How do you like your sprue plate ?

[Wolfdog91]

Adding set screws to all my lee molds real quick like and was just curious. How does everyone like their sprue plates set up ?

[country gent]

over easy with salt and pepper, maybe home fries on the side

[Sam Sackett]

I recently picked up three more 2 cavity Lee molds. I did my normal “set up” on them before I cleaned them and started casting.

1) Remove the sprue plate. Bevel and smooth all edges on the mold side. Lay the plate on a 360 grit stone and smooth the bottom side. Don’t go any farther than needed and you won’t remove all of the factory finish.
2) Reinstall the sprue plate, tightening the screw until it just starts crushing the beveled washer. Use the sharp corner of a file to mark the screw head on the side I will install the additional locking set screw.
3) Remove the sprue attaching screw and file / grind a flat spot on the side that the new set screw will ride against.
4) Drill and tap the side of the mold for the new set screw. I use 5mm x 6mm stainless set screws because that’s what I have on hand.
5) apply some Copper Neverseize on the bottom of the sprue plate at the screw hole and reassemble, stopping the attaching screw in the former position, mark toward the set screw. Tighten the set screw.
6) Spray the mold with brake cleaner, scrub with toothbrush, spray again to rinse.
7) Wet a rag with Neverseize and wipe the bottom of the spruce plate.

Go to casting.

Sorry if this seems a rant, but it’s what I do.
SamSackett

[lar45]

Some guys like the sprue plate to swing freely, but I prefer a little resistance. I like the flex washer to be compressed just a little bit.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Same as lar45,
I want a slight bit of tension.

[rintinglen]

I seldom use LEE molds, but in my mold menagerie I have molds of various manufacture and I have to say it depends on the mold. I have a Lyman 311-316 that needs the sprue plate loose to allow adequate venting for good bases and I have a couple of MP molds that will fin like crazy at the base if not snugged up. Rule of thumb for me is just snug enough that the sprue won't swing under gravity, until the mold tells me otherwise.

[MT Gianni]

Whenever possible I like a grooved top. I like the adjustment to require a very minimal swing when up to temps. The exception being if the base has venting issues. If so a looser sprue plate is the easiest option.

[popper]

Personally I don't like the grooved plate, spillover into other cavities tends to increase bad pours. Washer tension is to keep the plate from getting crooked when cutting the sprue and allow for expansion of mould. I run mine 50% compressed for rifle, pistol, don't really care.

[hoodat]

I'd like to add that if your set screw contacts (and damages) the threads of the sprue plate screw, that screw will damage the threads of your aluminum block every time it is removed. jd

[gwpercle]

Some guys like the sprue plate to swing freely, but I prefer a little resistance. I like the flex washer to be compressed just a little bit.

I like it this way too . Swinging freely in the breeze just never worked for my ladle and pressure casting technique . Always invited lead under the sprue plate to from a base flashing ...
no matter how hard I pressed down on the plate .
With an increase in temperature sometimes the plate would get loose and floppy so I would do the "tighten up" about mid run to snug it back up .

Don't forget about the old trick of dropping a lead shot into the hole before installing the set screw ...the lead shot will keep the set screw from deforming the threads on the bolt .
Do this on every set screw where steel set screw bears on steel threads , like die rings etc. , the lead shot deforms instead of the steel threads the set screw is bearing on . I forgot some probably haven't heard of this thread saving trick ... it works !
Gary

[chumly2071]

Don't forget about the old trick of dropping a lead shot into the hole before installing the set screw ...the lead shot will keep the set screw from deforming the threads on the bolt .

Would it be better to use a brass tipped set screw instead of the lead shot? Not sure if the mold itself will get hot enough to melt the lead ball when filling the mold with casting lead, but could get sticky to remove when desired?

[Walter Laich]

since I'm lazy I drop a shotgun shot pellet into the new hole before adding the set screw. Keeps from damaging the threads of the spur plate screw

[ascast]

I like Sam Sackett's list. I do this kind of thing on all molds, not just Lees. I open and close all molds by hand with welding gloves, no mallets unless absolutely required. Rifle and pistol get different treatment. Pistol not near so picky. Long range rifle will not tolerate floppy sprue plates. You can get bases off square with the body and even measure it with a concentricity gauge. I also use graphite release and cover the whole mold with it.

[Shanghai Jack]

over easy with salt and pepper, maybe home fries on the side

Like my coffee - hot and dark.

[blackthorn]

One of the little brass balls off an old electric pull-chain or a small piece of copper wire works as well.