Set screw for Lee sprue plate bolt

[ubetcha]

I have been looking for the post on how to add a sprue plate hold down bolt set screw in a Lee mould. I know it's here somewhere but can't find it. Not even using the search box. Just going through some of my older Lee mould and trying to tighten thing up. I plan on opening the diameter on some 44 cal to .432 if possible, flatten the sprue plates and remove the sharp stamped edges. I was thinking on installing Helicoil inserts for the set screws and hold down screws. I feel that they would provide better thread strength than just threads in aluminum. Good winter project.

[Conditor22]

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/MoldMods/LeementingKitDocumentation.pdf

Use a brass set screw or pot a little piece of shot between the setscrew and the sprue screw.

I found that The aluminum will hold just fine if:
1) you never overtighten the sprue screw, the sprue plate should move freely
2) you lube the sprue screw at the beginning of each casting session and every few hundred casts (I've found a needle tipped bottle works best at applying a tiny drop so excess oil won't get into the closest cavity.
3) keep the top of the mold and bottom of the sprue plate clean and lubed when you lube the sprue screw and alignment pin.s



or else you can get this (on a mold given to me)
https://i.imgur.com/K2u3KRO.jpg

[Mk42gunner]

I used a #6 set screw when I did mine, can't remember if it was 32, 40, or 48 pitch. I also filed a flat for it to lock into on the sprue plate pivot bolt.

It has worked fine for a lot of years. I need to find my small tap set I have a new 6 cavity that needs this done.

Robert

[NyFirefighter357]

My buddy got a new Lee 1oz slug mould I tried last night. Screw loosened up quickly. Maybe I was man handling it a little but every 4-5 casts it needed to be tightened. I told him I would drill & tap a set screw to keep it tight. The good news is right out of the box I cast 200+ slugs.

[45DUDE]

I had a couple that were loose and drilled completely through with a bit the same size as the hole in the plate and used a longer screw -nut -and washer. You have to go slow with a sharp bit drilling through the steel handle.<tightened in a vice> Otherwise it was junk and worked fine and easy to do. The plates are easy to tune off the mold with a vice and hammer. If you have a little talent you can flat file the ugly scratches. You need to measure quite often. If you make a mold larger you loose the lube grooves. I have drilled some molds out a little so they would hold less lube.Powder coat makes the boolits a little larger.xxxxx<A screw from the rear top of a Quadrajet 4 barrel fits the plate perfect and then trim it off.>That is the size bit I used also.

[ubetcha]

I had a couple that were loose and drilled completely through with a bit the same size as the hole in the plate and used a longer screw -nut -and washer. You have to go slow with a sharp bit drilling through the steel handle. Otherwise it was junk and worked fine and easy to do. The plates are easy to tune off the mold with a vice and hammer. If you have a little talent you can flat file the ugly scratches. You need to measure quite often. If you make a mold larger you loose the lube grooves. I have drilled some molds out a little so they would hold less lube.Powder coat makes the boolits a little larger.
I'm going to try the "WEET" method of enlarging the diameter and apply lapping compound to just the drive bands by rolling the boolit between two files and remove the compound in the lube grooves. That should actually deepen the grooves slightly.