How I Pin Lee Commercial mold handles

How I Pin Lee Commercial mold handles

1) Build a jig that snugly holds the handles
2) center the jig on a 1/8 " drill bit in my drill press
3)drill the hole (s) 99% of the way through

https://i.imgur.com/mW1Tw2H.jpg


4) drive in 1/8" x 3/4" roll pins and set flush with a punch
https://i.imgur.com/ksDP86Y.jpg

touch up any rough edges with a fine file, sandpaper or?

1/8" x 3/4" roll pins $4 per hundred at local fastener store (or Fastenal) [online, small quantity prices will scare you!!!!!)


Some people have success epoxying them in

Nice job I need to do a few.
Thanks

same way i did it 18 times 4 years ago.

got tired of the handles coming off.

I have found some of the handles hardness eats my Chinese drill bits. Then I have to switch to my merican drill bits.

That Lee sintered steel is Hard! Use good high speed steel or cobalt drill bits.

I file notches on the corners of the metal handles and then use jb weld to hold them on. Your method would be quicker and less expensive.

Thats a nice looking job. I like the fixture you made to position the handles.

I scuff the metal cross from the long axis then epoxy handles on. On over 2 hr sessions might get a bit soft but holds on fine.
repeated heating/cooling cycles haven't degraded bond

I am pinning mine with stainless 1/8 rod I have , drill tap in pin no more slipping roll pins were my first choice but had the stainless rod already

I have yet to have a lee handle come loose but I suspect my time is coming. I do wish Lee would make there handles an inch or two longer so they fit my hand a little better and I didn't have to worry about over heating my left index finger when it touches the metal handle end.

Wear gloves and you won't have to worry about HOT metal handle parts.

Looks like good work Conditor! Great pics too.

Lee should do something like this. Couldn't add too much cost to production. Handles falling off is a known and widespread problem. Unacceptable, in my opinion. But the marketplace continues to reward Lee for their cheap prices.

Two for two sets of my Lee handles slide off. I don't own a drill press, and I don't care for fixing manufacturing defects. So I appreciate the better quality of the NOE clones. The lifetime amortized difference in cost is negligible.

Elmers white glue and a hammer.
Thats how I fix Lee's 6 cavity handles.
Just add glue to the hole and tap them on.

I don't have any fancy drilling tools but I do have JB Weld ... if it will repair a cracked engine blockit will hold them handles on .
Gary

I bought my ridgid drill press for drilling cabinet doors , I really needed it for repairing things when I was younger , but it gets used for lots of jobs ,mainly for repairing fixing or tinkering on reloading stuff or firearms , well worth the money to have a drill press and grinders in this hobby , I have been pinning my lee handles for over a year now as the frustration of having them come loose was annoying , I now pin any handles just for the added insurance of them staying the same cast to cast .

Anything you do to these handles can weaken them and they can/will break as they are made of pot metal, I've broken a few because of shaving them to fit and later on they break. Steel handles on Lyman, Rcbs, Saeco, can be altered and not break.

The handles on my older Lyman molds have seen a lot of heat and use, so typically have enlarged holes in the wood. I experimented with Gorilla Glue in the hole, and after about six months of use, the handle is still tight.

Wayne

Funny the size of hole that is drilled and then filled with a roll pin or pinning material has not caused any of mine to break , anyone here who has pinned one have one break? how big of hole or holes ? I really do not see them breaking as I do not use molds or handles as a hammer .
If you do not like the lee handles buy others thats your choice , I like the price and a set of handles for each mold myself , so a few minutes at the drill press and done.

Gorilla Glue works for me. If they do come lose its a quick fix. I have a set of handles for most of my regular use molds. the ones I have glued on have held up well.

I started using hi-temp automotive silicone sealer squirted into the wooden handles. Nothing short of the second coming can get them loose after that.

Plane yellow wood glue works good also

Not everyone has a drill press. For those of us that don't. Dimple the steel with a center punch and apply high temp automotive RTV glue.

Winelover

overseas we used to secure loose knife/machete handles by stuffing the hole in the handle full of plastic bag pieces, heating up the handle, and pressing it into the hole. the plastic would melt then become solid.

Nice job.
I tried doing the same thing, but the metal is kind of hard.
I ended up using epoxy and it's been working fine so far.
Really didn't think it would hold up to the heat, but so far, it's holding.

That sounds like a very effective method. I’m going to try that!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MT Chambers

Anything you do to these handles can weaken them and they can/will break as they are made of pot metal, ...

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Lee mold handles are made of "pot" metal? Not hardly!