Brass services, is there a need or wants?

[tillroot1]

Folks,

For some time now I have been thinking of the idea of offereing up brass services, I have based that thought off my own needs and figured that it may be a means of helping others out and offsetting the costs of equipment needed. I am wondering if you wouldnt mind sharing your thought or needs and wants if such services were available? anything from annealing to turning necks, brass prep, trimming, cleaning, whatever would be requested.

I appreciate anyone who has time and the desire to reply. Happy New Years to all!

 

[WSnyder]

Didn’t DJ’s brass service recently cut back and quit taking new customers? I think he shut down his website. If so maybe there’s a need for what he offered. He started out offering hydro forming but I believe he expanded to full brass prep.

 

[TC260]

Didn’t DJ’s brass service recently cut back and quit taking new customers? I think he shut down his website. If so maybe there’s a need for what he offered. He started out offering hydro forming but I believe he expanded to full brass prep.

Out of curiosity, did he close the doors or just stop taking new orders?

 

[sksshooter]

i've been curious if there was anyone who offered this type of service. i thought about asking if anyone did anneal for others as a service. However once i started considering shipping there and back plus the fee of performing the work i figured it would be a fairly costly process and a few instances would likely cover the cost of just purchasing my own annealer. seems like it would be difficult to drum up business with those taken into consideration.

 

[jackieschmidt]

The problem with a service such as this is that it is very labor intensive. I think you would find yourself working for sub minimum wage considering all of the time and effort.

It’s like custom bullet making. I make my own 68 grn 6mm and 112 30 caliber Bullets. I cannot imagine doing that on a paying basis.

My hats off to the men that do.

I think that in ancient Egypt, when the Pharaoh got ready for a big Benchrest Match,, he had slaves making his bullets and prepping his brass.

 

[WSnyder]

Out of curiosity, did he close the doors or just stop taking new orders?

I vaguely remember him posting a notice of shutting down and only taking care of current customers. I’ll bet a search with his user name would dig it up.

 

[Ranger188]

I'm pretty sure @Dave M. does annealing.
It's not a money making hobby.

 

[Lance21]

I've got an amp annealer with Aztec. I'd be willing to anneal for anybody. If I don't have the pilot you need, either buy the pilot and send it with brass or pay me for the pilot and your 1st 200 pcs are free. How's $15 per hundred sound? Shipping back is on you. Give me your opinions please.

 

[JMayo]

@P1ZombieKiller
Does a great job.

 

[Black Sheep]

I have been trying to find the going rates for neck turning but haven't had any luck.

 

[Bill Norris]

I have been trying to find the going rates for neck turning but haven't had any luck.

That one may be a hard one to come by. Turning brass is labor intense and would be difficult to get what it's worth in my opinion.

 

[PA Jeep]

Bruno is charging $3 per ppc case, which includes the case purchase in the price.......

 

[wwbrown]

What are the liability issues with processing brass?

 

[Bronsin]

I do it for myself out of necessity. You couldn't pay me enough to make it worth my time to do it for someone else. I've been down the road of trying to make money at a hobby and all it turned into was a bunch of work.

 

[JJE]

Honestly I hate trimming brass! Maybe I don’t have my trimmer set up correctly but it’s maddening. I’d pay to get it trimmed. Might just for out the cash and get the Dillon trimmer and dies for 308.

 

[Jeff Porter]

I have used and watched brass processors come and go for years. The cost of automating it to the point where you can do enough volume to get an hourly rate that is reasonable is a startup obstacle that is not insignificant. The cost of a fully automated press and a washing system to handle large volumes of brass, the space to set it up and stack all of the brass to be processed and packed for return. Methods to handle scrap primers, brass and wash rinse safely are not insignificant. I have paid 7 to 10 cents per piece for processing and always felt I was getting a bargain compared to that time that I would spend doing the brass prep in my shop.

Most places operating now will offer de-cap and SS wash mixed range brass quickly and bag it and sell it. (if you have a source of range brass...) Add in generic sizing back to SAAMI minimum spec, swage crimped primer pockets - trim to minimum trim length, and general inspection and your hourly rate goes down even at 10 cents a case.

I have used three or four different custom processors that would do the wash, size and trim but would also uniform flash holes and swage primer pockets to uniform and remove any crimp. I have had processors that would take my lot of brass (same headstamp and x fired, not mixed brass) and size to a specification on a Mo's gauge or Whidden tool. ( 0.003 bump etc.). These processors usually required 1500 pc minimum in a lot (Flat rate medium box of 223) for the die set up changes. All for about 10 cents apiece.

If you add annealing, neck turning to specification, the time and manual handling of each piece goes up further.

Yes there is a need for custom brass processing, but based on what is out there, I have not seen any return on investment beyond the basic wash trim and sizing.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Honestly I hate trimming brass! Maybe I don’t have my trimmer set up correctly but it’s maddening. I’d pay to get it trimmed. Might just for out the cash and get the Dillon trimmer and dies for 308.

I enjoy my Wilson with the case holders when comparing it with the Forster.