Does this new LEE Mold look OK to you !?!

[1hole]

The secret is buyer beware.

Perhaps. But, when a few people get poor performance from their tools and many others get good service from the same tools it makes me wonder if the problems really aren't in the tools.

[derek45]

Perhaps. But, when a few people get poor performance from their tools and many others get good service from the same tools it makes me wonder if the problems really aren't in the tools.

I have several LEE molds, that work well.

also, NOE, Arsenal, RCBS, Ideal, etc.

but this is lousy quality control, and doubling down on poor customer service.

Call Midwayusa and order one yourself, I'll patiently wait to hear what it takes to get them to drop out.

I'd rather get my money back and hunt for quality

[Targa]

Good on Midway for stepping up. I am a fan of Lee products but that is poor customer service. Maybe Brenda should suggest that the new tooling get broken in properly before sending that stuff out to the customers. I’m not a smart man but that would just seem like a good way to conduct business

[Kenstone]

Good on Midway for stepping up. I am a fan of Lee products but that is poor customer service. Maybe Brenda should suggest that the new tooling get broken in properly before sending that stuff out to the customers. I’m not a smart man but that would just seem like a good way to conduct business

Yes, cutters could be "broken in" by using them to ruff-out molds to be finished in a bigger diameter/caliber.
Doing it that way, the cutter would not be producing finished molds with the fluted/ruff finish shown in the OP's pics.
jmo,
.

[1hole]

Yes, cutters could be "broken in" by using them to ruff-out molds to be finished in a bigger diameter/caliber.
Doing it that way, the cutter would not be producing finished molds with the fluted/ruff finish shown in the OP's pics.
jmo,
.

Look again at the mold close-up photos. Note that the surface ruffness is only longitudinal and that's quite odd!

Making large quantities of inexpensive bullet molds with common lube grooves and driving bands are made by precisely closing the mold halves around a rotating cherry of the bullet's design. Therefore, any remaining surface ruffles must be circular, not lengthwise. Think about it.

I don't know how that mold was made but I can't visualize any possible way to machine cut a bullet mold that will leave such precise longitudinal ruffles/chatter cuts.

[Soundguy]

Perhaps. But, when a few people get poor performance from their tools and many others get good service from the same tools it makes me wonder if the problems really aren't in the tools.

I've bought 'throw away' molds that produce decent looking and great shooting bullets.

People are too used to pretty drawn copper cladding these days..
Remember the days of CHEWING on a lead ball??

[Kenstone]

Look again at the mold close-up photos. Note that the surface roughness is only longitudinal and that's quite odd!

Making large quantities of inexpensive bullet molds with common lube grooves and driving bands are made by precisely closing the mold halves around a rotating cherry of the bullet's design. Therefore, any remaining surface ruffles must be circular, not lengthwise. Think about it.

I don't know how that mold was made but I can't visualize any possible way to machine cut a bullet mold that will leave such precise longitudinal ruffles/chatter cuts.

It's called chatter, could be bad spindle bearings, spindle speed, lack of coolant, and/or any other variables or combination of.
That, and it's already been posted that Lee claimed it was chatter due to a new cutter not yet "broken in".
Sometimes if you count the chatter marks/flutes that number is equal to the number of balls or rollers in the spindle bearing, indicating bad bearings.
jmo,
.
Edit: I have often dulled the cutting edge of drills (and endmills) to eliminate chatter when drilling aluminum.
We called it dubbing the edge.

[Sixgun Symphony]

Cast a few and see what comes out.

[1hole]

It's called chatter, could be bad spindle bearings, spindle speed, lack of coolant, and/or any other variables or combination of.

Milling chatter occurs in the same plane that the cutter is moving. Milling chatter does not precisely occur in the long axis of a rotating mold cherry.

[Kenstone]

Milling chatter occurs in the same plane that the cutter is moving. Milling chatter does not precisely occur in the long axis of a rotating mold cherry.

Thanks for reading/quoting my post.
I am not understanding what you have described, how were the "flutes" as pictured by the OP produced then?

I have to believe mold cavities are now machined on CNC mills with the mold halves clamped together, pilot holes are drilled for every/all cavities, and an undersized form cutter is fed into the pilot hole, it is offset and orbits around the cavity center line out to the proper diameter, not the old school process of the mold halves being closed around a full sized "mold cherry" as you have described.
We cannot see how Lee machines these molds unless you have a Pic/Vid.
If you do, please post it.

Here's a pic of what I believe is what milling chatter can look like:

To me, that chatter looks a lot like the OP's pics...

I love these type of debates, my anecdotal experience is better, more relevant than yours.
Nobody is going to say anything that will change another's opinion including mine, so what's the point?

I could agree with you here but believe we would both be wrong.
jmo,
.

[Jack Stanley]

New guy running the cutter ..... just transferred from shipping department .

