacgyver0]

It seems this is pretty well covered with out me putting my two cents in!

[William Yanda]

If I had the problem I might try some RTV sealant , the blue form-a-gasket stuff. At least
i wouldn't have to mix it, and I think it would take the temperature.

[Old School Big Bore]

I don't relish the mess of mixing epoxy or JB Weld. When I get tired of tapping them back on, I just drip some gorilla super glue down the wood, smear some on the metal, tap it on and leave it a bit to cure. Haven't had one loosen back up.
Ed <><

[imashooter2]

I take a cold chisel and kick a few small barbs up on the corners and then glue them on with silicone caulk.

[megasupermagnum]

:confused: What could be so difficult about mixing JB weld? It's just equal parts of goop, about the consistency of toothpaste. Maybe 2 peas size drops each, mix for a few seconds on some cardboard, slap it in some mold handles. Throw the cardboard away, no mess.

Now RTV, that is some messy stuff. I think every one of my pants has a dab of RTV and a dab of anti-seize on them that never comes off no matter what.

[Winger Ed.]

I believe in JB weld, and keep plenty handy.
That stuff is tougher then Chinese Algebra.

It's my 'go to' for things like that. I think it can stick the crack of dawn to the break of day.
I had a buddy who was so good with it, I think he could have made a boat trailer with the stuff.

[RogerDat]

Another JB Weld user here. I made an early set of molds using angle iron, and on one end of one of the molds there were small gaps that lead would flow into and once hardened would make getting the ingot out very hard. Filled the gap on the inside of the mold with JB Weld then made hundred of ingots pouring molten lead directly on the patched seam.

Yeah I think it will take the heat on mold handles, if JB Weld fails due to the heat I suspect the wood of the handle is already on fire. You should set that down someplace outside, maybe pour some water on it. :-)

Yes I could have ground off the welds and redone it, or maybe even welded to fill the seam (on my better days with a welder long ago) but JB Weld was both easier and smoother so less likely to have places the lead would be caught on when hardened.

[oley55]

"Now RTV, that is some messy stuff. I think every one of my pants has a dab of RTV and a dab of anti-seize on them that never comes off no matter what."

^^^^
Or just looking at a can of plastic roof cement from a long ways off.

[tankgunner59]

I was asking the same question and found this, haven't tried it yet but I'm going to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kay15NiOJHQ

[imashooter2]

I was asking the same question and found this, haven't tried it yet but I'm going to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kay15NiOJHQ

When the Lee handles break, they break right where you are drilling a stress riser.

If you want to drill and pin them, drill the hole back towards the tail of the metal.

[cwlongshot]

How I do it...

https://youtu.be/MkveXm0dNXo

[country gent]

When I glue them a pull the metal ferules from the handles. mix the JB glue the ferules on then the handles and let cure. when cured I drill and pin riveting the pins ends into a nice smooth rounded head. Gluing the ferules on gives a lot of added support to the handles and reduces splitting

[Lloyd Smale]

Or drill and pin them!

thats what i did to all of mine. Bottom line is if you use them enough the handles will come loose.

[redhawk0]

I drill and pin mine. I just use a finishing nail trimmed. Then peen it over on both sides to avoid sharp edges. It works for me.

redhawk

[country gent]

Redhawk0 On the back of my welding table is a can with short ends of brazing rods in it. I dig out 3/32 or 1/16 dia and cut it to length and use it. LOl. I sometimes forget anduse them to short to attach to the new rod, so they get repurposed like this.

[Taterhead]

How I do it is pay a little more for the NOE clones and never worry about handles slipping off at inopportune times like Lee handles have for me. Why Lee hasn't addressed this widespread problem is beyond me. I guess they don't need to since people give them plenty of business at their price point.

[Chainsaw.]

Or drill and pin them!
Thats what I did. Some brazing rob peened over and they’ve never moved since.

[murf205]

272331 Here ya go. Just drill through the handle as shown and tap the jaws of the handle to 8-32. Then drill the wooden handles 1 size larger and run an 8-32 screw all the way through and finish off the bottom of the screw with a fine file. I forget what size the drill bit is but you can buy the bits and tap as a set for not much $. I have many sets fixed like this and never had one come off or break. Like Lloyd said, if you use them enough they will come off, and it's never at a good time.

[Green Frog]

My shooting buddy Dale53 turned me on to this. He has a bunch of Lee moulds and handles and as soon as he gets a new set he drills a 1/16” hole through each ferrule and inserts a roll pin. He cuts and grinds the ends of the pins smooth and never even thinks about those handles again. “Works for me!”

Froggie

[Shiloh]

I have mine secured with epoxy. Severl kinds over the years. No issues.

Shiloh