First use of AMP

[Tim Singleton]

I wanted to share my first thoughts on new AMP
Right out of the box super easy just plug it in punch in the number associated with your brass from the extensive list published by AMP
Drop a case in mash the button a few seconds later fresh annealed case just as advertised

Now on to a couple things
It has required for me, some testing with the setting numbers for my cases Lapua 220 converted to 6ppc with .0112 neck thickness.
For me the number from AMP was to hot. Brass was a little to soft moved a lot with sizing requiring excessive trimming at each sizing. As I came down on numbers I still lost a batch of cases after 5x sized necks cracking at neck shoulder junction
So beware the published numbers are not gospel and need to be watched
I do not have the Aztec feature hopefully someone who has will post their experience with it

All in All excellent machine

 

[ballisticdaddy]

Your post is the exact reason why I have not purchased one yet. I have a Giraud propane annealer and have the system down pat and confirm my settings with tempilaq each session. How are you confirming that your brass was too hot?

 

[Tim Singleton]

Tempilaq

 

[Tim Singleton]

I'm getting there. New users just realize you still need to verify

 

[Dos XX]

I totally agree that you need to test when you switch. I experienced less case growth when I switched. I was getting my brass softer with flame than with the AMP. If you are switching in the middle of a barrel that you have already done load work on, it might be even more important.

It would interesting to have them test some of your brass and see what number they come up with. I sent some Lapua .260 brass in, and it required a higher setting than any .260 Lapua they had previously tested. There was also a lot of Lapua .308 Palma brass that required a different setting than any lot they had previously tested. That lot number is listed on the site with a different setting.

As Tim said, verify.

 

[Alexander-M]

(Food for thought -)

I wondered whether the AMP annealer's output, or its settings varied over time, and if it would be advisable to occasionally check the annealing process with Tempilaq. To this end, I emailed Alex Findlay (AMP president), and he responded promptly:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Alex,

The annealers always produce the same output anywhere in the world. The power doesn’t reduce over time, and there is no need to recalibrate. That is the beauty of a digital induction system.

Tempilaq is useless for flash annealing purposes. Attached is a photo [See Below] of a correctly annealed case. The Tempilaq on the left is 750F. In the middle is 850F and on the right is 950F.

If you want to know more about the process, you might be interested in these articles:
https://www.ampannealing.com/articles/40/annealing-under-the-microscope/
https://www.ampannealing.com/articles/42/annealing-under-the-microscope/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"... The Tempilaq on the left is 750F. In the middle is 850F and on the right is 950F."



Alex

 

[R.Morehouse]

I am going to be getting the Aztec option for mine. I anneal every time. It will be interesting to see after 5+ firing/annealing cycles to run a piece through the Aztec and see what it says.....

Rick

 

[Webster]

(Food for thought -)

I wondered whether the AMP annealer's output, or its settings varied over time, and if it would be advisable to occasionally check the annealing process with Tempilaq. To this end, I emailed Alex Findlay (AMP president), and he responded promptly:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Alex,

The annealers always produce the same output anywhere in the world. The power doesn’t reduce over time, and there is no need to recalibrate. That is the beauty of a digital induction system.

Tempilaq is useless for flash annealing purposes. Attached is a photo [See Below] of a correctly annealed case. The Tempilaq on the left is 750F. In the middle is 850F and on the right is 950F.

If you want to know more about the process, you might be interested in these articles:
https://www.ampannealing.com/articles/40/annealing-under-the-microscope/
https://www.ampannealing.com/articles/42/annealing-under-the-microscope/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"... The Tempilaq on the left is 750F. In the middle is 850F and on the right is 950F."

View attachment 1041406

Alex

I don't understand why Tempilaq won't work with an induction annealing machine. The Tempilaq only sees the temperature of the brass. With a flame annealer you have a 2000F flame on the Tempilaq.

 

[dmoran]

Since the cases are placed in an AMP upside down internally, myself would be concerned about Tempilaq drippings getting into the unit and on the pilots. Or are these negligible concerns?
Donovan

 

[riflewoman]

I don't understand why Tempilaq won't work with an induction annealing machine. The Tempilaq only sees the temperature of the brass. With a flame annealer you have a 2000F flame on the Tempilaq.

Like all things, there’s a time element to melting the tempilaq. So in a flash heating environment, it might not be at the temperature long enough to register. Whether it truly anneals the case or Just brings it to a stress relieved condition would require destructive metallography.

But most on this forum know where I stand on this issue anyway.

 

[Webster]

Like all things, there’s a time element to melting the tempilaq. So in a flash heating environment, it might not be at the temperature long enough to register. Whether it truly anneals the case or Just brings it to a stress relieved condition would require destructive metallography.

But most on this forum know where I stand on this issue anyway.

I read on another website that someone said the Tempilaq melts in less than 1/4 sec at temp. I did an annealing study at work in 2011. 15 seconds in an accurate furnace at 900F there was a drop of only about 3 Rockwell Scale B scale units. The neck went from 84 to about 81. I don't remember seeing any grain size change? I used Temple Stiks at work they seemed to melt as soon as you wiped them on a hot piece of steel. Annealing isn't as complicated as people want to make it. Just don't overheat.

One thing that's not talked about is that you can anneal to any hardness between something like 85 to 35 HRB units. 35 is dead soft. How do you know if annealing less or to a lower hardness is beneficial? Very time consuming and difficult to prove on a target. Recently I have been annealing about 5 sec with a torch. I am probably just stress annealing which is fine and more repeatable than annealing to a lower hardness. The cases still have a high hardness. Need to reread the AMPS data. I don't know how they determine what level to anneal too.

 

[Richard Coody]

I don't understand why Tempilaq won't work with an induction annealing machine. The Tempilaq only sees the temperature of the brass. With a flame annealer you have a 2000F flame on the Tempilaq.

that is why you put the tempilaq inside the neck not on the outside

 

[338 dude]

I wanted to share my first thoughts on new AMP
Right out of the box super easy just plug it in punch in the number associated with your brass from the extensive list published by AMP
Drop a case in mash the button a few seconds later fresh annealed case just as advertised

Now on to a couple things
It has required for me, some testing with the setting numbers for my cases Lapua 220 converted to 6ppc with .0112 neck thickness.
For me the number from AMP was to hot. Brass was a little to soft moved a lot with sizing requiring excessive trimming at each sizing. As I came down on numbers I still lost a batch of cases after 5x sized necks cracking at neck shoulder junction
So beware the published numbers are not gospel and need to be watched
I do not have the Aztec feature hopefully someone who has will post their experience with it

All in All excellent machine

Get the code for Aztec it is a great machine but with Aztec mode and being able to analyze each lot of Brass individually is what makes it truly one of a kind

 

[Kyle Schultz]

I LOVE my AMP. Aztec mode is essential in my opinion. I trust the machine and the research behind it.

At the moment, I’m working on a battery/inverter setup so that I can anneal at the range. I proved the system works about 6 weeks ago before COVID knocked me on my ass. Picking project back up now. Only question is how many cases I can get from battery before needing to recharge.

 

[sdean]

It's a wonder how Tony Boyer got any Hall of Fame points.