Mold is bad

[birddseedd]

I decided to measure the mold this morning. The mold itself is ob-longed. if i put the halves together and measure the cavity where the molds meet, it measures .355 perfectly, however if i measure where the cavity is cut into the mold it measures .358 to .359. The cavities are cut too deep


lee started making crappy molds in 2006 when they moved from a lathe to cnc.

[DeanWinchester]

lee started making crappy molds in 2006 when they moved from a lathe to cnc.

i dont understand this statement??

cnc is not a machine tool in and of itself. Computer Numeric Control is just an abbreviation given to ANY machine tool that uses encoded motors to move the machines axises.

I doubt Lee ever used a conventional lathe to bore molds. The difficulty and expense would be immense.

[birddseedd]

They used a conventional lathe before 2006. back when they had a .xx1 size grantee.

[jmort]

They still have the same guarantee.

[birddseedd]

from the letter i saw they don't.

although, they told me to send mine in for repair or replacement. even tho i have had bad experiences with the molds, i have no complaints about their service and believe they will send me a new one. i measured the cavity itself, it measures the same as the bullets

[Nrut]

Wrong on your 2006 thinking..
I have 15 GB's many before 2006 and 60% are out of round on the parting line..
ie. out of alignment..
It is if they would cut a mold then throw both halves into a bin with other cut molds blocks and the next guy down the line would just grab into the bin for a couple of blocks to assemble..
Bought my first LEE mold since 2009 in July to see if they had improved..
It was undersized using 50/50 and 1.5% tin..
Measures .310 on side of the parting line and .313 on the other side..
But I have had worse parting line differential on pre 2006 molds..
This one is going back to them with a surly letter..
I am very lucky that there is a border and many miles between LEE on myself, because if I lived close by I would be in the slammer for the things that I would do to their management..
Have a nice day!
LOL

[Nrut]

They still have the same guarantee.

And does their guarantee include shipping both ways?
The shipping both ways is going to cost $40.00 from here..

[birddseedd]

Its just a letter from lee i read.

Ill put it in a 5 dollar flat rate box

[imashooter2]

So throw it away and buy molds 3 -5 times the price from here on out.

[Nrut]

Its just a letter from lee i read.

Ill put it in a 5 dollar flat rate box

I live in Canada..
Sent two molds back this early summer to two different US mold makers and it cost me $40.00 round trip on one, and the other mold maker paid return shipping so it cost me $20.00 to ship from here..
I have $35.00 ish incl. tax and shipping into this LEE mold now plus the cost of my return shipping is going to be $20.00

[birddseedd]

So throw it away and buy molds 3 -5 times the price from here on out.

does anyone else make a 6 cavity mold

[imashooter2]

Nope. Just 4s and 5s.

[Bullshop]

What is the boolit design? Maybe if its something I don't have I could use it and could take it off your hands. It wouldn't be the first effing mold I put to good use.
If folks here are making good use of beageling molds which creates about the same effect I see no reason why this shouldn't work the same.

[texassako]

What sizes do the actual bullets drop at? Metal expands when it gets hot, and those cavities will change as well. I don't have the proper tools to measure out of round holes correctly(a caliper can't do it); so I just cast some bullets and measure with my micrometer.

[birddseedd]

What is beageling ?

[birddseedd]

Nope. Just 4s and 5s.

I could go down 1 cav for a better mold at some point. Who makes them?

[Moonie]

You really have to measure the cast boolits, measuring a mold tells you little of how the mold will cast for your alloy.

[birddseedd]

What sizes do the actual bullets drop at? Metal expands when it gets hot, and those cavities will change as well. I don't have the proper tools to measure out of round holes correctly(a caliper can't do it); so I just cast some bullets and measure with my micrometer.

.355 by .357

[birddseedd]

The bullets and mold measure the same

[imashooter2]

I could go down 1 cav for a better mold at some point. Who makes them?

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