Annealing question

[Keith Glasscock]

I'm new to precision annealing.

I annealed some Winchester cases with my new annealing machine (a Rube Goldberg device of the best kind). The process left a very light blue across the entire shoulder and ended just below the body-shoulder junction. The neck became a bit more coppery colored (darker gold).

After getting that done, I resized them and threw them into the tumbler with corncob media to get the lube off. I forgot to pull them out when I intended to and relly polished them up good. The artifacts (coloring) of the annealing all but disappeared.

Did I under-anneal them? The necks sized with very equal pressures that were quite different (easier) than the work-hardened brethren. They also definately sprung back after sizing like they should, so I think I didn't do too much. Is there a good test other than etching and microscoping them?

Thanks,
Keith

 

[thefitter]

I anneal by hand one at a time and I clean in SS media afterwards. You can not see any colors after cleaning.

 

[Scott Harris]

No, you didn't under anneal them. If you tumble them enough, the visible stains disappear. Once I tumble my annealed brass in stainless media, most of the annealing marks are gone. But the Softer annealed brass is still apparent when I size it.

 

[markm87]

Read this article. I just read it yesterday.

http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html

 

[Martin52]

I anneal by hand one at a time and I clean in SS media afterwards. You can not see any colors after cleaning.

How many seconds do you keep your case in the flame ?
I too anneal by hand, I hold the case in a 13mm socket chucked in a a slow rpm drill.
I regularly re-check using Tempilaq on the case body and it seems 6 to 7 seconds is about right for 308 Lapua brass. The case neck does not go dull red, even in the dark.

Martin

 

[Erik Cortina]

I anneal by hand one at a time and I clean in SS media afterwards. You can not see any colors after cleaning.

You are doing it backwards. You are supposed to clean first and then anneal.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I anneal by hand one at a time and I clean in SS media afterwards. You can not see any colors after cleaning.

You are doing it backwards. You are supposed to clean first and then anneal.

Agreed, the carbon on the neck can get baked on good if you anneal with it there... It also (on my test cases) showed differing coloration under the carbon. I think it might be insulating part of the neck from the heat and negatively impacting the quality of the annealing job.

I clean first, then anneal, then size, then clean again because I hate having to wipe the lube off the cases...

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I anneal by hand one at a time and I clean in SS media afterwards. You can not see any colors after cleaning.

How many seconds do you keep your case in the flame ?
I too anneal by hand, I hold the case in a 13mm socket chucked in a a slow rpm drill.
I regularly re-check using Tempilaq on the case body and it seems 6 to 7 seconds is about right for 308 Lapua brass. The case neck does not go dull red, even in the dark.

Martin

Martin, I have another post here that links to a youtube video of my Rube Goldberg device running during testing. http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php/topic,3772465.0.html

The cases are in the flame about 5.5 seconds with the dark blue tip of the flame touching the neck. They quench in a bucket of water.

I gave up on hand annealing long ago - I'm not consistent enough to get it right on half the cases.

 

[lurcher]

Nice annealer after seeing yours a few days ago I had an electronics-savvy friend make me an adjustable one shot timer using a 555 chip for my home made annealing jig.

 

[thefitter]

I anneal by hand one at a time and I clean in SS media afterwards. You can not see any colors after cleaning.

You are doing it backwards. You are supposed to clean first and then anneal.

Actually no I'm not. That is my SECOND cleaning to get sizing lube and trimming particles off.

 

[markm87]

I'm getting more experience on hand annealing. The more I do it the more consistency I'm starting to see.

 

[lpreddick]

annealing leaves ?oxidized brass residue on and in the neck that i remove(fine steel wool on outside and nylon brush spinning inside the neck), BEFORE bushing neck sizing or fl sizing with an expander.