defective lee mold

[edsmith]

Hi all,I received a lee mold today,degreased it,is's a 452-200 rf,I cast a few boolits,the lead was'nt up to temp yet,the boolits dropped out just fine,I though I had a good one,I noticed a ring on the nose,like when the cavity was cut the cutter had a burr on it,after the pot came up to temp and filled the boolits out,they would not drop from the mold,any easy fix for it,or should I return it for an exchange.I got the mold from midway.thanks Ed

[docone31]

A lot of us, myself included, and I have that mold, use a wood dowel to tap the mold. I use it to push the sprue plate, then tap the mold. The castings loosen, then I can drop them into water to quench.
I had one with a ring in the nose also. I smeared some lapping compound on the casting and spun it. Although it did not completely eliminate the ring, it did its job. I did both cavities to keep them even. I still have to tap the mold, but I do that to all of mine. Not hard, mind you, just a tap.
I also soaked my mold in mineral spirits for two days prior to casting. Amazing how much aluminum flake I got.

[edsmith]

docone,I have to whack the pivot 6 or 7 times pretty hard to get them to drop.

[462]

edsmith,

Lots of great info here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=47669

Lee moulds require a bit more attention than others, but if you follow the above process they'll drop by themselves, most of the time, and when they don't a slight love tap is all that's required. Also, Lee moulds like a high temperature...crank the thermostat all the way up.

Hang in there, you'll get it right...

[HeavyMetal]

edsmith:
I like the Lee molds a lot but quality control sucks at Lee.

I could fix this mold, you could fix this mold, but it should never have gotten past QC!

Lots of guys here will say live with it because of the price. I think thats wrong. You pay the asking price and you expect to get what the product represents not scrap!

The only way Lee, or any other manufacturer, will learn anything is if we return bad product and demand the product be what they told us it would be without having to settle for junk.

I would return it to Midway Pronto!

Yes the Lee products represent stellar imagination and creative engineering to make a product this nice for the price. That same attitude should be aimed at quality control as well.

If it cost me another dollar per mold to have every piece looked at by someone who knew what was up with that specific tool before it was put in a box I'd pay it to know that I'm not competing in a **** shoot to get a mold, or a die set or a press.

[edsmith]

thanks guys,I will give that a try.I have two small lathes so I can center the screws.

[edsmith]

HEAVYMETAL,I agree with you on that,in the morning I will look at the mold with a magenfier,if the grooves are deep I will return it.

[JSnover]

That's why they're cheaper - you do the finish work yourself;-)
Personally I don't mind. If I wanted the same quality out-of-the-box as the others I'd expect to pay the same price as the others.

[doubs43]

I have the 6 cavity 452-228-1R mold and there is a ring around the bullet near the nose. If you look at the enlarged illustration of the mold and bullet on Midway's site, you can clearly see that the mold was cut that way. The bullets are consistent, feed perfectly in my 1911's and are accurate. I don't know if the bullet was designed that way or not but I'm certainly not going to get excited about it or return the mold. It's the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" thing.

[pdawg_shooter]

And the ring on the nose hurts what? Will your target notice the blemish?

[wiljen]

http://www.castpics.net/LeementingKitDocumentation.htm

Documentation and photos of a few of the things to do to clean up lee molds.

[markinalpine]

Hi all,I received a lee mold today,degreased it,is's a 452-200 rf,I cast a few boolits,the lead was'nt up to temp yet,the boolits dropped out just fine,I though I had a good one,I noticed a ring on the nose,like when the cavity was cut the cutter had a burr on it,after the pot came up to temp and filled the boolits out,they would not drop from the mold,any easy fix for it,or should I return it for an exchange.I got the mold from midway.thanks Ed


And the ring on the nose hurts what? Will your target notice the blemish?

They're kind of like the treads on tires. They add traction, so the boolit won't skid off the target, and are especially important if you're shooting at a slippery old deer.

:kidding:

Mark :bigsmyl2:

[JSnover]

Hey, those'd be good for the SnowStorm Match this winter!

[dominicfortune00]

That's why they're cheaper - you do the finish work yourself;-)

Okay, just never thought that they would send out 75% finished molds and call them finished.

[edsmith]

I was able to cure the bullet drop problem,I have several craytex rods,I used a craytex rod to remove the ring on the nose of the mold.now it cast like it should.I read the thread on how to clean up the mold,good article,using a 1/2in. nut to turn the bullet is brilliant.thanks guys for all the ideas,I have another that mold I will have to give the treatment to. Ed

[TAWILDCATT]

we pay $17 for a two cavity and expect a $75 dollar mold, what a bunch.
:lovebooli

[Echo]

Who you calling 'losers'?

[waksupi]

Who you calling 'losers'?

[smilie=l:[smilie=l:[smilie=l::redneck:

[Phat Man Mike]

I've had to return 2 sets of molds to Midway! I think with the craze of things they are trying to push out all they can in a work day! and I've been to Lee in WI as a truckdriver taking them machines. super nice folks.. I'd just box it up and send it back!! every one has a bad one once in a while! just those that buy the high end stuff keep quite about it IMO :bigsmyl2: