Annealing machine project

[LRTom]

I'm in the process of making an annealing machine similar to Ken Light's as a home project. My question to someone out there who has one is what makes the cases rotate? I have some ideas but would like to verify how he does it. Any help?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[pdog2225]

The part below the rotating shell plate where the rim of the case head rides is angled inward,down). That is it is lower at the inside than the outside. This has a piece of fine grain peel and stick sandpaper on it. Thus only a small portion of the outer rim of the case head makes contact and as the shell plate turns this rotates the case.

Have you seen the video on the 6mmBR.com site? It is quite similar.

pdog2225

 

[LRTom]

Thanks, pretty much what I figured except for the sandpaper.

Tom

 

[mrpistol]

I took an old record player that I found in my neighbors garbage an ground down the little metal stud in the middle and have a 2' metal cup velcroed to the center,filled with water just to cover part of the shoulder on my 6br brass,set rpm to 33 fire up the torch and as brass rotates I heat till it changes color and knock the brass over in the water. Its simple and it works,didnt cost any thing but good luck finding a record player, most people now adays dont know what one is.

 

[BoydAllen]

Your record player got me to thinking. If someone doesn't want to have to grind down the center stud, he could make a spacer out a scrap of plywood, that is thicker than the stud is high. It would be set on the turntable like a thick record.

 

[mrpistol]

Either way there is no cost involved. Thats what makes it so darn simple yet it works 100%

 

[Webster]

The part below the rotating shell plate where the rim of the case head rides is angled inward,down). That is it is lower at the inside than the outside. This has a piece of fine grain peel and stick sandpaper on it. Thus only a small portion of the outer rim of the case head makes contact and as the shell plate turns this rotates the case.

Have you seen the video on the 6mmBR.com site? It is quite similar.

pdog2225

I used to cast bullets and sinkers. I have an old Lee lead melting pot. They doesn't cost a lot. I turn it up on high and after the lead has melted for about 10 minutes. I put deprimed cases in the molten lead for a count of ten and let the cases air cool. I don't know what the temperature is. If I was worried about it I could by a handheld infared pyrometer at Hardbor Freight for about $20-30. The bullets seat with less pressure so annealing has taken place. I don't think the Lee melting pot is tempurature regulated. High means the heating coils are running wide open? The problem with a torch is that you can reach excesive temperatures. With a torch a water quench is probably a good idea to limit how far from the neck ges heated. By the time you get it in the water the shoulder is probably already anneaded. I would be afraid of annealing the shoulder area with a torch. I will look for a chart at work for a tempering chart. Time vs temp and how the hardness changes. There is enough powder residue on the neck that lead doesn.t stick. If I steel wool the neck o.d. I get a little sticking it usually wipes of with my finger or one twint with fine steel wool. I hold two cases at aa time in my hand. It's hard to hold the cases more than ten seconds because the heat comes up the case. After doing about te cases I pause for about five minutes for the lead to rise in temp. The brass pulls heat out.

 

[mrpistol]

Hello
This is in response to the individual that is annealing cases by submerging them in molten lead.I myself dont know the temp but you just want to anneal the case necks because if you annealing the entire case you could be causing a very dangerous situation for your self. If your making the entire case soft you stand the chance of blowing primers and your brass flowing back around extractors and ejectors.

 

[Webster]

Hello
This is in response to the individual that is annealing cases by submerging them in molten lead.I myself dont know the temp but you just want to anneal the case necks because if you annealing the entire case you could be causing a very dangerous situation for your self. If your making the entire case soft you stand the chance of blowing primers and your brass flowing back around extractors and ejectors.

 

[Webster]

Pardon all of the typos. I hold the case in my fingers at about mid-length of the case. I only immerge the neck in the lead.

I would guess that the factory uses the flame automated method. I have bought new factory cases with discoloration on the neck that I thought looked like flame hardening based on the coloration pattern on the neck and upper shoulder. I like the lead bath because I can anneal each case the same amount. The lead is probably no more than 600-700F. With a torch you are probably annealing each case for a different time and temperature. I can anneal 100 cases in lead in an hour. Glowing red with a torch is extremely hot for brass. I don't know what the consequences are of annealing to dead soft. Annealing to different hardness levels affects the tension retaining grip on the bullet. I guess I am not annealing as much as some people do. The higher tin content in the lead would increase the tendency for sticking. Wheel weights have very little tin content.

 

[NORZ]

I anneal my .308 Lapua cases after every shot with a blow torch. In a darkened room with the torch being the only major source of light, i heat the necks until dark red and throw them into a bucket of water. They end up with dark a discoloration about 1/3 of case length. The necks are very soft and are easily deformed and do not have any, or very little spring back. This has not given me any noticeable problems with the case over-softening. This process has been applied to the cases for 10 times or more and like I said there are no ill affects showing as of now, even with experimental loads well over MAX pressure. The primer are still really stiff and I have never had to trim them. The cases have not stretched over 71.11 millimeters after countless loads.

I rotate the cases slowly in a power tool, sitting in a suitable socket.

Notice. THIS ONLY MY EXPERIENCE WITH LAPUA CASES. THE HEAT INTENSITY OF THE FLAME CONE, AND TIME SPENT IN THE FLAME CONE IS WHAT I HAVE FOUND SUITABLE IN MY SITUATION AND MIGHT NOT APPLY TO OTHERS AND OTHER VARIABLES!!!!!!!