Lee 90692

One of the risks of blogging is the temptation to just talk about the good stuff.  After a while, the blogger might even start to believe that they are infallible. 

Ordering over the Internet

Mrs ERJ is a bit gun-shy about ordering items over the internet.  The item, when it shows up, often does not look like the picture.

I, on the other hand, am fearless when it comes to ordering items from the internet.  That bit me this week.

I went to a well known seller of "gun" items and placed my order.  My order showed up in the mail and it is not what I thought I had ordered.  Instead, it was an item from my wish list.

158 grain, round nose, flat point .358", six cavity mold.

Not one to curse my fate, I dug around the garage until I found my Lee Production Pot.  The cord had been mangled and the crucible had been knocked askew.  I repaired the cord and did a very short trial run.

More tweaking is required.  One issue with the LPP is that it relies on gravity to seat the needle into the orifice.  It relies on the weight of the needle to create the force needed.  Sadly, the needle is made of steel and it wants to float when the crucible is full.  Add a little bit of rust or roughness to the hinge and the needle will not seat and the caster finds himself in need of two sets of "Depends".  One for the orifice in the bottom of the crucible.  The other for himself.  Those involuntary muscles have a mind of their own when 900 degree molten lead is racing across the table unerringly seeking one's most sensitive body parts.

The game plan is to use a large radiator clamp to un-askew the crucible and to find a short, tension spring to add more force to the needle valve.

Expect reports to follow.