As I remember the sprue plates on the Lee molds were prone to getting loose and some what flimsy.
Does any one make heavier duty sprue plate for the Lee molds.
Darn your hides now I'm curious. The question as I see it is...Are Lee molds the piece of crap I remember using many years ago? Or have I focused my defects of character on an innocent product?
Ok guys, tell the program for making a Lee work. I usually clean the molds, any molds with carb cleaner or some other degreaser, then boil the fire out of them in some heavy duty detergent, then boil them in clean water to remove the detergent. Then I let them dry for a day or so.
I'll have to smoke them with a lighter.
So what's next other then bringing them up to temp and pouring hot lead in them.
I use a bottom pour pot.
Jim

Clean 'em, smoke 'em, pre heat 'em and pour in the lead. There's no mystery to it.

You mentioned loose spruce plate which is easily corrected by drilling and tapping for a set screw. Hardware stores will usually have a packaged drill and 10x32 NF tap. A hot plate or electric stove works great for heating the mould. A fine diamond file works good for eliminating burrs also. ben.