Salt bath annealing....how do you get that cooled salt puck out?

[done111]

I just started salt bath annealing and like the process quite a bit, particularly for the amount of money I have in it vs. how much temperature control there is.

Question to anyone doing this as well with the Lee pot.....how do you get that dang salt puck out after it cools. It shrinks some but not enough to come out, even with banging it upside down. Figured there is probably a good trick to get it out of there.

Thanks,
Don

 

[steveiet]

I have taken mine out before, it usually pops out , but the last time I used it ,I left it in the pot , I take the temp gauge out...and left the white puck there...Steve

 

[Toolbreaker]

If you just need the pot freed up, a clean, unplated/uncoated bolt that's a few inches longer than the pot is deep could be set in the pot head-down after turning the pot off. After the salt cools & solidifies, you'll have a handle to get hold of & pop it free.

 

[done111]

If you just need the pot freed up, a clean, unplated/uncoated bolt that's a few inches longer than the pot is deep could be set in the pot head-down after turning the pot off. After the salt cools & solidifies, you'll have a handle to get hold of & pop it free.

Not a bad idea. i guess i would store it with the bolt inside the puck. When heating back up I could grab it with a pliers once it all goes liquid again.

I am storing the "puck" in the container the salt came in and it might be a little too tall with a bolt in it depending on what bolt I find.

I guess some people are storing the salt in the pot and not taking it out. I was concerned about moisture and/or corrosion by doing that but maybe I'm way off there.

Don

 

[smokinghole]

Not a bad idea. i guess i would store it with the bolt inside the puck. When heating back up I could grab it with a pliers once it all goes liquid again.

I am storing the "puck" in the container the salt came in and it might be a little too tall with a bolt in it depending on what bolt I find.

I guess some people are storing the salt in the pot and not taking it out. I was concerned about moisture and/or corrosion by doing that but maybe I'm way off there.

Don

I suspect there isn't much moisture after a long duration at 500C.

 

[done111]

I agree on driving out moisture, LOL. Just as long it isn't splattering salt while it does that. i guess since it starts cold and climbs to 500+C, it should drive moisture off sometime before it gets to the higher temps where it would be violent.

 

[smokinghole]

I'm actually all set up except for a case holder. I bought a cheap piece of stainless to cut with a hole saw, but as you know, stainless is a bitch to drill and cut. So my cheapie hole saw met the stainless and immediately ended up with flattened teeth. I need to call my welder/fabricator friend and see if he has something good to cut some discs from the piece I have.

 

[done111]

I'm actually all set up except for a case holder. I bought a cheap piece of stainless to cut with a hole saw, but as you know, stainless is a bitch to drill and cut. So my cheapie hole saw met the stainless and immediately ended up with flattened teeth. I need to call my welder/fabricator friend and see if he has something good to cut some discs from the piece I have.

I really like the quality of the unit that Ballistic Recreations builds. Much better than I thought it would be. You might wanna pick one of theirs up.

 

[smokinghole]

I really like the quality of the unit that Ballistic Recreations builds. Much better than I thought it would be. You might wanna pick one of theirs up.

Does the standard fit the cases with the .550 case heads? I suppose I could drill it out if not, I don't want just a single.

 

[done111]

Does the standard fit the cases with the .550 case heads? I suppose I could drill it out if not, I don't want just a single.

I believe the reason to just have one hole with larger brass is to keep the salt bath from dropping in temperature too quickly. I suppose a person could anneal two large cases at the same time, but you might have to wait more often for the salt bath to temperature recover before dropping more brass in.

 

[Terry]

I'm always trying to learn. Please tell me why I would place my brass into a corrosive material like salt.

 

[MN50Shooter]

I just annealed my first test cases (50 BMG) with the salt bath method. I'm hooked, because of the consistency. After the salt cooled back to a solid, but not totally cool, I set it outside the shop in 20°F and after just a few minutes, it easily dropped out of the pot. I'm storing it in the jar the salt came in. I bought my kit from BR, with the One hole case holder for my 50's and a 2 hole, for my smaller calibers.

I will say that I agree using 1-hole for the bigger cases, as even doing one at a time, slowly drops the temp (I use 550C @ 8 Seconds). I stopped when it dropped to 540C and it only took about 5 minutes to come back up to temp. I used that time to remove the cases I cooled in water and set them aside, waiting to be dried.

