trouble with Lyman mould handles?

[mac266]

I bought a used mould from a guy on this site and it did not include handles. So I bought some new handles -- Lyman mould, Lyman handles. There was nothing wrong with the mould whatsoever, but when the handles arrived I put them on and found the wooden handles touch before the mould closed all the way. So there was a small gap between the mould halves, which would have created terrible, out of round boolits with wings.

I'm doing a return on the handles to get a new set, but I've never run into this before. I probably own 25 different moulds, each with their own handles.

Has anyone else seen this before?

EDIT to answer questions: Lyman advertises this as fitting both single and two-cavity moulds. Here it is: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010244022?pid=698819

I'm using it on a single cavity. I should add that I have this same model of handles on two other single cavity moulds, and there were no problems.

[BP Dave]

There are different sizes of Lyman handles, depending on the size of the mold. Do you perhaps have large handles on a small, single-cavity mold?

[Ed_Shot]

Are we talking about a double-cavity mold or single-cavity Lyman mold (I'm assuming not a 4 cavity)? There are Lyman "double-cavity" handles and "single-cavity" handles. It sounds like you have a mismatch.

[BP Dave]

These are some measurements I took off a few molds--the old, small, Ideal-era single cavity molds are about .575 wide in the groove for the handles. The larger single cavity molds (which I think is the "modern" size) are about .670. The double cavity molds I measured were about .790. I suspect the current handle offerings are sized for the two larger sizes. Sizes vary, so these are approximations. I don't think Lyman makes the little blocks anymore, but I could be wrong about that.

If you're working with a vintage small block, you may have to scout out a pair of the "old" small handles--they're out there. I also believe there are some current manufacturers that make the correct size.

Just saw your edits--have you tried swapping handles from the other molds?

[trapper9260]

Are we talking about a double-cavity mold or single-cavity Lyman mold (I'm assuming not a 4 cavity)? There are Lyman "double-cavity" handles and "single-cavity" handles. It sounds like you have a mismatch.

This is what I was thinking also when I had read the OP .

[Larry Gibson]

These are some measurements I took off a few molds--the old, small, Ideal-era single cavity molds are about .575 wide in the groove for the handles. The larger single cavity molds (which I think is the "modern" size) are about .670. The double cavity molds I measured were about .790. I suspect the current handle offerings are sized for the two larger sizes. Sizes vary, so these are approximations. I don't think Lyman makes the little blocks anymore, but I could be wrong about that.

If you're working with a vintage small block, you may have to scout out a pair of the "old" small handles--they're out there. I also believe there are some current manufacturers that make the correct size.

Just saw your edits--have you tried swapping handles from the other molds?

This is essentially correct. You need to get, or swap out, an "old" single cavity mould handle as mentioned.

[Bent Ramrod]

If I were you, I’d keep that set of handles you bought, as well as looking for a single handle set.

Dollars to doughnuts your next mould will be a double cavity or a big cavity using the large blocks. An already identified set of double cavity handles will save you a lot of repetitive fit-testing of handles you come across. It’s very easy to find a bunch of single-cavity handles when you have large blocks that need the large handles. Not so easy finding the double-cavity examples. A very few do have a tiny “L” stamped on one of the jaws, but most do not. Generally the designation was ink-stamped or checked on the lid of the box, but those boxes are now rarer than the “L” stamped handles

Don’t ask me how I know this.

[mac266]

These are some measurements I took off a few molds--the old, small, Ideal-era single cavity molds are about .575 wide in the groove for the handles. The larger single cavity molds (which I think is the "modern" size) are about .670. The double cavity molds I measured were about .790. I suspect the current handle offerings are sized for the two larger sizes. Sizes vary, so these are approximations. I don't think Lyman makes the little blocks anymore, but I could be wrong about that.

If you're working with a vintage small block, you may have to scout out a pair of the "old" small handles--they're out there. I also believe there are some current manufacturers that make the correct size.

Just saw your edits--have you tried swapping handles from the other molds?

This is the answer, thank you. It is an older, Ideal mould block. So it's off to eBay for me.

I am going to buy a minie ball mould for my new-to-me 1861 Springfield, so I'll hang on to those handles :)

[poppy42]

Well i wasn’t going to post for while for a reason I don’t care to discuss. But when I see a fellow foreign member having the same problem that occurred to me and I have a simple fix for it I can’t leave them hanging. So here goes. I run into the same problem on a couple of occasions. Supposedly the right handles work fine with some molds but won’t close fully for some unknown reason with certain molds. The simple easy fix is the take, very carefully, A file, or a Dremel, and remove a little of the wood on the inside of the handles! It doesn’t take much. Just make sure you remove roughly the same amount I would from each handle until the mold fully closes! It does nothing to effect the strength or durability of the handles as long as you don’t go nuts and remove too much. For those that are gonna tell me that I ruined the handles or something else don’t bother to post I won’t reply. The fix works I’ve done it more than once.
Anyway I sincerely hope this helps!
Goodbye,
Poppy42

[rintinglen]

+1 to Poppy.
Some years back I ran into this problem with an old Ideal 311-291. At the time, I didn't have much money and I didn't care to gamble sending a check off to Midway, only to find myself in the same boat. I made new wooden handles to go on the outsize iron by drilling two 1/4" parallel holes on a slight angle then used a small chisel to square off the holes. When I got them so the metal would fit, I slathered them with JB weld, shoved them together and I drilled a 1/6 inch hole through the wood and metal and pinned them in place. Worked just fine and they still are around here someplace.