Propane (annealing) question

[Charlie Papa]

Clean burnin, all-natural, propane. I've almost used a bottle annealing, and I noticed at Walmart that the fatter, green camping bottles have more gas for less money than the skinny blue bottles. Does anyone know if the gas and the results will be the same?

Thanks!

 

[Terry]

They are.

 

[nosualc]

Do yourself a favor, and get what ever adaptors and hoses you need for a 20lb tank. Way cheaper and convenient.

-nosualc

 

[Charlie Papa]

Do yourself a favor, and get what ever adaptors and hoses you need for a 20lb tank. Way cheaper and convenient.

-nosualc

Well, the little lady already gets upset that I use the kitchen for stainless tumbling and annealing. She may balk when I put a 20# tank in the cabinet ;D Ultimately, though, that is in my plan for when I have a bigger, dedicated space.

 

[nosualc]

Well, that's even better! When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

Install a nipple off your gas stove, and rejet your torches for natural gas!

-nosualc

 

[Charlie Papa]

Thanks guys! That's actually not a bad idea at all. Anyone ever try using a Bunsen burner? They're already made for LP gas...

 

[tenring]

I use MAP gas. Its a little more expensive, but a bottle lasts a long time. Heats quickly, so does not deplete as fast as regular propane.

 

[TC260]

Anyone ever try using a Bunsen burner? They're already made for LP gas...

I haven't but for those that are hand annealing, I think using a less intense heat source to lengthen the time under flame a little bit is a good idea.

 

[Zia Hunter]

Actually a hotter flame is better. The quicker the neck and shoulder area is brought to the proper temperature the less likelihood of the case body overheating.

 

[DennisH]

Get the hose kit for a 10 to 30 lb bottle.

I was kicking around a annealer, but started hand annealing in the meantime. It's almost as quick as a machine. 4 seconds in the flame and your done. I do use Templac just to make sure my time is OK.

Anybody else hand annealing?

I also use the non-adjustable nozzle, click and start, flame is set automatically, it's hot! Just keep your distance further away from the brass. If too close, it will turn the brass red in 3 seconds, then it's file 13 material.

PS: Not trying to steal the thread, just looking to see if anyone else hand anneals.

 

[bozo699]

Clean burnin, all-natural, propane. I've almost used a bottle annealing, and I noticed at Walmart that the fatter, green camping bottles have more gas for less money than the skinny blue bottles. Does anyone know if the gas and the results will be the same?

Thanks!

I personally wouldn't use propane from wall mart if they were paying me to take it! However I have recently switched over to map gas and it works really great and seems to last a long time, you have to adjust your flame or dwell time differently then with propane though as it is hotter.
Wayne.

 

[guidom]

propane is propane.

 

[bozo699]

Not to me it isn't!! A locally owned Conservative ran hardware stores propane works much better then propane from wally world probably made over seas and sold at wally world by someone that can't speak English and has a towel on there head,...NO THANKS!!!
Wayne.

 

[rocketron]

Not to me it isn't!! A locally owned Conservative ran hardware stores propane works much better then propane from wally world probably made over seas and sold at wally world by someone that can't speak English and has a towel on there head,...NO THANKS!!!
Wayne.

Wayne
maybe you got stale bottles. did you check the use by date?

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

I use MAP gas. Its a little more expensive, but a bottle lasts a long time. Heats quickly, so does not deplete as fast as regular propane.

Regular Propane a half gallon will do close to 1000 cases.

Locally at Lowes a 14.1 Oz cylinder of MAP is $9.99 a gallon of Propane is $2.89.

 

[Joe O]

Large Camp bottle propane works for my hand annealing.Hold it in my bench vice at just below shoulder level,and rotate the cases in a CRT tool with a cordless screw driver.

 

[kelbro]

I use the refill kit on my big bottle to refill the small ones. Much easier to move around.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Map Gas! Hotter, less time in the flame.

 

[amlevin]

I like the fat based bottles. Since I am a "Hand Annealer" too, there is less risk of the torch tipping over with the larger base. A heavy impact wrench socket that just fits the case and a cordless screwdriver are all I need. A total of $40 invested in everything and the cases work just as good as those from a $400-$500 machine.

Since I can do about 400-500 cases per hour I'll save my money by using the "hand method" and spend the extra money on components (If I can find them)

 

[TC260]

Actually a hotter flame is better. The quicker the neck and shoulder area is brought to the proper temperature the less likelihood of the case body overheating.

...and with a less intense heat source, heat is applied at a lower rate thereby slowing the conduction of heat through the case tending to somewhat balance each other out. In my my post the key phrase is "a little bit" longer. A less intense heat source so that the time under flame is something on the order of 7/8 seconds vs 3/4 seconds. A longer cycle to bring the material up to temperature I believe tends to negate the human error in timing with hand annealing.

If heating with a high intensity heat source that brings the material up to temperature in 2 or 3 sec, the material is moving through the temperature window so quickly that exact timing is critical to keep it from being too hot or too cold. If it takes say 8 secs to get up to temperature, you're moving through the temperature window much more slowly and the timing element becomes much less critical.

To keep nit-pickers happy, I'll add the should-be-obvious-at-this-point disclaimer, all precautions should be taken to prevent the case head from getting too hot ;D