Induction brass annealer

[Hollywood]

Been experimenting with a diy induction annealer. Just got the 48v power supply in and gave it a few test cases. No tempilaq yet. What do you think of the first few cases?

 

[Hollywood]

This is the main unit. Going to try to build a timer or a thermocouple trigger to a door actuator that will hold the case in place and release it at the appropriate time/temp instead of the pliers.

 

[missed]

I have a pile of parts to build mine that I can not seem to get to.

Looks like your getting some heat to them. They all look like they were in at a different time or not getting the same spot.

How many watts is yours?

I was thinking about making mine about 1kW. From my calculations that should anneal most all the common case sizes in 1 second.

 

[missed]

I wonder how a thermocouple would work inside the case mouth. Check out the Texas Instruments MSP430 micro controllers. I would use one of those for the controls.

I want to build a semi progressive press with a full length size die, trim, and anneal all in one shot.

 

[Hollywood]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=231232593947&alt=web

This is the unit and then I made my own work coil. Stripped some romex houshold wire. Wrapped it around a Lyman deburing tool. About 3/4in 5 turns.

 

[Hollywood]

They were all about the same time just different amount inside the coil. 7 sec or so.

 

[Webster]

Annealing is based on time at temperature. I think I would want to take about 5 seconds at least to reach temp. This comes closer to a factory flame anneal time. None of us have a way to verify if any anneal takes place in 1 second. You may only be stress relieving which might be OK??? You might have less color variation with the longer time.

 

[Hollywood]

I wonder how a thermocouple would work inside the case mouth. Check out the Texas Instruments MSP430 micro controllers. I would use one of those for the con roller.

I have an old fuji electric monitor/controller that a temp can be set to trigger an alarm, pump (by design) or a 12v door actuator that the case will sit on and when the preset to is reached it activate th actuator and drop the case.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Id use a PLC. You can time it down to the millisecond. And itll be able to control many things. You can get a touchscreen to choose presets and all. I use directlogics for my personal projects. Software and components are cheap.

http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Overview/Catalog/Programmable_Controllers/DirectLogic_Series_PLCs_(Micro_to_Small%2C_Brick_-a-_Modular

 

[Hollywood]

Id use a PLC. You can time it down to the millisecond. And itll be able to control many things. You can get a touchscreen to choose presets and all. I use directlogics for my personal projects. Software and components are cheap.

http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Overview/Catalog/Programmable_Controllers/DirectLogic_Series_PLCs_(Micro_to_Small%2C_Brick_-a-_Modular)

Link says page not found

 

[dcali]

Id use a PLC. You can time it down to the millisecond. And itll be able to control many things. You can get a touchscreen to choose presets and all. I use directlogics for my personal projects. Software and components are cheap.

http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Overview/Catalog/Programmable_Controllers/DirectLogic_Series_PLCs_(Micro_to_Small%2C_Brick_-a-_Modular)

Link says page not found

Cut and paste everything including the final ")".

 

[sidehill]

Here are a few tips that I have learned that might help you out.

1 build you heater coil in a cone shape to match the neck and shoulder diameter
2 The closer the heater coil is to the shell case the faster the heat transfer is hence the reason to make the coil in the cone shape to have equal heat transfer in the neck as the shoulder
3 for a timer the Gralab Model 450 Darkroom Timer works good has seconds and tenths of seconds settings (usually pick a used one up on ebay for $20)
4 the second the left over powder residue inside the case neck changes color you are really close to the proper temperature to anneal the brass
5 different size brass will require different time settings as the heater coil is a different distance from the brass
6 cycle the heater coil 5 or 6 times before you start annealing to bring the heater coil up to temp

Hope some of this info helps you out

 

[sidehill]

pictures

 

[Gina1]

Hollywood... Great idea. I'd like to build one. Do you have a schematic/ parts list/ supplier of parts/ etc. Please pm me with any details you can share.
Much thanks

Regina

 

[Mr Underbridge]

Dumb question, if the case touches the coil it stops working?

 

[william5409]

I have a pile of parts to build mine that I can not seem to get too

 

[Hollywood]

Dumb question, if the case touches the coil it stops working?

Just tested it. It did not short out.

 

[Mr Underbridge]

Dumb question, if the case touches the coil it stops working?

Just tested it. It did not short out.

In that case take a page from flame annealer. Put a pizza pan on a DC motor and a DZ controller cut a small hole in the pizza pan.
Have the pizza pan spin at certain speed after which the case drops down through the hole, drop new case in.

 

[Hollywood]

Just did a few cases in a dark room. 6-7 seconds to see a faint sine of red in the case. It seems to only really heat the area inside the work coil and dosent sow much heat travel like I've seen pics of if torches are used.

My question, is heating just at the bottom of the case shoulder ideal and I should not try to go any further down the case?

 

[Hollywood]

The three in the middle I set in a little further.