Jack

[derek45]

to me, how it was milled is not as important, as why it was allowed to ship.

when bean counters take over a company, quality goes out the window.

[schutzen-jager]

to me, how it was milled is not as important, as why it was allowed to ship.

when bean counters take over a company, quality goes out the window.

not only quality control but customer service + customer satisfaction are no longer important to them at all ! -

[Hannibal]

The mould has been returned to Midway. They took it back even though Lee couldn't see any problem. So trying the mould isn't possible anymore.

[BentSprings]

Lee is the king of coming up with good ideas and then executing them poorly and cheaply. They sell junk and you get what you pay for. They have tricked me out of my money for the last time. I have had nothing but issue with their molds. It is almost like they are built to fall apart with use. Bought a 22-55 Lee 6 holer last year. It made 6 different size and weight bullets with each cast, the alignment pins moved when using allowing misalignment and massive parting lines. It was pure junk and now that mold is a "custom" fishing sinker mold. I think the guys that love lee molds do not make as many bullets as I do as they simply are not long haul tools. They are cheap junk that does not last, nothing will change that. With the custom makers we have available today, there is no excuse to buy junk other than being a cheap***. I have learned my lesson.

[elmacgyver0]

If it is junk quit buying it.
Geesh!

[1hole]

Thanks for reading/quoting my post.

I like to use quotes because it's the only way I know to make sure people know exactly what I'm responding too. Seems a lot of web disagreements rise from people talking passed each other without realizing it.

I am not understanding what you have described, how were the "flutes" as pictured by the OP produced then?

I don't know how the OP's chatter flutes were made so it's a real puzzle. But I don't believe such precise longitudinal mold chatter marks could possibly be made with either a cherry OR a single point boring cutter because the chatter would be circular! Your photo is what I would expect from a boring bar, meaning you show a similar but by no means precise chatter pattern. ???

Here's a pic of what I believe is what milling chatter can look like:
To me, that chatter looks a lot like the OP's pics...

Yeah, it does. A lot ... but they're not the same! ???

[Kenstone]

I like to use quotes because it's the only way I know to make sure people know exactly what I'm responding too. Seems a lot of web disagreements rise from people talking passed each other without realizing it.



I don't know how the OP's chatter flutes were made so it's a real puzzle. But I don't believe such precise longitudinal mold chatter marks could possibly be made with either a cherry OR a single point boring cutter because the chatter would be circular! Your photo is what I would expect from a boring bar, meaning you show a similar but by no means precise chatter pattern. ???



Yeah, it does. A lot ... but they're not the same! ???

I believe the cavities in the OP pictures were cut with a form cutter with straight flutes and that's what made the marks parallel to the centerline.
The pocket in the pic I posted was cut with an endmill (not a boring bar) with spiral flutes, thus the chatter looks more angular (spiraling).
So, yeah different, not the same.
Here's a vid of endmill chatter, if you care to watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aog0syGaZzQ

jmo,
.

[Elpatoloco]

Lee is the king of coming up with good ideas and then executing them poorly and cheaply. They sell junk and you get what you pay for. They have tricked me out of my money for the last time. I have had nothing but issue with their molds. It is almost like they are built to fall apart with use. Bought a 22-55 Lee 6 holer last year. It made 6 different size and weight bullets with each cast, the alignment pins moved when using allowing misalignment and massive parting lines. It was pure junk and now that mold is a "custom" fishing sinker mold. I think the guys that love lee molds do not make as many bullets as I do as they simply are not long haul tools. They are cheap junk that does not last, nothing will change that. With the custom makers we have available today, there is no excuse to buy junk other than being a cheap***. I have learned my lesson.

I just purchased the little APP press. I am impressed with it. I knew it would be cheap built as its sold by Lee.
I am one who finds their moulds to be complete junk. I've purchased several in attempts to get a good one. I have one 6 gang that has 5 usable cavities. The rest have gone away in the garbage. I have several Accurate brand moulds and they are best in industry. I thought maybe it was aluminum blocks that just didnt agree with me. I wont buy a mould from anyone but Accurate now.
Beats the britches off of RCBS and Lyman as well.

[racepres]

I just purchased the little APP press. I am impressed with it. I knew it would be cheap built as its sold by Lee.
I am one who finds their moulds to be complete junk. I've purchased several in attempts to get a good one. I have one 6 gang that has 5 usable cavities. The rest have gone away in the garbage. I have several Accurate brand moulds and they are best in industry. I thought maybe it was aluminum blocks that just didnt agree with me. I wont buy a mould from anyone but Accurate now.
Beats the britches off of RCBS and Lyman as well.

Don't throw any more in Garbage!!! I'll Pay Shipping!!!
One Man's Junk ya know!!! We-uns on a Budget Might Benefit!!!