Problem with my new Lyman 452460

[Chunky Monkey]

I have used mostly Lee's but recently got an RCBS 22 cal mold that is flawless.

Anyhow, I got er in the mail today and decided to try it out after dinner. Fired up the pot, cleaned the mold, and warmed er up. Turned on the radio and Lead Zepplin tune was on. Thought that might be a good omen.

Once it got up to temp I put a little Bull Plate lube on it. It was casting real good for about the first 30 or so then . . . it dropped a shark fin. I thought I just didn't close the mold all the way. But I reloaded and noticed that it didn't want to close.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee267/Metzy84/Casting/102_1830.jpg

I noticed that the one of the alignment pins (the one in the front) was not going completely in. If I squeezed the handles a little more it would snap in. Then when you go to separte the mold it sticks on the way out. Here's a pic of it sticking. The back wants to open but the front is stuck:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee267/Metzy84/Casting/102_1822.jpg

Don't seem to be anything that I can see holding it up, possibly a real smal burr or something but I don't see any. If anything I think it may not be lining up completely. Here's a pic but it's hard to see from the pic. Looks like a rub mark on it.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee267/Metzy84/Casting/102_1827.jpg

Thought I would ask here before I call Lyman.

Also, the sprue holes are real rough. Even after adding Bull Plate lube the sprues are sticking real bad. Is this normal for Lyman?

[VintageRifle]

I am going to guess its an issue with the handles. You may have to do some modifications or there is something stuck between the handle jaws and the cutouts for the handle jaws on the blocks. If I am guessing right, you are using Lee 6 Cavity Handles?

[Chunky Monkey]

Yep, I'll take a look at em.

Don't see anything odd. Now with the mold out of the handles the alignment pin is still sticking. Should I just use them and figure they will wear in?

[Heavy lead]

The new Lyman sprue plates are junk, I've sent two of the last three I had back and simply threw away the last one in the scrap steel recycling bin, I won't buy any more of their moulds, at least the two cavity ones. I've had a lot of problems with the Lyman alignment pins and it seems like I'm always setting them back in the blocks, they like to work loose on me, looks to me like that is what is happening. I do have the 452460 though and it is a great 45acp boolit, you will like it, I predict.

[Chunky Monkey]

I can live with the sticking if it will wear in a little.

Can I polish the sprue plate or replace it with another brand?

Man the mold is nice and is dropping real nice boolits. Those are the only 2 problems. These are the problems I'd expect from a Lee but not a Lyman.

[Heavy lead]

The pin will wear in a little, I make sure I put a little bull plate on mine too, that helps, as far as the sprue, I've got one I've been pulling my hair out over, can't get it to not stick, I even tried some mould release and that didn't help either, I'm almost thinking of putting some salt on it over night and getting it to rust a little (making sure I didn't get any on the back side) in the sprue holes to help. Any thoughts on that?

[Chunky Monkey]

The pin will wear in a little, I make sure I put a little bull plate on mine too, that helps, as far as the sprue, I've got one I've been pulling my hair out over, can't get it to not stick, I even tried some mould release and that didn't help either, I'm almost thinking of putting some salt on it over night and getting it to rust a little (making sure I didn't get any on the back side) in the sprue holes to help. Any thoughts on that?

I guess you could try it but I think there's got to be a better way. hopefully someone will pop up here with a good answer.

I did flip the handles over and the pins doesn't seem to be sticking quite as bad.

[Chunky Monkey]

Heavy lead check this link (http://kal.castpics.net/)out.

[IcerUSA]

Take your champher tool and break the edge on the holes as there could be a burr on the edges , next if it still sticks I would set the offending pin in a little , just set the mould half on something solid and give the pin a wack with a hammer , if you go too far just flip it over and use a drift pin to tap it back out a tad till both halves go together and you can't wiggle the mould halfs . Sounds worse than it is .

Keith

[Heavy lead]

Now that's a good solution, think I'll order a couple. I really like my 452460, hope you do to. I also cast a lot of 454190, now that mould runs perfect, no sprue problems.

[Chunky Monkey]

Take your champher tool and break the edge on the holes as there could be a burr on the edges , next if it still sticks I would set the offending pin in a little , just set the mould half on something solid and give the pin a wack with a hammer , if you go too far just flip it over and use a drift pin to tap it back out a tad till both halves go together and you can't wiggle the mould halfs . Sounds worse than it is .

Keith

Thanks Icer I'll give it a whirl!

[Chunky Monkey]

That was the ticket! Tapped the alignment pin back in a little. Just put the mold on my vise (anvil part) and tapped er in with a ball peen hammer.

Then I took a knife and carefully scraped any little burrs I saw on the mold cavities.

Then I took off the sprue plate and sanded the crap out of the bottom of it with some 600 grit paper.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee267/Metzy84/Casting/102_1835.jpg
I scraped the sprue holes the chamfer/deburring tool. Then took some of the sandpaper and folded it up and sanded the sprue hole real good. Then I took a 45 cal brass bore brush and chucked it in my drill. Slowly wrapped some fine steel wool around it and polished the crap out of the sprue plate hole.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee267/Metzy84/Casting/102_1833.jpg

Then I headed to the basement to try it out. Got er hot a put a little bull plate lube on it and walla sprues dropped like a dream. The alingment pins also worked like a charm (no sticking)! The boolits are still sticking a little but I can deal with that. Heavy Lead just take off the sprue plate and polish the crap out of it. It works!!

Thanks to all who helped. :drinks:

[Cherokee]

You do want to have some space between the spru plate and top of mould so the air can escape. Lyman 452460 4 cavity works great for me.