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How do you correctly pour a Lee 6 cavity mold?
- Thread starter G1R2
- Start date
Wow! Short answer is "quickly and carefully". I'll assume you have cleaned and lubed the mould properly. I use a bottom pour furnace and start by preheating the mould on top of the furnace and later by sticking a corner into the melt to check the mould temp. I begin by pouring into alternate holes to further preheat the moulds. Until the moulds heat up I open the sprue plate, dump the bullets and refill the cavities as quickly as possible. Every mould seems to have a preferred alloy, pour temp, mould temp and casting cadence. Only experimenting will help you discover your moulds' "happy place" but doing so will produce awesome bullets.
In general I've found that my Lee 6-holers like to run hot and fast and many issues can be solved by either increasing pour temp, mould temp, cadence or all the above. Sometimes increasing tin content helps as well. Moulds with larger cavities can eventually overheat but a few seconds on a damp towel will cool them down nicely.
In general I've found that my Lee 6-holers like to run hot and fast and many issues can be solved by either increasing pour temp, mould temp, cadence or all the above. Sometimes increasing tin content helps as well. Moulds with larger cavities can eventually overheat but a few seconds on a damp towel will cool them down nicely.
To be more specific
1) Where do you start filling the 6 cavities?
a. doesn't make any difference.
b. always start at the hole closest to the handles.
c. always start at the hole furthest from the handles.
d. alternate the holes beginning where?
2) What's the ideal distance, in inches, of the cavities from the pour spout.
3) Do you pour dead-center into the cavities or off to one side?
4) Do you keep the mold as steady as possible or can you shake it a bit.
Just to stimulate your imagination.
1) Where do you start filling the 6 cavities?
a. doesn't make any difference.
b. always start at the hole closest to the handles.
c. always start at the hole furthest from the handles.
d. alternate the holes beginning where?
2) What's the ideal distance, in inches, of the cavities from the pour spout.
3) Do you pour dead-center into the cavities or off to one side?
4) Do you keep the mold as steady as possible or can you shake it a bit.
Just to stimulate your imagination.
Best answer for #1 is probably "a" but I start with the hole furthest from the handles. For preheating I'll pour holes 1, 3, and 5 and pour the even # holes in the next pour.
Distance from the spout varies but it seems .5 to .75" works for most moulds.
I pour as close to the center of the sprue hole as my middle-aged eyes allow.
I keep the moulds as steady as possible.
Imagination has little to do with it, it's more about experimentation.
Distance from the spout varies but it seems .5 to .75" works for most moulds.
I pour as close to the center of the sprue hole as my middle-aged eyes allow.
I keep the moulds as steady as possible.
Imagination has little to do with it, it's more about experimentation.
1) Where do you start filling the 6 cavities?
a. doesn't make any difference.
b. always start at the hole closest to the handles.
c. always start at the hole furthest from the handles.
d. alternate the holes beginning where?
I usually switch between one end to the other as I pour on about every third or so pour. This usually helps keep the mold at a more even temp. Pick an end and go for it
2) What's the ideal distance, in inches, of the cavities from the pour spout.
I usually try for between 1/2 and 34" or so like mentioned above. It also depends on how big of a bullet I am pouring and how much I have the spout adjusted to. Smaller bullets (160'ish grain) about half of the full adjustment, bigger ones (250'ish and up) full open.
3) Do you pour dead-center into the cavities or off to one side?
This is something you will have to play with, but for the most part I start of in the center and go from there. I have a couple that like to be tilted and hit on the rim so the alloy swirls in and some it don't matter.
4) Do you keep the mold as steady as possible or can you shake it a bit.
I always set my molds on something. I raised my pot up years ago to enable me to pour long surf weights, and in doing so I had to improvise my rest to keep my molds close to the spout. I use several pieces of aluminum to accomplish this such as 2x2 square tubing, 1/4", and 1/2" flat bar, and a piece of 4" aluminum channel. Depending on which mold I am using and how I stack, I can put the sprue plate as close as touching the spout as I want.
I highly suggest picking up a cheap hot plate for preheating your molds as well as a lead thermometer. What you will find with the Lee molds is they like to be within a range for best production of good bullets. Either side you will get wrinkles or frosted. The frosted isn't bad if you can handle the looks. However it can effect the end size they come out at.
Lastly don't get caught up in "smoking" your mold either. A good scrubbing with Comet or Bon Ami will go much further. When you DO scrub it out use a stiff bristle tooth brush, and use the hot tap water as hot as you can stand holding the mold halves under. This will open the pores up and alloy the cutting oils to release. After doing this it also helps to heat the mold on your hotplate a couple of times ahead of actually casting. After heating up to around 300 degrees simply turn the hot plate off and let the mold cool there. After a couple of times scrub it out once more before casting or wash it out with some spray brake cleaner to remove any remaining oils which might have migrated out of the pores. After going a little further in the mold prep you will find it will cast great bullets right form the start. Aluminum is porous and will absorb the cutting oils and sometimes it has taken me 3-5 sessions to get them working great. It's just easier to not waste the time with picking through all of the bullets from the get go.
