Another annealing thread....

[Atomic_Cowboy]

Okay, somebody call me out on this.

I have at my disposal a heat treating oven. If I were to put the cases in a pan 2/3 submerged in water for 15 min, or however long required so long as sufficient water was still in the pan, to anneal the brass.

The point is if there is still water in the pan the case head never exceed 212 F,much lower than the "critical" 482 F where things start to happen).

I ran a quick test in my home oven on some old cases at 500 F and the water wasn't boiling after 20 min.

I am referencing the temperatures foundhere.

I can't figure out what is wrong with this method. If you know something I don't please...

I know there maybe ea$ier or quicker methods but I don't see how any of them could be more uniform than this.

Thanks,
DG

 

[memilanuk]

Try putting some Tempilaq on the case necks and see if it changes.

I'm betting that just like the water isn't boiling after 20 minutes, your case necks aren't going to be @ the required temp in much less time than it takes to boil the water... since it's going to be acting as a heat sink.

 

[Atomic_Cowboy]

I'll bet you're right!!!

 

[Winchester69]

...the "critical" 482 F where things start to happen.

The "critical temp" is a lot closer to 670 F.
.

 

[Atomic_Cowboy]

Brass which has been "work hardened",sometimes referred to as "cold worked") is unaffected by temperatures,Fahrenheit) up to 482 degrees,F) regardless of the time it is left at this temperature. At about 495 degrees,F) some changes in grain structure begins to occur, although the brass remains about as hard as before--it would take a laboratory analysis to see the changes that take place at this temperature.

The change may be subtle but I want to error on the side of caution.

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