Inexpensive Way to Anneal?

[Phil3]

I would like to be able to anneal my cases, but until I get work (job), I am looking for a way to anneal cases without a $400+ machine. The Hornandy product is discontinued. I saw something from Custom Reloading, which is a case holder spun in a drill or screwdriver. It appears this process is going to mostly hand held or an expensive automatic machine. ???

Phil

 

[Cleftwynd]

Google is your friend.

It's as simple as a drill, a hex socket that fits the brass, a butane torch, and practiced technique.

Or a pan of .5' deep water, a butane torch, and again, a practiced technique.

Or a candle, your fingers, and a practiced technique...

there are many ways to anneal without a $1,000 machine.

 

[thumper4fun]

take a look at this for a lower cost option. www.cartridgeanneal.com

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I gave up on annealing because of inconsistancy. Thats untill I got a machine. If I didnt' have access to a machine I would not anneal, I just don't believe you will get consistant results. JMO

 

[GSPV]

If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, ship it to a brass service.

 

[amlevin]

I anneal brass that comes out very consistent and my total cost, over and above what was in my tool box, was less than $20.

I use a 3/8" drive Deep Impact Socket which is thick and heavy for a heat sink to hold the lower 2/3 of the case. To turn it in my cordless drill I merely used the 1/4" drive hex to 3/8" drive adapter sold in auto parts or hardware stores.

For heat monitoring I then picked up a Tempilstik heat crayon from my local welding supply house. I use the 750 degree crayon.

Using the Bernz torch I direct the pencil point of the inner blue flame at the shoulder while turning with the cordless drill. I check the case wall right at the shoulder junction by briefly removing the case from the flame and quickly holding the turning case against the crayon. When I have had it in the flame just long enough to melt the crayon at this point on the case (you'll get a smear on the case that comes off with a fingernail scrape when cool). I then repeat using the same flame positioning and time. If the "melt" is consistent I then just anneal the other 100 or so cases I have waiting.

I anneal cases after they are cleaned in SS pin media so I can also note color change easily. Between the crayon method and color change, along with the large heat sink of the Impact Socket, I never get the base of the case hot enough to "sizzle" water.

When the case has had enough "flame time" I then just tilt the drill so it drops the case into a stainless steel bowl my wife hasn't found missing yet. No need to dunk in water as it is not required for annealing brass nor does it add anything to the process other than wet cases. In fact, the annealing process helps make sure that the cases I've cleaned in the wet SS pin process are totally dry.

Remember though, as many, many, others have pointed out, we aren't really annealing the brass as much as we are "stress removing" with this process. To truly change the crystalline structure of the metal it takes a specific amount of heat for a greater amount of time than we shooters use.

 

[BoydAllen]

Good post. I would add one thing. Another alternative is to use Templaq, instead of the crayon, for the test case, and to buy an inexpensive battery powered metronome so that you can hear the seconds tick off. A friend took my suggestion on this last point and found it very helpful.

 

[Dan877]

I devised a home-made annealing machine that is pretty much as consistent as the expensive machines, but costs very little to build. Excluding the propane torch and a cordless screwdriver, which I already had, it cost about $20 to build. It's a very simple design, and easy to put together, but works very well and I can easily anneal a couple hundred cases in an hour. If you are interested I can post a simple diagram.

 

[mikecr]

Lead dip

 

[rmist]

I devised a home-made annealing machine that is pretty much as consistent as the expensive machines, but costs very little to build. Excluding the propane torch and a cordless screwdriver, which I already had, it cost about $20 to build. It's a very simple design, and easy to put together, but works very well and I can easily anneal a couple hundred cases in an hour. If you are interested I can post a simple diagram.

Yes, Please post your diagram !! Would be interested to see it.
Thank you...Rmist

 

[Phil3]

I too am interested in the diagram. I also liked the product from www.cartridgeanneal.com that thumper4fun posted.

Phil

 

[REDGUN]

Lead dip

Any details on this??? I could see it heating the entire case neck at once, making it a little faster/easier to do.


Warning: Make sure there is NO WATER inside your cases!!

 

[mikecr]

You can search here & find it.
It ain't faster, but it is better(than even the best torch setup), and inexpensive.

IMO, stress relieving of cases isn't a race. There is an actual purpose to it.

 

[ridgeway]

I watched that video on cartridgeanneal.com and I think he is under annealing those cases big time. Looks like a decent idea though. Pricy for what you get with it...you can do just as good with a socket/extension, drill and bernzomatic. I stopped using tempilaq years ago. Turn the lights out in the basement and set the dwell time on the benchsource till my necks just start to glow. Been doing it this way for every firing with consistent success.

Cheaply: socket/extension, drill and bernzomatic. Just be consistent counting in your head for dwell time or get an easy to use stopwatch.

 

[Phil3]

May I ask why you think the cases are being under annealed? I ask because he is using 750 degree Tempilaq. If you watch the cases as he heats them, you can easily see the Tempilaq 750 darken and that is when he dumps the cases. Do you think 750 degrees is insufficient or...?

Thanks,

Phil

 

[barnesuser28]

I would like to be able to anneal my cases, but until I get work (job), I am looking for a way to anneal cases without a $400+ machine. The Hornandy product is discontinued. I saw something from Custom Reloading, which is a case holder spun in a drill or screwdriver. It appears this process is going to mostly hand held or an expensive automatic machine. ???

Phil

Send them to me! http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3815350.msg36227052#new I will get your cases shipped back to you within 5 days of arrival (will more than likely be much quicker) i have about 2000 posts on longrangehunting.com under the same screen name and am a trusted member. Thanks!

 

[DanConzo]

I get the same good results as Ridgeway w/ the same method just as they start to glow and time them all the same w/ a homemade annealer.