Anyone want a mold project ?

[Cherokee]

I have a Lee 6 cavity 356-120 TC that I have been trying off and on over the past year to get to work properly and I'm through with it. At first it would not fully close, fixed that by "adjusting" the proud alignment pins, but the cavities still don't match up and the CB's show the misalignment and also produce fins. Last night was the third attempt with the latest fix and no go. I did not return it because I had it about a year before even trying it. If someone wants to have a little fun with it, it'll cost $8 to get it to you, or it gets salvaged. Not everyone at once now... {I should note that I have a great old 356-120TC that keeps on trucking, this was to be it's backup.}

 

[RBHarter]

I'll give it a go . If nothing else I've parts for the others on hand .

 

[fiver]

dang Cherokee.
I would have put it in the vice and aligned it right up by using the hulk smash method by now.

 

[462]

dang Cherokee.
I would have put it in the vice and aligned it right up by using the hulk smash method by now.

Many methods of Lee-menting.

 

[CZ93X62]

Heck of a good 9mm bullet, in any event.

 

[Rick]

Hot wrench comes to mind.

 

[KeithB]

I always thought that if I had a mold like that I would make some dummy bullets that would fit the smallest diameter of the cavities and use those to line up the mold halves. Then I would ream the alignment pin holes bigger and make new pins to fit. That would line up the halves but of course wouldn't help at all if the cavities are the wrong size or out of round, that might take some lapping. But I'd line up the mold halves first.

 

[Cherokee]

RBHarter - you got it. You do need to give me your address. email or PM me.
Fiver - your method was tried, gently, but to no avail
Rick - the "Hot wrench" escapes my understanding.
Keith - my frustration level exceeds my limit, I don't want to fuss with it anymore, I ordered an Accurate mold 35-122C

 

[fiver]

hot wrench= cutting torch.

 

[Cherokee]

Ahhhh, nows I understandth.

 

[CZ93X62]

"Hot wrench" I will steal and use that term.

Cherokee, I will do likewise in the future, if any of my Lee TC autopistol moulds develop bad habits or attitudes. Life is too short to mess around forever with balky recalcitrant tools.

 

[freebullet]

Very generous.

I already did a mold project this week. No bullet molds involved but it paid well.

 

[462]

Life is too short to mess around forever with balky recalcitrant tools.

Yep, that's why I tossed that two-cavity Lee 459-500.

 

[Cherokee]

I'll add this: Last year I bought a third Lee 356120TC to replace the #2 I'm sipping out and it too has issues. I'm keeping it for parts and look forward to giving the Accurate 35-122C a workout. The first 356120T I bought years ago has performed well and cast over 50K bullets, still works but is getting worn.

 

[Rick]

"Hot wrench" I will steal and use that term.

The oxygen/acetylene "Hot Wrench" has never met the bolt it couldn't promptly/effortlessly remove or the LEE mold it couldn't permanently . . . . Fix.

Cherokee, I will do likewise in the future, if any of my Lee TC autopistol moulds develop bad habits or attitudes. Life is too short to mess around forever with balky recalcitrant tools.

Precisely! I have never bought a tool of any kind to see how much time, work and aggravation it will take to force it to do what I bought it to do. With that philosophy in mind I bought my very last LEE mold many, many years ago.