Lee mold handles interchangeable?
- Thread starter H Wally
- Start date
stickhunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Victoria, B.C.
They can usually be made to work with other brands, sometimes with some minor modifications. I had to file down the thickness to fit my RCBS 2-cav. You sure can't beat them for the price, though. If you're a tinkerer and can drill or file, I'm sure you can get them to work for your applications.
You could modify a set of file handles to fit... might be quicker that ordering Lee's. Are you casting some .31 cal's
Amongst other things, yes. Thing is I've made a couple of my own sets but am having issues with getting the molds to line up perfectly... my current tools aren't really adequate for the job of making them myself, so ordering them is actually a bit faster
The first two tong sets I've made were good and then peening the pivot pin (very lightly I may add) threw them out of alignment enough to make sure there's always a slight misalignment that requires fiddling each time to get it to cast properly.OK, now I understand that you need the whole scissor type arrangement to align the molds, I thought you needed the wooden handles.
I don't know if you are familiar with the Lee molds or not but they have register pins that align them horizontally and V-grooves that hold them vertically and the mold blocks float on the handles. They need to be nudged until they align and then held as you pore the lead.
You might be able to come up with some sort of register pins to align your molds.
I don't know if you are familiar with the Lee molds or not but they have register pins that align them horizontally and V-grooves that hold them vertically and the mold blocks float on the handles. They need to be nudged until they align and then held as you pore the lead.
You might be able to come up with some sort of register pins to align your molds.
Yep, the Lee handles will work with Lyman moulds and most brands of custom moulds with no issues. I had to file them a few thousandths of an inch thinner to fit my RCBS moulds, but it was such a small amount that they still work fine for my other moulds. The register pins caused no problems. I seem to acquire moulds faster than I do handles.
while the earlier Lee molds had the handles secured with screws that could be removed, for the past many years, Lee has been using pins that cannot be removed without modification. You will have to drill a hole in the mold on the opposite side that the pin goes in and drive it out with a drift. I also am pretty sure that the pins are smaller than the screws used in most other brand molds so you would have to drill larger holes in the handles.
I think you would be better to buy a second hand set of Lyman molds with handles in a gun show and with a bit of luck you can find them for $20 or so
cheers mooncoon
I think you would be better to buy a second hand set of Lyman molds with handles in a gun show and with a bit of luck you can find them for $20 or so
cheers mooncoon
I'd been wondering about that. Have an old pair with the screw but a new one with the pin. Had been hoping they were still using screws.
Buy a set or two from Rick at KAL Tool & Die. They're much better quality than LEE and are just as good, if not better than RCBS or LYMAN, and at a significantly cheaper price. Rick offers models for specific mould styles, so why not drop him a line and discuss your needs. After tyring a couple of his handles I wouldn't think about buying any other. Great Canadian company doing it better than the other folks and made right here!
