Newbie getting ready for his first cast...

[koehlerrk]

Hey folks, long time lurker / info collector, got registered, and finally got around to acquiring the things I need to start casting my own. :D

Have a Lee 10lb ladle pot, didn't want to mess with a bottom pour yet. I also have one set of Lee molds, 124 grain TC in 9mm...and they're the problem. I went through the Lee prep list, cleaned, lubed, and smoked. The issue is that the mold halves do not close tightly unless I'm really squeezing the handles, say 10-15 lbs of force. Is this normal? They close up nicely at the front end (away from the handles) but have a 1-2 degree V that I have to apply quite a bit of pressure to close.

First real post, sure it won't be my last.

Rick

[docone31]

It sounds like you have a small piece of crud in one of the alignment pins.
If that isn't it, try casting with it and see how it aligns up.

[Charlie Sometimes]

Look for something that could be keeping it from closing- a burr of metal or something out of alignment. The Lee molds that I have had sometimes have loose alignment pins, or small burrs that have kept the cavity slightly open.

Look for the thread on "Lee-menting" a new Lee mold- great tips on curing the ailments of their low cost production methods. Might be something in there that can cure what ails yours, too. I've had to do this to a few and it works.

[koehlerrk]

Alignment pins are clean, checked that first.

Something I've noticed, since I've got it in my hand right now, is the left hand mold block, the one with the sprue plate, does not "wobble" as much as the other one. Could the fact that that one is stiff causing the alignment issue? Time to check it over some more, looking where the blocks attach to the handles.

[koehlerrk]

OK, back from my basement workshop. Boy, that was quick. Started looking between the handles and the mold blocks, and there it was, a chip of aluminum left from manufacturing, and it was not allowing the sprue-plate block to line up correctly. Five minutes of teasing with a dental pick and out it came. The mold halves line up beautifully now, with only a slight parting line, and a couple ounces of pressure reduces that to nothing.

Maybe I can get some boolits made this afternoon! :D

[JIMinPHX]

Don't forget to lube the blocks like the instructions say...

[koehlerrk]

Jim, got that covered already. When I first took it out of the box I wasn't concerned that it didn't close because I hadn't lubed it at that point. Went through all the prep steps and it still wouldn't close well, and that's when I dropped a post here.

Thanks for the help all!

Rick