Lee Auto Disk Leaking - Stop! Auto disk mods/tweaks. 

#7 is very bad about leaking out as well.... So bad, that I almost decided to stop using it in 45acp until I found this video, Plan on trying these tricks this week. Thanks for this post!

Great video, thanks. I have a couple of the new auto disks with the stupid chain. They don't get used. I have several of the older ones with the big spring. Bloody brilliant. Two have been in continual use since 1981.

Very fine video - I liked it - the powder leakage solution is especially good…Thanks for this info...

Jim Thanks for the great ideas!! Powder leakage is the problem I had with my Lee 1000 about 20 years ago and got rid of the whole thing because of it. I might try using Lee's presses again after seeing your video. The powder you were referring to is a ball powder which is what I was using in the 1000, (Win 296 and Win 748}. It's a shame MAPP is no longer available in the US, since 2008 MAPP gas is no longer made...I loved using it with oxygen for heat treating and silver soldering gun parts. There is a new product out called MAPP but it's not really MAPP gas. ( In the spring of 2008, true MAPP gas production ended in North America when production was discontinued at the only remaining plant in North America that still manufactured it. Current products labeled "MAPP" are, in fact, MAPP substitutes. These versions are stabilized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with high levels of propylene ) ::source:: Wikipedia Thanks again for the neat ideas!!!

I just tried this with some sand paper. I laid it out on a flat table and placed the unit flat and moved it clock wised until I got the desired clearance with the disk. Great tip and thank you for sharing!

Thank you so much for this video. I never used my auto disk because of the leaking. Now I love using it and it saves so much time!

Thank you, excellent video. I'm going to try and stop my leaks.

Grate idea I'm going to try it cfe 223 powder leeks out of mine.thank you for the information

I used a digital caliper measured the ears where the hopper sits on, so I had a base start measurement on each side and then just use a light not aggressive cross-cut file to work on the ears. Then checked and I compare each side and how much material was removed. I checked it all the way down (across) the ear for level plaining (flatness) and removal of material. Once I thought I was close to a final fit I used fine sand paper to smoother finish and feeler gauge to get a final fit. Just make sure the hopper bottom is laying flat on the powder disk. By using the caliper measurements you eliminated the uneven chances of having one side higher, tipping forward or backwards and then having a uneven bottom and leaking hopper at the disk. Also make sure the disk is flat, use some flat edge like a straight edge or steel rule and see if you see air gaps under your straight edge with a bright flashlight. may have to use a piece of glass and sand paper to sand flat tougher on the side with ears to lock 2 disk together. Mine where warped from holes being punched and hang up some powder, so I clipped and sanded ears off the disks. Finished flat sand both sides lightly and used some drops of clear silicone to stick the double disk together with coupe of small clamps to allow the silicone to setup. I didn't go crazy as I may want to unbond double disk, which is easy with some solvent and slight soaking time. While I was looking my base was slightly warped in the center behind the hole punched or machined in the base. So undo the springs and turn the level out of the way. Then get a flat straight edge to measure base for flatness. Use a thick steel and sand paper or a wide knife sharping stone and sand paper the stone on glass or flat steel to make sure its flat. Want to make sure your sharping stone or flat thick steel covers the whole wide base portion at 1 pass. So it will be plained level. Then begin slowly running the base or steel / stone across to plain the base. A little goes along ways. Just plain straight across until shiny across base. Check multiple times, where disk sits and no dull spots. Check disk and then reassemble. This whole operation will take you less then 30 - 45 minutes to do, once you have all the tools ready. You can find clear silicone, feeler gauges and digital caliper at your local auto parts store cheaply. Cross-cut file, Stone and glass hardware store. Enjoy and keep loading

Thnks for the great mod for leaking powder. I load .357 mag with W296 and my lee auto disk leaked bad with this powder. All good now . Cheers.

That's a great idea, thanks

Thank you for that great info I really appreciate that sir thank you so much I’m going to do the sand paper trick

try leveling the metal slid where the disk sit (they are not flat out of the box

Matthew, Good question. You would be increasing the clearance between the hopper and the disk cavity at the same time if you did as you suggest ande not shrinking the distance - unless you just sanded the very part of the plastic hopper on each side where it meets the metal base. To me there is no accurate way to do that. With a file or sandpaper going acraoss the aluminum base, you can contoll the pressure on each side at the same time and just go a few strokes at a time and check the progress. The same amount of removed occurs at the same time on each side of the metal base. Also, plastic doesn't sand real well in my opinion. It gets warm and doesn't give real smooth results. There is more than one way to do this. Try it and see how it works for you. Thanks.

Why dont you just get an auto disk update kit?

Nice. You got me curious about grease recipe. Is good as commercial lube for brass? Don't get brass stuck in die?

The problem is the ears on the hopper Get wallerd out and Bust to pieces in no time. The new auto drum is the way to go, it’s a steal at 35 bucks

Great video but why not just sand the plastic hopper bottom? Not only would this be quicker but if you did go to far a new hopper is a lot cheaper than a hole new unit.