Induction annealer

[itchyTF]

Sleepygator -
If you factor in all the parameters, induction heating can be complex. Since I haven't put mine into "production" yet I can't make any comments about coil life. However, I'm hoping if the duty cycle is low I won't have any problems. If I do, I'll most likely try a fan or blower to cool the work coil.

243winxb -
Just because one way is not correct I wouldn't jump to the conclusion - "Annealing is best left to the brass manufacturers , as it needs specialized equipment to do it correctly."
That would certainly make it difficult for the handloader!
I chose the induction method because I figured it would be easier to set up and be more consistant. Time will tell. Since I have fairly accurate and consistant control of the time I figured the results will be consistant. Again, time will tell.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to spend as much time on this project as I'd like. I still have to get my taxes done!! (along with a few other things)

 

[bozo699]

Re: Annealing-Old method

This is not the way to do it. Had strange results from to soft brass, i think. :-\ Annealing is best left to the brass manufacturers , as it needs specialized equipment to do it correctly. A misfire can be caused by improper annealing. When the shoulder becomes to soft, the firing pin strike can set back the shoulder. If the round fires, the brass expands, leaving no evidence of set back. I was shooting 223 Federal brass on its 6th loading. Having cracked necks, i decided that annealing might get a few more firings out of the brass. Even tho 40 years ago, annealing did not work on some 243win brass, making the necks to soft. The 223 misfire would not fire on the 2nd strike from the firing pin. At home, measurements show the shoulder was set back .014" when measureing to the datum line. L.E. Wilson's case gage shows the brass head below the lowest step. All loaded rounds had been gaged before firing. More testing was needed. Took 3 annealed brass with used primers and chambered them. After 2 strikes with the firing pin, shoulder set back was between .010" & .012" The used primer already had the firing pin dent in them, so the blow from the pin was not as great as new primers. The primer involved in the misfire was placed in a different non-annealed piece of brass. It did fire on the 2nd firing pin strike. A total of 4 hits on the primer, till it fired. I feel the primer may have been damaged from the first 2 misfires. Savage Axis bolt action 223 less than a year old. 722 rounds fired. Loaded with IMR4198-20.5gr-CCI400-Win. 55gr FMJBT-Federal brass-RCBS Dies made in 2010. There are Annealing Kits available & temp sticks that may help. But when you overheat the brass, there is no way to fix it. 3/28/12

243winxb,
Looking at your photo from the front left to right, #1 is over annealed # 2 is really over annealed #3 is over annealed and #4 is borderline, while #5 is probably okay, your not keeping your heat consistent on your brass and I would be scared to even fire #2 it's so bad. I always clean my brass to be annealed, when finished it should still be shiny, not dull and sooty looking like yours are. You are right about the fact that annealing isn't for everybody, it takes some practice and experimenting with brass of the same make and neck thickness, I have several pieces of old brass I don't use anymore I use to get my annealer set up with, I am fairly new to annealing but am confident I am doing it right according to everything I have read but if not I am on the underside of annealing which won't do anything for you except waste your time but at least the brass isn't hurt, there is a very fine line between under annealing,...annealing,...and over annealing, and there is a lot of bad info out there on annealing. I have a Ken light annealer, I don't believe it is the best of the annealers out there but I believe he has the best published info on the subject.
Wayne.

http://www.kenlightmfg.com/cartridgecaseannealer.htm

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

 

[Steve Blair]

Sleepygator -
If you factor in all the parameters, induction heating can be complex. Since I haven't put mine into "production" yet I can't make any comments about coil life. However, I'm hoping if the duty cycle is low I won't have any problems. If I do, I'll most likely try a fan or blower to cool the work coil.

[br]
A few quick envelope calcs will show that the amount of watts pumped into the coil to anneal brass will be slow to dissipate by air cooling. The duty cycle will be very low. Forced water cooling through tubing coils is remarkably efficient and the reason why it is so commonly used. Good luck.

 

[Steve Blair]

Re: Annealing-Old method

I have a Ken light annealer, I don't believe it is the best of the annealers out there but I believe he has the best published info on the subject.
Wayne.

[br]
I have one, too, Wayne. The Ken Light machine is a fine annealer and has good points as do some of the others.