simple Hi-Tek coating

[Tazza]

makes sense, they are dirt cheap and easy to replace.

[Avenger442]

I've gotten behind again. Missed this Lee App Automatic Processing Press or APP when it came out. Will this thing take the old regular Lee sizing dies or do you have to buy a whole new set of Breach Lock bullet sizers?

[Ausglock]

I've gotten behind again. Missed this Lee App Automatic Processing Press or APP when it came out. Will this thing take the old regular Lee sizing dies or do you have to buy a whole new set of Breach Lock bullet sizers?

you can use the old ones. but you need the breecklock adaptor to use the old ones in the APP

[RydForLyf]

you can use the old ones. but you need the breecklock adaptor to use the old ones in the APP

And one adapter comes with the press, but one is never enough.

[Jatz357]

G'day all..
I've been a bit quiet lately. Been playing with the new Lee APP sizing dies and wanted to run them in the Lee non- breachlock C press that I use upside down for my auto sizer.
I use the old style Lee sizer dies, but the AAP dies have a nice gentle taper to them and need less sizing force.
So. tried the APP die... No go. There is a ring around the die that stops it going all the way into the 7/8 threaded hole in the press. So chucked it in the lathe and turned a few thou off the large section. Now it will pass right through the threaded hole in the press. it's a very neat fit. I took an old Lee Carbide crimp die and knocked the carbide ring out of it and use it to screw into the press to stop the APP die from falling out. Use the existing lock ring on the FCD to lock eveything up. Works great. Even the bullets that the motor would stall on will now size with little effort. The Hitek Aqualube makes it even easier. Lee makes an adaptor for using these APP dies in an O frame press. But the press has to be a Breechlock press. Now they work in a normal 7/8x14 press...

Ausglock, I bought a few APP dies some months ago. The tests I've completed is they vary in size quite a bit compared to stated diameter. .357 I tried measures closer to .3565 and I'm getting variations with runout as well some are 3 - 4 10000ths.

Magma and RCBS dies I have used have been very accurate compared to stated diameter size and only 1 - 2 10000th runout.

The bearing surface of the APP dies is very short compared to Magma or RCBS and slightly shorter than Lee 7/8 dies. Smaller bearing area will reduce friction. When manual sizing I can feel projectiles that have lube grooves bump over the bearing surface whilst it's less noticeable with 7/8 dies and not noticeable with Magma or RCBS.

[Ausglock]

My .356 was going .3555 so it got dressed out to .3565
the .357 was .357
The .358 was .3575 and is now .358.

Honing took a bit as they are a lot harder than the 7/8x14 Lee sizer dies.
Diamond hone took care of it. and polished with 2400 wet n dry.

The absolute best sizer dies are made by Lathsmith, A member of this forum.
We run his sizer dies in our Magma sizemaster in 1/2 thou increments.

[Tazza]

I too have found wide variations in the lee dies, they do serve a purpose, but for commercial use, i don't believe they cut it.

I think my .356 die only lasted about 100,000 projectiles through it before i checked it and it was 2 thou over size.

I now have two carbide lee style ones that a mad mate made for me, I have done probably 150k each, and still dead on the original sizes. He is in the process is making some for his APP and i'll get a set that i will modify my sizer to take.

With a smooth die, you can feel the difference vs the lee ones, these are smooth as silk, sadly i can't tell you if i can feel the grooves when sizing, i haven't tried using it hand sizing lube grooved projectiles.

[kevin c]

To Joe and Trevor:

I just got the bonded release powder. Just a few questions, if I may (I can run them by Alan, too, but I'd like to ask the maker and the prime user/tester).

The instructions say to make a concentration of 5 grams per 150 ml (I used acetone). That's about half the strength Joe mentioned in the thread some time back. Is this a suspension or a solution? Is it like HiTek that needs very thorough shaking up just prior to application? I ask because the inside of my mixing and storage container has a pretty even dried coating of the stuff that looks slight grainy with occasional flecks or grains that are larger. Is that the look to go for, or do I need to shake it up more? Just a very thin, brushed on application, right?

Trevor, you reported putting the release not only in the cavities but also on the mold faces and the underside of the sprue plate. Top of the blocks too? No issues with parting lines or with lifting the plate off the blocks due to the release's film thickness?

When setting/bonding the release on the hot plate, does it matter if you close up the mold or open the blocks and sprue plate?

