I look at Lee molds as a "kit"
they need a bit of work to maximize their usefulness
one thing with the 6-gang molds is the sprue plate screw comes loose quite often.
My "correct fix" is to drill a hold into the sprue plate hold from the side, tap it and put a set screw in it. Might put a small piece of lead in first to keep from buggering the spur plate screw threads
▲ easy to do but sometimes I get lazy and put the off then need to cast with the OEM mold
my solution here is to draw a line on the top of the sprue plate screw. I use a marker to make it stand out and draw it parallel to the side of the mold. Then it is easy to see when it moves and I just give it a quick tightening and back to casting, promising myself I'll put the set-screw fix in tomorrow.
sometime tomorrow never comes and I just darken the line in at the beginning of the next casting session
Loose Sprue Plate: quick "fix" vs. doing it correctly
- walterlaich
- Posts: 15
- Joined: 12 Aug 2023 16:42
- My Press Choice: Single Stage
- Location: Cypress, The Republic of Texas
- Been thanked: 6 times
- Fyodor
- Founding Member & Supporter
- Posts: 1514
- Joined: 04 Jan 2014 05:45
- My Press Choice: Progressive
- Location: Gernsbach, Germany
- Has thanked: 794 times
- Been thanked: 504 times
Re: Loose Sprue Plate: quick "fix" vs. doing it correctly
Use a brass washer between sprue plate and screw head to reduce friction. This might already help.
If it doesn't, you could also put a light center punch tap somewhere into the threads of the screw, and make it self locking. Start with a light tap, and increase strength until enough tension is there to keep it from moving. Do that close to the top, it needs only half a turn into the thread to work, but that way it's easier to remove.
If the handle/primary cutting lever screw loosens, that is held by a nut, I believe. There are all metal, high temperature self locking nuts available. They are ideal for places where a nut can't be torqued down because it still needs to be able to move.
If it doesn't, you could also put a light center punch tap somewhere into the threads of the screw, and make it self locking. Start with a light tap, and increase strength until enough tension is there to keep it from moving. Do that close to the top, it needs only half a turn into the thread to work, but that way it's easier to remove.
If the handle/primary cutting lever screw loosens, that is held by a nut, I believe. There are all metal, high temperature self locking nuts available. They are ideal for places where a nut can't be torqued down because it still needs to be able to move.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
- Evelyn Beatrice Hall, often misattributed to Voltaire
I think I'm thinking, therefore I may possibly be.
- Evelyn Beatrice Hall, often misattributed to Voltaire
I think I'm thinking, therefore I may possibly be.