Mold question

[burrkiss]

I have run my 6 cav 9mm lee for a few thousand rounds again. Before I started I took it all apart and lubed everything/cleaned/smoked etc. When I was done, 6 little 115 gn pretties would drop with the flick of a wrist. All looked very pretty. Now I dont know the term (hence me wasting 30 min looking in the forum, and 30 checking youtube vids) I'm having trouble fixing it.

What I get now, is two of the cavs (furthest away from the handle) have extra lead on the butt (next to sprue plate). The lead is very thin, but adds a bit to the diameter of the round. Now I checked the cavs and they are formed perfectly, no moron has attacked them with a dremel or anything. The sprue plate seems to be nice and tight, although I didnt check with a feeler gauge or anything. So I'm not sure where extra lead is coming from.

Whats that term called? How do I fix it.

Thanks.

[Beagle333]

Are you talking about flashing/finning on the boolit itself, or tinning on the mold - usually on the face of the mold where the lube grooves meet? A pic would really help.

[texassako]

The sprue plate seems to be nice and tight

The sprue plate may be to tight, if I understand where you are getting the extra lead. It can cause the sprue plate to lift off the blocks.

[burrkiss]

Sadly that is the best pic I can get with my *** phone. Kids asleep and took my camera somewhere. All the extra lead is on the butt. Its not "wings" where the mold isnt fully closing.

[wv109323]

It looks like a loose or warped sprue plate to me. There also may be some lead build up holding the sprue plate up on one end when the sprue is closed.

[Mk42gunner]

You had the mold operating and dropping good boolits right? Is this in the same casting session or later? Is the mold still clean, i.e. no lead stuck anywhere on it?

I got flashing with Lee six cavity molds just about any time I gripped the sprue lever handle while filling. It is hard not to grab the third handle, it just seems so natural; but don't do it. Just close the sprue plate and fill the mold.

Robert

[burrkiss]

There also may be some lead build up holding the sprue plate up on one end when the sprue is closed.

There was. I pulled it all apart and cleaned the whole thing again. Works purdy now. Thanks.

[Buckshot]

There also may be some lead build up holding the sprue plate up on one end when the sprue is closed.

There was. I pulled it all apart and cleaned the whole thing again. Works purdy now. Thanks.

.............AHA! Sounds like it's time to invest in a bit of Bullplate lube!

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

[Bullshop]

.............AHA! Sounds like it's time to invest in a bit of Bullplate lube!

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

I concur with this assessment. At this point in my 35 years of casting experience looking back I have to wonder how I ever got along without it.