Mould issue

[bronko220002]

OK guys I have an issue with one of my bullet moulds. Maybe you can help me solve it. I have a Lee 500 gr .45 cal (.459") double cavity mould that somehow got what I'm assuming is warped. It does not close tightly on the bottom of the mould leaving a "fin" on the bullet nose. Looking at it from the top you can see a thin line of light across the entire bottom. I tried cleaning it, polishing the guide pins and guide holes but it still won't close. I've had this mould for a couple years and cast a few hundred bullets with it. Now unless I can fix it its trash.

 

[Mr. Flintlock]

OK guys I have an issue with one of my bullet moulds. Maybe you can help me solve it. I have a Lee 500 gr .45 cal (.459") double cavity mould that somehow got what I'm assuming is warped. It does not close tightly on the bottom of the mould leaving a "fin" on the bullet nose. Looking at it from the top you can see a thin line of light across the entire bottom. I tried cleaning it, polishing the guide pins and guide holes but it still won't close. I've had this mould for a couple years and cast a few hundred bullets with it. Now unless I can fix it its trash.

Unfortunately, aluminum molds don't last forever. I've had a few warp on me over the years.

 

[64Springer]

I would take vise grips or a wood clamp and clamp that sucker down tight.

Go all Johnny Cocoran on. Clamp it so tight-that there ain't no light.

Then I'd slowly heat the mold to 750 degrees and let it soak at that temp for five minutes.

Then turn off the heat and let it cool until it's COLD. Leave it clamped while cooling.

Then unclamp it and see if it took a set and remained in the closed position.

 

[Terrier]

I would take vise grips or a wood clamp and clamp that sucker down tight.

Go all Johnny Cocoran on. Clamp it so tight-that there ain't no light.

Then I'd slowly heat the mold to 750 degrees and let it soak at that temp for five minutes.

Then turn off the heat and let it cool until it's COLD. Leave it clamped while cooling.

Then unclamp it and see if it took a set and remained in the closed position.

If you heat a wood clamp to 750, you prolly won’t have much clamp left.

I’d try a beefy C-Clamp…

 

[64Springer]

That's like saying you wouldn't have any hands left.

Clamp the handles.

And don't stick the whole GD thing in a fire.

Geeze.

 

[bronko220002]

I'll give it shot. I have nothing to lose as its trash now anyway.
Springer are you saying to clamp the base of the mold or the handles. Or both?

 

[HSmithTX]

It has this gap when no handles are on it also? I have had way more problems with the handles on the Lee molds than the blocks themselves, other than the blocks just getting worn out from thousands and thousands of cycles.

 

[64Springer]

I'll give it shot. I have nothing to lose as its trash now anyway.
Springer are you saying to clamp the base of the mold or the handles. Or both?

Clamp the handles as if you're closing it with your hands.

This allows for the entire assembly to take some heat and possibly realign itself.

My thinking on 750 degrees is lead is at 750 degrees for pouring.

Just watch everything carefully. If you get smoking at the handles, turn everything off and let it cool down.

 

[ZUG]

Call Lee and ask THEM what they recommend.

 

[Songwriter]

Would this be considered mold remediation?

 

[Terrier]

Would this be considered mold remediation?

That sounds EXACTLY like what that is...

 

[Terrier]

That's like saying you wouldn't have any hands left.

Clamp the handles.

And don't stick the whole GD thing in a fire.

Geeze.

My apologies. I took your description to mean clamp the mold block itself to try and squeeze out the gap and put pressure on the gap where it occurred... (Although, I still think the plastic parts on a wood clamp would melt. that close to the heat.)

 

[rmark]

Sometimes the locating pin can shift and may need to be gently tapped back into place (some years Lee used grooves, some years pins)