I even convinced my buddy, who's been reloading and annealing for close to 40 yrs, that this salt bath method gives great consistency, case to case. Both of us were using a hand held torch and a small motor, with a homemade adapter to spin the brass. The salt batch beats it hands down IMO.

I had bought many of the parts to build the "Build your own" annealer that utilized a cake pan and torch method. Anyone looking to go that way, PM me and I might be able to make you a deal on the parts/case I have.

 

[smokinghole]

I will say that I agree using 1-hole for the bigger cases, as even doing one at a time, slowly drops the temp (I use 550C @ 8 Seconds). I stopped when it dropped to 540C and it only took about 5 minutes to come back up to temp. I used that time to remove the cases I cooled in water and set them aside, waiting to be dried.

I didn't think it'd have that much of an impact interesting. I'm going to be doing 7SAUM cases and 65creedmoor cases primarily.

I wonder if you can set the melter to warm up to 550, and then set it to heat higher once you start working allowing you to maintain temp while removing heat with the cases. It's what I do when I fry turkeys, get oil to 375 drop in the bird and crank the propane burner to max until the bird stops soaking up the heat then I trim back to maintain ~360 temp.

I already have the hardware so maybe I'll take some time with a Dremel and a cutoff wheel to see how it'll do. I already have everything and I have a ton cutoff wheels. I can clean it up on the bench grinder at work

 

[Texas10]

I have the two hole baffle/holder and it's too small for 338 LM. So I just dip the case into the bath using pliers. About 8 seconds works well. It does chill the salt bath, so its all a matter of timing and watching the temps. My Lee melter will not hold temp well. Have to constantly adjust the thermostat but it it is so much easier than the torch method.

Salt puck just taps out for me. Never was a problem. I store it in the original jar but I think you're right about moisture being boiled out as it heats, so storing it in the pot is prolly not an issue, however corrosion of the aluminum pot liner/holder is indeed an issue.

When I have to buy another pot, I think I'll Cerekote the pot before using the first time to keep the corrosion at bay.

 

[Texas10]

I'm always trying to learn. Please tell me why I would place my brass into a corrosive material like salt.

Salt, by itself is not corrosive. It's when it's in low concentrations and combined with moisture that metals will react. For instance, a little salt combined with water will rust steel immediately. But higher concentrations at elevated temps is a great cleaner/de-scaler for steel.
http://m.rxmarine.com/node/83345


Brass cases dipped in 1000 degree F salt come out cleaner. Dropping the hot case into a bucket of water washes any salt residue out of the case. From there you can dry and load, or tumble for that shiny look but it will remove the annealing color.

I prefer to size, SS pin tumble, then anneal.

 

[rijndael]

I prefer to size, SS pin tumble, then anneal.

Is there any neck size difference after annealing? I've always sized after annealing.

 

[Webster]

I suspect there isn't much moisture after a long duration at 500C.

It will attract moisture from the humidity in the air. How about pouring it into a cheap aluminum pan. Maybe line the container with aluminum foil. It would have to be a shape so you could put it back in the pot. Maybe break it into pieces with a hammer. My Lyman lead ingot mold is a good size to make small bricks. Water will dissolve and wash out what's left in the pot.

 

[Texas10]

Is there any neck size difference after annealing? I've always sized after annealing.

I have not measured any change in dimension however, there is a noticeable change in seating pressure. Less pressure is required to seat into annealed (or more correctly stated, stress relieved) brass. True annealing returns brass to its dead soft state, a place you never want to be with cartridge brass.

By full length sizing after annealing, what you are doing is stress hardening your brass before seating, and that may work best for your particular load. FWIW, if you FL size with a typical expander ball, you are twice work hardening your brass after annealing. If you're using a bushing die, you are work hardening your brass only once, and there should be a measurable degree of spring back in the necks between the two methods.

If what you are doing is repeatable, consistent and works well, your ES and SD numbers will reflect that, as will your bullet placement.

But this is just my opinion, a guy who does not shoot competitively. YMMV.

 

[rijndael]

FWIW, if you FL size with a typical expander ball, you are twice work hardening your brass after annealing. If you're using a bushing die, you are work hardening your brass only once, and there should be a measurable degree of spring back in the necks between the two methods.

I agree that the seating pressure is far less with annealed brass. I'm using a honed FL Forster die; there's about .0025" of neck tension without the ball, the ball just barely touches the inside of the neck.

 

[smokinghole]

Wasn't that bad once I put my mind to it.