My Tempil Stick Annealing System

[sscoyote]

Just started annealing my 2nd bunch of cases with a Markal Thermomelt Heat Stik. It's rated for 650 degrees. I don't know if this is high enuf temp., but it's suggested in the Annealing article. But further down in the article it says that the necks need to be at 662 degrees for 15 minutes, so...?

Anyway, i couldn't get the Stik on the outside of the case as it's just a chalky-type substance. So i scraped a tiny bit of it on the inside of the neck of the case, and ran it in the torch flame for about 7-8 seconds when it liquefied. I then checked the inside of the neck after it cooled and sure enuf there was some small amt. of it solidified on the inside of the neck so i ran a brass bristle brush into the neck and wiped it off and it cleaned up perfectly as seen thru a powerful magnifying glass.

Do have a question tho. Is 650 degrees hot enuf, or should i be using a hotter rated stik?

 

[Steve Blair]

To anneal quickly, heat the neck and shoulder to 750-800 for a couple seconds.

 

[msnations]

the longer you apply heat to brass the more likely that the heat will migrate to the case head and destroy the brass. I second gator - 750-800* for just a few seconds will do it...

 

[oneflyer]

You're in the right neighborhood, but 15 minutes is out of the question and dangerous.

 

[HHI6818]

Check out Varmint Al's annealing process.

http://varmintal.com/arelo.htm#Anneal

 

[BoydAllen]

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

 

[spclark]

Yeah, the temp sticks are a pain to use with cases - they were meant more for welding operations involving much larger materials than the cases we need concern ourselves with.

15 minutes is suicide for cases - even 30 seconds is too long if the heat migrates down case bodies to the base.

I anneal one case at a time while it's chucked in a 1/2" electric drill, spinning at about 60 - 80 RPM. Using a hardware store propane torch, the flame is set for about a 1/2" internal blue cone, held about an inch off the brass, while pointed at the shoulder area for anywhere from 5 to 7 seconds. Excess heat is absorbed by the drill chuck, keeping case walls cooler.

Short times are for 6mm cases, longer for .308 & similar. Tumbled cases are clean enough to show a slight change in surface coloration at the point I remove the flame, the appearance is very close to what can be seen on factory-new Lapua cases.

If they begin to glow, they're too hot & likely ruined.

 

[sscoyote]

That's kind of what i thought. I've read that if the temp varies even a small amount that the annealing process is compromised somewhat. I would think that going from rm. temp to 650 degrees in 7-8 seconds using a torch is too fast for accurate results. Guess it's working though--did so on my 17 Mach IV brass...as far as i can tell. I'd also read that if the brass turns red it's too hot. Do u think that 650 degrees for 0 seconds is adequate, or should i get a higher temp. stick?

 

[dantiff2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbjhTXvwVPU



Alittle red on the neck wont hurt anything.. Mine shoot better when they turn slightly red while annealing like this fella
Dan