Lee-menting: The Spinning of boolits

[JSnover]

I noticed a couple of my Lee molds take a couple knocks to release the bullets. After reading this, I’m definitely going to try to smooth up one and see how it works. Thanks JonB for the excellent write up. Should be a must read for all of us.

It's easier than you think. Lately I've just been garden variety wood or sheet metal screws. Drilling the boolit takes a little getting used to but as long as you Watch Your Depth you won't do any harm.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Seems easier to me to leave the head on the screw and turn it with a Phillips (or torx) bit in a drill, as Grmps said.

Also, unless I am mistaken, the heads of sheet rock screws are not meant to break off. They are slightly sunk in to the sheet rock and are what holds it in place.

JD,
I suspect you are correct about Sheetrock screw heads, but I sure have twisted off my fair share of them, LOL.
I used them for this project, because I had some a lying around and the heads break off easy. I break the head off and use a drill with a chuck, because I feel I have better control of what I'm doing. If I were to use a Philips bit to screw head, I'd worry about mating and things going awry. Now if I were to use a Robertson head (my personal preference for wood projects) or a Torx, then I suspect I'd have enough control.
How anyone else proceeds with this type of thing, is up to them.

[Charlie Horse]

Just got finished casting up a coffee can full of Lee DEWC's with their 6 cavity mold (my all-time favorite 38 boolit, by the way). I must have sounded like a woodpecker, tapping that mold so much to get the boolits to drop. One cavity was the worst.

I think I'm going to give this technique a try. My plan is to cast the mold full and cut off the sprues, then drill the holes for the screws with a drill press and go from there.

I've got some green rouge I use for stropping knives. I wonder if that will be too aggressive?

[Balrog006]

Great process and write up for fixing sticky cavities in molds-thanks to all who contributed to the thread.

I can see why this is a sticky!

[turtlezx]

instead of screw into boolit which always wobbles out of round. I use a small spring from a clicker pen into boolit. It takes up the wobble and spins true no runout

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Just got finished casting up a coffee can full of Lee DEWC's with their 6 cavity mold (my all-time favorite 38 boolit, by the way). I must have sounded like a woodpecker, tapping that mold so much to get the boolits to drop. One cavity was the worst.

I think I'm going to give this technique a try. My plan is to cast the mold full and cut off the sprues, then drill the holes for the screws with a drill press and go from there.

I've got some green rouge I use for stropping knives. I wonder if that will be too aggressive?

I'm not sure about the green?
BUT, I would be very careful with a Lee mold.
I found this spinning/polishing works great with a Lyman mold

...BUT...
I also did this technique with the same Automotive red rubbing compound (as in photos) on a 6 cav Lee 358 RN mold. That mold was a great mold, and I cast thousands with it over a few years time. Then one day, that mold got sticky cavities (did I over heat it?), so I used this technique with that. While I tried to polish each of the cavities the same amount of time with the battery drill (new boolit for each cavity), I wrecked the mold (for my use). Three cavities came out at .361 and the other three at about .359 > all the cavities would cast a .358 boolit prior to my spinning/polishing...I guess I went a little hamfisted on it? I ended up giving the mold to another caster who had plans to "fix" the three smaller cavities and have a mold for 38S&W.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

instead of screw into boolit which always wobbles out of round. I use a small spring from a clicker pen into boolit. It takes up the wobble and spins true no runout

that's a good idea!

[Driver man]

Toothpaste as a cutting /polishing compound has worked for me

[country gent]

Place the compound of choice on a piece of flat stock and impregnate the bullet by rolling lightly between 2 plates. This will press the compound into the surface of the bullet. Depending on the compound light oil or water to lubricate while cutting.

[Balrog006]

I'm not sure about the green?
BUT, I would be very careful with a Lee mold.
I found this spinning/polishing works great with a Lyman mold

...BUT...
I also did this technique with the same Automotive red rubbing compound (as in photos) on a 6 cav Lee 358 RN mold. That mold was a great mold, and I cast thousands with it over a few years time. Then one day, that mold got sticky cavities (did I over heat it?), so I used this technique with that. While I tried to polish each of the cavities the same amount of time with the battery drill (new boolit for each cavity), I wrecked the mold (for my use). Three cavities came out at .361 and the other three at about .359 > all the cavities would cast a .358 boolit prior to my spinning/polishing...I guess I went a little hamfisted on it? I ended up giving the mold to another caster who had plans to "fix" the three smaller cavities and have a mold for 38S&W.

That red compound was too harsh for the aluminum mold. The technique is sound, just need to alter the polishing compound based on the mold material. Cleaner wax, toothpaste, etc. for aluminum-those colored rouge powders for iron.