Never Had This Happen Before

Matt

Active Member
Had an old set of Lyman handles break when I was trying to cut the sprue. I was extremely surprised. I probably shouldn’t be. I’ve been fighting the Lyman mold that’s been attached to the handles for three weeks, but I never considered handles breakable. I had just started to get good bullets when the handle let go.

It is a single cavity 245496 that I purchased from the internet. It was new in the box, but it became clear that one of the blocks had been dropped on a hard surface. The sprue plate was bent and two corners of the block had metal pushed up that prevented the mold from closing completely . The initial bullets fell out of the mold at .251” . After a little careful peening and stoning the blocks closed but the bent sprue plate left flashing on the base of the bullet because it was not flat on the top of the mold. Flattening the plate and cleaning it up with some 600 grit wet/dry paper on my soap stone “surface plate” cured that problem. After that there has been a long process of figuring out flow rate from my bottom pour furnaces and even trying ladle casting. I learned that a strong flow is needed with the mold close to the spout. The mold needs to be kept hot and with the small cavity I found that I can barely cast too fast with it. It requires a large sprue too. I can’t use two molds at a time.

I switched the mold to a set of Lee handles. I still end up with 20-30% rejects, but have accumulated enough good ones to gas check, lubricate, and try in .243 Winchester and 6mm PPC. 758F16C7-0E54-41F4-9572-67C3DE934D78.jpeg0BD1AB6C-F06D-40D3-A70B-8B96979C5F30.jpeg
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
What do you think caused the handles to break ?
Were the cast bullets difficult to be released by the mould cavity ?
 

Matt

Active Member
No, a gentle tap on the hinge occasionally to get the bullet to release. Once I figured out the proper alloy temp and casting rhythm the bullets would fall out upon opening the mold. I’ve had my old “small” type Lyman handles for many years but didn’t get them new so I have no idea of the history. I was surprised to see the handles were cast iron.
 

Gary

SE Kansas
I had a similar problem with a Lyman handle, except it was the tip on one side (right across the screw hole) that broke off.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
The metal parts of the mold handle are probably not cast iron. That would be fairly brittle. They are probably cast steel or, more likely, a forging.
The forging that broke likely had a defect from when it was manufactured and the failure was inevitable. It just took a moment of slightly higher stress than normal for that failure to take place.
If you examine the fracture, you may see discoloration which would indicate a long pre-existing crack. Or, you may see a very grainy surface with voids indicating a defect or poor material.
 
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358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
I had a similar problem with a Lyman handle, except it was the tip on one side (right across the screw hole) that broke off.
I've seen Lyman handles break there before. I always assumed in was metal fatigue at a square corner of the relief cut for handle mating, but I just looked at some of my handles, and it appears that the older handles are thicker at that point than the newer ones. Lyman always was very consistent in their inconsistencies. I don't believe they ever had two sequential lots of mould cherries the same either.
 

Walks

Well-Known Member
I've broken Lyman handles too. But back in the late 1970's. They were 2cav of current make bought together. I figure it was a defect in manufacturing. Lyman sent out replacements right away.
Dad said that He had never broken a set. And He'd been casting since the 1920's.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
I don't think I have ever broke a set of handles.
at least I don't remember doing so, I was pretty ham fisted with stuff over the years and managed to break just about everything else I touched.
 

Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
Manufacturing defects happen. Where I work we bought a box full of welding pliers, commonly known as “welpers”. We had four of them turned back in with broken hinge rivets within a month. You could see the crack started when they were manufactured.

Josh
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I have broken and bought & repaired Lyman handles as well as broken and repaired LEE handles.

Always using Mig welding. Its touchy and dependandent upon your exact handles. But all handles are working well For many many bullets cast since.

CW
 

creosote

Well-Known Member
When mine broke, I figured to out smart the drilling process, & use silicon bronze as a filler.
I was sure the bronze was softer since it grinds & sands much easier.
Nope........ The drill bent over and made the hole oblong.
I'll fix it some day. 16037628926251788412553.jpg
 

Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
Bronze alloys can work harden very quickly. You have to have your feed rates just right when drilling holes. About twenty years ago my boss was using the old Buffalo Forge drill press and drilling 5/16” holes in a silicon bronze hand rail. He had work hardened the material because he wasn’t applying enough feed pressure, his solution was to engage the power feed. Seconds later I had a chunk of that 5/16” drill bit sticking out of my hand. Glad it wasn’t stuck in my eye.
Josh
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I drill welded holes regularly. Proper bit steel is key along with speed and feed.

Ya might have been OK if ya had filled the hole completely.
CW
 

creosote

Well-Known Member
That's what I was thinking to.
I'll use a shortened bit also.
I did leave the hole visible. A scribe & center punch will be used too.
When I made templates for the diacro machine, we used a gizmo for centerpunching. It was a metal donut about two inches outside dia. with about 1/2" inside dia. It had a plastic piece that fit snug on the inside with crosshairs that you could line up the scribe lines.
You take the see through piece out and put a center punch in that also fit snug & give it a whack. Wa la. Perfect center punch every time.