TIA, Gentlemen, and I hope you and yours are doing well there Down Under.

Kevin C

[Ausglock]

No issues at all.
parting lines are not changed.

It does fall out of suspension, so I shake before opening the jar.
I use a toothbrush to apply the mix to the molds.
Once the molds have been heated, I give them a light blow off with compressed air to remove any excess.
Then cast away..

[HI-TEK]

To Joe and Trevor:

I just got the bonded release powder. Just a few questions, if I may (I can run them by Alan, too, but I'd like to ask the maker and the prime user/tester).

The instructions say to make a concentration of 5 grams per 150 ml (I used acetone). That's about half the strength Joe mentioned in the thread some time back. Is this a suspension or a solution? Is it like HiTek that needs very thorough shaking up just prior to application? I ask because the inside of my mixing and storage container has a pretty even dried coating of the stuff that looks slight grainy with occasional flecks or grains that are larger. Is that the look to go for, or do I need to shake it up more? Just a very thin, brushed on application, right?

Trevor, you reported putting the release not only in the cavities but also on the mold faces and the underside of the sprue plate. Top of the blocks too? No issues with parting lines or with lifting the plate off the blocks due to the release's film thickness?

When setting/bonding the release on the hot plate, does it matter if you close up the mold or open the blocks and sprue plate?

TIA, Gentlemen, and I hope you and yours are doing well there Down Under.

Kevin C

Hello Kevin C.
The Bonded Release agent is a multi component product. Some parts will settle with standing. As Ausglock said, you simply mix it up before use.
Both as powder, and mixture in solvent, is quite stable.
All you have to consider is, stopping the loss of Acetone by evaporation by having good seal on the mixture container.
If you loose some Acetone by evaporation from mixture container, simply add a little more Acetone to suit your needs.
Keep in mind, you don't need a thick coating for the product to work well.
Looking forward to your report after you use the product..

By the way. people who cast their fishing sinkers, this is an excellent release agent for the Molds.

[kevin c]

Thanks, Gents. I plan on trying this on a new mold, one of an identical pair, with the other treated with the old aerosol mold release. Hopefully I'll be reporting back later this week.

[M.A.D]

Finally got off my bum to make some tungsten carbide Lee App dies for myself and a mate.. Made 0.3755, 0.4585, 0.3560, 0.5107, 0.4517, 0.3087, 0.3583. 0.5010. Will be making more for 357 and 44 mag.

[Ausglock]

Finally got off my bum to make some tungsten carbide Lee App dies for myself and a mate.. Made 0.3755, 0.4585, 0.3560, 0.5107, 0.4517, 0.3087, 0.3583. 0.5010. Will be making more for 357 and 44 mag.

Nice... Wouldn't mind a few myself in carbide....hint hint...lol
.3565 .3575 .358

[M.A.D]

Now i just need to make a punch for the 740 grain 500 S&W carbide die..

[Tazza]

I hope the fiddy cals size easily.

Your carbide dies are smooth as silk, the Lee ones, you can feel every machine mark....

[Ausglock]

I polish my Lee dies with 2400 wetndry on a spindle in the drill press.
Slick as snot now.

[M.A.D]

I polish my Lee dies with 2400 wetndry on a spindle in the drill press.
Slick as snot now.

There's a reason why Benchrest and especially VLD style projectiles are made on Carbide Dies of the correct grade, There's polished steel smooth and then there's Carbide Smooth.... Not to mention longevity, Steel dies are worn out well before Carbide are barely worn in.. I think i told Tazza to check the dies at around 1 million cycles

[Tazza]

There's a reason why Benchrest and especially VLD style projectiles are made on Carbide Dies of the correct grade, There's polished steel smooth and then there's Carbide Smooth.... Not to mention longevity, Steel dies are worn out well before Carbide are barely worn in.. I think i told Tazza to check the dies at around 1 million cycles

Both the .3565 and .3575 have had close on 200k through each and still drop dead on the same size as they did when i got them off you. I am still amazed at just how smooth they size too, the lee ones i can feel every machining mark when hand sizing, the carbide are so smooth. It sure says something when you can see how polished they are when you can see a reflection inside the die, mirror finish.

Looking forward to seeing the APP ones, and modifying my sizer so they will fit.

[Gremlin460]

[Ausglock]

Well... that's a first..
Grem with nothing to say...

What???? Cat got ya tongue???