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Thread: Using Lee 2-Cavity Molds

  1. #21
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    jdgabbard's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by charlie b View Post
    I've used a wet towel with 2 and 6 cavity Lee, 4 cavity NOE and 2 cavity Accurate molds for many thousands of rounds for a few decades now and none have ever warped from being treated with a wet towel. I've never heard of that happening. Lee even recommends the practice. The only real caution is to not allow any water to get inside the mold. If you do use a wet towel then make sure you do it before dropping the bullets, and keep the molds securely closed.
    I have heard of it happening once or twice in the past. But I’ve always considered Lee molds to be somewhat disposable. Though I’ve never had to do this with iron or brass molds. They seem to have a nicer rhythm to them. Though I have seen Lyman molds in the past that were warped. Presumably some time after a very long life since they appeared well used. Who knows, a damn towel isn’t going to wick too much away. And I’ve done it without any noticeable harm.
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  2. #22
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    I have a wet kitchen sponge in an old "Daily Bread" Wilton plate. Every few pours I touch the blocks to the sponge to cool the blocks. It doesn’t take long to figure out the schedule.
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  3. #23
    Boolit Master Targa's Avatar
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    I am a fan of the wet towel/sponge as well.

  4. #24
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    I’ve cooled Lee double molds (aluminum) and steel. So far no problems. And as was already mentioned, Lee recommends it. It’s just setting it lightly on a damp cloth or sponge. Both sides are cooled equally.

  5. #25
    Boolit Grand Master

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    When casting with Lee 2-cavity I start with dial on Lee pot at 7.5 and after pouring , long count to 5 before busting open the sprue , when they start dropping "frosty" ... I dial back to number 7.25 , fill and give 7 second lomg count before cutting sprue .

    Two cavity Lee blocks have become awful small , so you have to pay attention to sprue smears ... at first sign ... slow down and clean off smears .
    A fan blowing across blocks helps the cool ... fill cavities and hold block in front of fan ... long count 5 to 9 seconds (as needed to solidify sprue) ... the fan realy helps cool the blocks , I prefer it to water and sponge ...and the fan cools you too !
    Gary
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  6. #26
    Boolit Buddy
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    Sometimes I’ll have two different molds going, just so I don’t get bored, lol. Then I can get my timing down so the boolits don’t frost.
    Retired: school of hard knocks
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  7. #27
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    Bullet size counts for what will be the best procedure to keep the mold cool. I use half a dozen Lee aluminum molds ranging from 55 grains to 405. With smaller and medium-sized molds I have a lot of success maintaining temperature by varying the size of my sprue puddle.

    The 405-ers are a great candidate for the "use two or three molds" suggestion.

  8. #28
    Boolit Bub Sudsy's Avatar
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    I have a block of steel I keep near the bench. When the mold gets too hot I rest it on the steel, acts as a heat sink. Cools it just enough and does it pretty quickly.

  9. #29
    Boolit Master


    Walter Laich's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kraschenbirn View Post
    I use a piece of 1" aluminum tool plate for a heat sink, holding the mold against it for a few seconds before opening to drop boolits on folded towel. Speeds up hardening of pour and prevents mold from overheating.

    Bill
    I do something similar: sit the mold on the stand/bottom plate of my Pro-Melt (original but probably would work with newer version).

    doesn't take long to figure out how long to let the mold set
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