Tough screw on Lee mold

[randyrat]

I finally managed to unscrew the screw on a new 2 banger mold from Lee....
I always take all/any screws out of my new molds and put Anti seize on them right away. Well this one was a bears **** to unscrew. I had to buy a nice hard sharp new vise grip to put on the screw and still had a rough time,but i did it.
This is just a heads up to any newbies.. If you don't do this you will have problems down the road and you'll never get the sprue plate screw/bolt out after you use it a few times.
Side Note; I swear that Bullshop Sprue plate lube mutates..I used a half a Q-tip on a new mold and i had to wipe and wipe off and wipe. Don't use too much...1/4 q-tip and wipe off after you apply it.

[44man]

Those are self tapping screws run into (What I think is.) an untapped hole. You will have a problem with it coming loose and will need to install a set screw from the side and maybe a new screw. Might have to deepen and re-tap the screw hole too.

[TC66]

Yes they are self tapping. Took a screw out of a SWC mold and now the original screw will not go in all the way and sprue plate is loose. Going to have to modify that mold.

[454PB]

I have removed and replaced them successfully, it takes a lot of force.....both removing and replacing.

[kir_kenix]

I usually end up drilling and tapping them with a set screw after I've beat a few hundred boolits out of them. Otherwise my molds seem to slowly but surely strip themselves out over time.

[Buckshot]

............Yup, been there and experienced that. You'll be D&Ting for a 10-32 screw before too long I'll bet.

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

[qajaq59]

I usually end up drilling and tapping them with a set screw after I've beat a few hundred boolits out of them. Otherwise my molds seem to slowly but surely strip themselves out over time. Are they all like that? If so, it doesn't exactly inspire me to buy Lee molds.

[randyrat]

My experience out of 10 molds, only one had to be re-tapped and a different larger sprue screw had to be used. Then the one i just bought, it's not ruined. You just want to be carefull with an aluminum mold and a metal screw.
I refuse to use a mold before removing all the screws and using something/anti seize to prevent galding/and or rust.
A steal mold may be a better investment, it still won't stop me from buying more aluminum molds.

[kir_kenix]

I'm probably a bit rougher on my 1 & 2 cav Lees then I should be, but I don't feel too bad about stripping out the occasional $20 mold (and then having to take the time to fix it). In my expience, running in a brass set screw will keep the factory self tapping screw from stripping itself out readily.

[hiram]

Get the mold hot first. The aluminum hole would expand more in diameter than the steel screw and loosen its grip.