To be more specific
1) Where do you start filling the 6 cavities?
a. doesn't make any difference.
b. always start at the hole closest to the handles.
c. always start at the hole furthest from the handles.
d. alternate the holes beginning where?
2) What's the ideal distance, in inches, of the cavities from the pour spout.
3) Do you pour dead-center into the cavities or off to one side?
4) Do you keep the mold as steady as possible or can you shake it a bit.
Just to stimulate your imagination.
Still not enough info, which furnace do you have, what WAS the lead you're using?
Since you're asking about spouts, I ass u me it's a bottom pour pot. As for which end, it doesn't matter a lot, whatever floats your boat. I usually pour from the back forward, pulling the mold towards me. If my timing is off a bit, then the overflow simply goes off the end of the mold. By that I mean if I don't stop the flow in time.
I do NOT hit each hole separately, I open the valve and keep it open as I draw the mold towards me. That means the lead is simply flowing into the cavities. I form a solid sprue that overfills the holes 400% for a lot of lead for the bullet to draw from as it solidifies.
Again, ASS-um-ing you're talking about a pistol caliber????¿¿¿¿ Which one? Or is it a rifle bullet?¿
Oh, and don't jiggle a mold,,,---EVER! Vibration will result in out-of-round bullets, round bases and other imperfections.
Come up with more details, we'll talk further.
Last edited by a moderator:
David Bachelder
New member
My procedure:
1) Where do you start filling the 6 cavities?
a. doesn't make any difference.
c. always start at the hole furthest from the handles.
2) What's the ideal distance, in inches, of the cavities from the pour spout.
.5 to .75 inches. I pour from a ladle a lot too. I'm a switch hitter.
3) Do you pour dead-center into the cavities or off to one side?
As close to center as I can guess.
4) Do you keep the mold as steady as possible or can you shake it a bit.
As steady as I can, never thought about vibrating, doubt that I'd do it.
From what I've seen, temperature is the main thing. Too hot and you get frosty bullets, too cold you get wrinkles. I seem to cast well between 650 and 750 F. Get and use a thermometer, best advice you'll ever get. Another good piece of advice is to get a hot plate and preheat your molds.
1) Where do you start filling the 6 cavities?
a. doesn't make any difference.
c. always start at the hole furthest from the handles.
2) What's the ideal distance, in inches, of the cavities from the pour spout.
.5 to .75 inches. I pour from a ladle a lot too. I'm a switch hitter.
3) Do you pour dead-center into the cavities or off to one side?
As close to center as I can guess.
4) Do you keep the mold as steady as possible or can you shake it a bit.
As steady as I can, never thought about vibrating, doubt that I'd do it.
From what I've seen, temperature is the main thing. Too hot and you get frosty bullets, too cold you get wrinkles. I seem to cast well between 650 and 750 F. Get and use a thermometer, best advice you'll ever get. Another good piece of advice is to get a hot plate and preheat your molds.
Good advice so far , the only thing I can add is I preheat on a hotplate & even then I start at the furtherest from the handle only fillin 2 holes at the time for a few casts eventually gettin the all six to temp.
& make SHORE the sprue handle is in it`s full closed position before pouring !
& make SHORE the sprue handle is in it`s full closed position before pouring !
The caliber - pistol boolits in .32, .380, 9mm and .38.
The lead - simple ww material.
The pot - Lee bottom pour #20.
Also check with NOE Molds and see if there are any of the lead thermometers in stock if so pick one up. It will come in handy, and his prices are about the best around. you probably don't need the digital mold thermometer unless your just overly OCD about your stuff. I got one and it was a great help when I first started out, and I use it occasionally to monitor a mold on the hot plate to see about what setting it needs to be to start off pouring keepers. Knowing what I know now however I would just stick to the basics and learn how they work.
With the above listed molds, your going to want to pour hot and fast to keep the temp in your molds up. Small holes don't carry the heat as well as big holes like with a 45 caliber 250'ish grain would. Once you have your thermometer, try and keep your pot in the 675 - 700'ish degree range, and be sure to pre heat your mold on a hot plate to get it up to temp. Otherwise it's going to take a while pouring one or two holes at a time to heat up the whole thing.
Don't smelt your raw wheel weights in your casting pot. This will induce all sorts of junk you don't want in there. Pick you up a SS or cast iron pot from Wally world just make sure it has heavy walls and bottom. Smelt your weights in small batches and make sure you keep the zinc ones out. They will contaminate your alloy big time.
Also if you start off polishing up the seat and point of the stem with some valve grinding compound you will be miles ahead with the drip-o-matic. I know I have one. It only takes a half hour or so to get it nice and lapped in, and it will stay that way for a long time. If and when it does start to drip it only takes a bit of fine steel wool to polish it right back up.
Just a few things that will help you in the long run. It might not all be necessary, but it sure is nice once you do it.
shastaboat
Moderator
I use a mold rest and start at the closest hole to the handles and pull the mold foreward using a bottom pour. I adjust the mold rest to allow about 3/16" space above the mold spue cutter. One continuous pour....leaves a nice spue cut off.