No longer a virgin: had some troubles

[fiberoptik]

Well, after having all this stuff, I finally began the journey. Set up my presses, sized a bunch of brass. Last one. I did turns out to be Berdan primed, buggered my die. Also cast up a bunch of .32 &.50 balls along with REALs and modern monies from LEE. Thought I'd try my .32 pb-120 6 banger from the group buy. Managed to cast with it 3 sets, only got to keep 4 bullets. On set 3 the sprue handle snapped off at the handle. Never hit it, only used my hand to cut them. Not happy bout it!
So should I hit up LEE for replacement, r what?

[Tatume]

Sounds like you let the Lee mold get cold, then tried to cut the sprue.

[ubetcha]

one would think that with all the reports on this site and the returns or calls to Lee that they would come up with a better material for the sprue cutter handle. Same as with their molds. It just doesn't want to sink in the heads.

[Tatume]

I have a shoe box full of Lee molds, and have never had the first problem with any of them. Most are six-cavity molds. If the sprue on that big sprue plate gets cold, it requires excessive force to cut. The simple solution is to reheat the sprue; pour some molten lead over it. That's not a design or materials flaw, it's just a fact that six cavities carry a big sprue.

My only complaint about Lee molds is they don't make enough of them. They are of excellent quality and make first-rate bullets at an awesome rate.

[JASON4X4]

I had that happen to mine I didn't cut the sprues fast enough I welded the Handel back together

[captaint]

I don't like new guys starting out with 6 cav Lees. What you need to do is, at first, just fill the 3 cav's closest to the hinge. Do that for, like, 12 pours. Mold should be getting hot now. So - now fill a 4th cav. Let the mold get good and hot - to include the sprue plate. Then try filling all six.
If it's still hard to cut the sprue, back up to 4 cav's for a while. You'll break the handle every time if you try cutting with a mold too cold. Mike

[Jaybees]

Just got my replacement Sprue lever in the mail a couple of days ago. Yes, broke it on a cold mold. Snapped a picture of the broken part w/ my iPad, sent to Lee via email, part arrived 3 days later. In two years, I've had 3 Lee products break, all of which were my fault. Lee replaced all three parts, no questions asked.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Well, after having all this stuff, I finally began the journey. Set up my presses, sized a bunch of brass. Last one. I did turns out to be Berdan primed, buggered my die. Also cast up a bunch of .32 &.50 balls along with REALs and modern monies from LEE. Thought I'd try my .32 pb-120 6 banger from the group buy. Managed to cast with it 3 sets, only got to keep 4 bullets. On set 3 the sprue handle snapped off at the handle. Never hit it, only used my hand to cut them. Not happy bout it!
So should I hit up LEE for replacement, r what?

you've been a member here for 9 years and just started casting yesterday ?
WOW, I thought I had patience !

I read plenty of reports of the breaking of a Lee sprue plate lever, and I think nearly everyone claims they weren't putting any undue pressure on it. I suppose it's possible that Lee let's a few go with 'hidden' flaws...but I doubt it. The only one I broke, I let get too cold and my bicep was flexing like I was at the local Bar in the midst of a Arm wrestling tournament

Take a Photo of the mold pieces with the receipt (date of purchase showing) and attach it to a warrentee request from Lee's Website and Lee will send you a new one within a week...Same with the buggered Die.
Good Luck,
Jon

[Shiloh]

Sounds like you let the Lee mold get cold, then tried to cut the sprue.

I concur. I keep spare sprue levers on hand.

Shiloh

[tazman]

I had one break in the middle of a casting run after about 250 boolits. Everything was hot and running smoothly during the first casting session with that mold when the lever just fell of the mold. No apparent reason.
I took pictures of the broken part and used the link on the Lee site to inform them of the problem. 3 days later I received the new part in the mail.
Excellent service.
That is the only one of the 9 that I have that has broken and I have cast thousands of boolits with them.

[HeavyMetal]

Yep seems newbies get the most trouble but, as tazman points out, some times things just break.

Lee has apparently gotten much better about replacing broken parts, My 6 bangers have been "Lee'mented" and I use a hot plate to get them up to speed before I start casting, which may help as well, never had one of them give me grief.

For the OP get a hotplate put a small steel plate of some type on it and set for just under medium when you turn on your pot, everything should be ready to run when the alloy is ready.

[Pb2au]

Lee made good on mine. I was about 20 throws into a run and the durn thing just snapped. Took some pics, made a service ticket with Lee and had a new arm pretty quick.
So yeah, let them know and they will replace it.

[rhead]

keep a few extras on hand to avoid the down time.

[alamogunr]

I've got a bunch of Lee 6 cavity molds, most from GB's over the years. I used to store them in the original boxes but it took up so much room that I removed the sprue handles and store the molds in plastic food storage boxes. I could break a dozen sprue handles and still have plenty, although I've yet to break even one.