Lee mould re-surfacing service?

[yodar]

I need somebody with a metrology-gaged FLAT surface to smooth out the top of a six cav. mould and it's mating sprue plate surface

cross that out, the charge for such a service (albeit deserved) would prolly exceed the cost of the mold.

Has anybody succeeded in D.I.Y.?

yodar

[Red River Rick]

Yodar:

You need to get ahold of Buckshot. He'll doctor up your mould for you. A quick pass in the mill should clean up the top, no problem.

RRR

[HeavyMetal]

I've milled a mold or two and it works fine. Just remember it is easy to take off to much.

Lee I usually use 600 grit or finer a little 3 in 1 oil and a flat surface like glass plate.

A lit touch and a little time and they look like new!

[jack19512]

I usually use 600 grit or finer a little 3 in 1 oil and a flat surface like glass plate.








+1

That is what I have done to a few of my Lee molds. I use the wet type sandpaper and water with the glass plate. It really doesn't take long. Sure makes the sprue plate work smooth.

[mooman76]

I did mine and it came out pretty good or at least good enough for me. Like they said sand paper on a smooth surface. I bought a slight abused mould for cheap. It was a Bevel Base and the mould was worn some at the bevel base so the bullets didn't come out evenly round. They come out allot better now.

[Buckshot]

.............As the guys mentioned, if all you're wanting to do is to true up the top of the blocks I'd go to a glass shop and see if they have a piece of busted float plate, or at least a piece about 1/2" (or more) thick you could buy cheap. Use silicone carbide to knock off the sharp edges, and use it as a surface plate. Oil some waterproof paper and run the block tops in a figure 8 pattern, swapping ends a couple times a minute.

http://www.fototime.com/B2A8731F1673670/standard.jpg

Here in the photo this wasn't truing up, but shortening down. In truing up you're not really wanting to remove anything except warts, and trying to bring the entire top into the exact same plane isn't necessary and really won't benefit you anything except to provide more excersize :-)

In setting up a Lee 6 cav it can be a test of your patience, and especially when you cross the parting line to the other block. It can be like starting all over again. I enjoy using the 6 cavity Lee's and they generally provide good useable boolits, and lot's of'em. If I were going to be using their output for real match shooting I'd be scaling them into lots. And if that were the case I'd be using a one or 2 cavity mould rather then trying to cast a bazillion of'em.

..................Buckshot

[Wayne Smith]

Glass plate - do you know anyone who works on copiers? He will have lots of copier plates, tempered glass, the right size, and already metal edged. I got one years ago to sharpen chisels, no reason it won't work to smooth up a mold.

[44man]

Actually, mill marks on top of the mold and under the sprue plate help prevent galling and hold lube better. Makes them feel smoother. Aids venting better then a high polish.
I switched to end mills instead of the fly cutter and like it better. My first cuts on a new mold is with end mills when I clamp blocks in the vise. I do this before I cherry. Sprue plates just GLIDE so nice. Sort of like jeweling a bolt.

[mold maker]

The fine milling (??) marks on the top of latest Lee 6 cavity molds and sprue plates,arent a mistake, or poor QC. They are intentional, especially on larger cal. bullets. It is part of the venting to get easier fill out at the top edge.
It's an extra step for LEE, in order to improve the product. A little PR on their part would have made me feel a lot better the first time I saw it.