Has any one adapted other mold to lee sprue handle?

[Artful]

So yesterday I'm casting away and using different gang molds.
I just started using lee 6 cavity molds so new experience for me.
(thanks to all you fine guys here doing custom group buys).

And I notice how much nicer the lee mold system is to use.
They look funny when I first got them but the system is very user friendly.
I searched around and found that some of you have broken the sprue handles off so I was very careful :holysheep
- anyway I was looking at some of my other molds and think I can drill the sprue plate and put a lee sprue handle assembly on it. Then I looked at midway etc trying to find the handle assembly to buy - nothing but the sprue plate on midway
found lee had a parts list...
SC1156 sprue lever @ $4.60
http://www.leeprecision.com/graphics/parts/1156.jpg

and thought for that much I could have some cut with
longer leg, out of better steel to keep from breaking them.

Any way has anyone done this before?

Has anyone thought about this and if your thinking about it now
what improvements can you see doing?

(wider foot to spread out the force on the block for example

(expand the radius to keep up the force/leverage across more sprues holes

maybe coat with slick surface finish

Any other thoughts? Anyone interested in adding on to their existing mold?

Any know of why I couldn't add to an existing mold?

:lovebooli

[MT Gianni]

It might work on a 4 cavity LY but I use my gloved thumb to cut everything but those until they are warm.

[leadman]

That might work good on a Lyman 4 cavity. The sprue plate would probably have to have a piece welded to it for the pivot. Maybe a different lever in the shape of a cam might work better as you would not run out of leverage as fast.

I use Bullplate lube on the Lee mold block where the sprue lever contacts it and I do not get any wear.

When the lever breaks it is usually because the lead was too cold. I use the procedure Lee recommends if you forget to close the sprue plate all the way. This is putting a screwdriver blade between the lever and the mold to give you leverage again.

[theperfessor]

My BIL adapted a Lee sprue handle to a Lyman 4 cav, he made a new, thicker sprue plate to attach it to. He is real happy with it.

[Shiloh]

The problem with it, is that it is a weak part to begin with. I have broken several and like the LEE Auto Prime handle, I keep several on hand.

Shiloh

[Artful]

The problem with it, is that it is a weak part to begin with. I have broken several and like the LEE Auto Prime handle, I keep several on hand.

Shiloh

that's exactly why I want to make a better one - the idea is great but the execution is lacking.

[jmsj]

Artful,
Go ahead and try it out, you'll never know unless you try.
I had a 6 banger sprue plate go bad so I machined one out of 1018 1/4" stock that was laying around. It worked better than the original ever did. jmsj

[Buckshot]

..............Artful, yes I've thought of using the idea on other 3 & 4 cavity moulds, but haven't gotten around to it yet (I'm in need of a BUNCH of round to it's). I believe the reason it breaks so easily is because Lee makes them out of powdered metal.

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

[Artful]

The sprue plate would probably have to have a piece welded to it for the pivot.

Nope, just a hole drilled in it.

Maybe a different lever in the shape of a cam might work better as you would not run out of leverage as fast.

Yep look at this pic, I traced the part then enlarged it with the filled in part is my thoughts for addition.

I use Bullplate lube on the Lee mold block where the sprue lever contacts it and I do not get any wear.

A lot of people are putting a screw into the side of their Lee blocks...




http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/199/p1000088gp.th.jpg (http://img25.imageshack.us/i/p1000088gp.jpg/)

Click to enlarge Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

I think lengthening to 5-6 inches and using a larger arc will increase the sprue movement and make it more advantageous.

I think I try just drilling the sprue plate on this gang mold to start with - same thickness sprue plate and plenty of meat.
http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/5276/p1000081h.th.jpg (http://img691.imageshack.us/i/p1000081h.jpg/)

click to enlarge Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

I'll use the same size hole and spacing to use standard lee handle for now I think

[imashooter2]

I'm a big fan of the Lee sprue cutting system. The issue I see is that the sprue plate needs to have some extra material at the end to drill for handle attachment and most don't as they come from the factory. I put up a post in group buy discussion asking about interest in a NOE sprue plate with the extra material, but it got deleted by management. Apparently you need to have a supplier agree to make something before anyone knows if there is interest in it.

[Artful]

Yes, I have recently purchased 3 of NOE's multiple cavity molds and they do have the sprue plate cut at an angle which would make conversion using the lee handle impossible.


Have you emailed Swede "AL" to see if he would be open to another design as an optioin?

[imashooter2]

I did not. I was attempting to find out if I was the only one on the planet interested before I brought it up with the manufacturer. Frankly, I'd much rather have a conversation that starts "I have 25 people that would like a new sprue plate" than "If I can find anyone else interested would you make a sprue plate?"

But my post got deleted and I kind of got put off by the whole mess.

[Artful]

I'll PM swede just to see what he thinks, you never know we may be the 24th and 25th interested in a different sprue plate.

[Artful]

nope from NOE


Art

Sorry - At this time I cant make any changes that
would impact the shop. Maybe down the road.


so I'll see about making my replacement

[Artful]

For those interested you have to center your new hole 7mm out from the edge of the mold block and 6mm from the outside edge of the sprue plate if the plate goes stright out from the block if using the Lee factory handle. Still working on handles for other designs that don't come straight from the back of the block.

Pictures of today modified molds - LEE handle on Lee Block
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3287/p1000382l.th.jpg (http://img297.imageshack.us/i/p1000382l.jpg/)

Click to enlarge Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

LEE Handle now on NEI Block
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2059/p1000383q.th.jpg (http://img202.imageshack.us/i/p1000383q.jpg/)

Click to Enlarge Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9084/p1000384w.th.jpg (http://img20.imageshack.us/i/p1000384w.jpg/)

Click to Enlarge Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

LEE Handle on NON-LEE Mold - Yeah baby
http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/4568/p1000385m.th.jpg (http://img704.imageshack.us/i/p1000385m.jpg/)

Click to Enlarge Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Lee Handle on NOE - this one didn't work out as of yet have to recut steel cam lever - in development
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/9848/p1000386b.th.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/i/p1000386b.jpg/)

Click to Enlarge Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[Artful]

Bump, for milprileb to find easier.

[SWANEEDB]

I have posted threads and pic's with sprue plate mods to the NOE's that I have, also awhile back I had a bunch of Lee style 'steel' sprue plates made (6 cav), a lot of forum members bought them and were quite happy with them, I also just had a couple steel 'proto type' cam levers made, they are all used with the Lee hardware including the handle, they are kinda costy, I have quite a bunch of molds of different Mfg's, I am in the process of converting all of them to use the Lee style cam sprue cutter. If wanted I'll take some more pic's and post. Talked to Al at NOE and for him to do some sprue plate mods would just add to the cost of his molds, something he prefers not to do. Please let me hear from those who might have an interest and i'll see what I can come up with, be prepared to spend some bucks, to do a run and to keep the cost down I do have to have a minimum.

[Colorado4wheel]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?56554-KAL-Mould-Handles