Would you buy a manually fed case annealer for $150?

[CatShooter]

http://www.cartridgeanneal.com/ may be competition for you.

My sense is that many reloaders have some simple system such as portrayed in this video. For myself, I anneal a low volume of casings (less than 50 at a time) and can't justify spending a large sum. I actually have a Hornday Annealing Kit that is not made any longer plus a cheap electric screw driver that turns a casing (placed in one of the Hornady Kits inserts) at a low RPM, using a single torch and it's worked for me for years.

So if you are thinking about inventing something new, go for it! But you won't really know how well it will sell until you come up with the protype and actually market it. That's when it'll prove to be a seller or not. I suspect that even as nice as Hornady's idea was with their simple annealing kit, they didn't sell enough of them to make it work their while since a simple socket works just as easily using some other simple tool to turn the casing.

Alex

I use the Hornady kit - I spoke to them a few weeks ago about the kits, and they said they discontinued them because of low sales volume. Well, that makes sense, since you could buy a set of sockets, a propane torch, and a bottle of propane from Home Depot, for what the Hornady kit costs.

The kit was about $50-ish, and a set of sockets can be had for $10 at the local Pep boys... and you use the sockets to work on your car, when you aren't annealing

The problem with low cost machines is that they compete with the socket and drill method, which can produce 200 perfectly annealed cases an hour - and most people won't anneal more than that at one sitting, so the market for machines is very limited. The socket and drill is $10 to $20 IF you don't have the sockets and propane torch

To get $150, you need to add a fair amount of convenience/mechanization/semi-automation to make it worth while.

There have been several low cost, automatic machines that were well designed, but failed in the market after a short time.

 

[amlevin]

Opposite of Catshooters "glum opinion" above ^^^^, annealing has gained popularity vastly the past few years.
My own opinion is far less glummy as his, and will state 1000's are annealing, that never did before. As well as reloading itself is also gaining popularity vastly, do to the rapid increase to the shooting sports and industry.
Donovan

I would agree that thousands of people are now annealing but only those that are "annealing thousands" will really be interested in machines in the $500 range. Those that anneal less than a couple hundred - max - in a session will be more concerned about price than "production". With both of those market niches removed, just how large is the market for a "manual" annealing machine?

Of those "thousands who anneal", I won't be interested and without malice I can say that there will be a lot more like me who also won't buy what a socket/torch can do for them.

 

[JRS]

There were many with the same negative opinion when he produced his loading blocks, trays, and shell holder blocks. After all, there are much cheaper versions available. However, it would appear he has been quite successful selling his products. Tom produces extremely well made products, which many are willing to pay for.

 

[Tomekeuro85]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I didn't mean any hostility by the "lets ignore that" comment, simply exploring ideas for something I can personally use and justify.


every comment is helpful, and no worries, I don't see them as negative or offensive. Everyone has their own preferences and opinions and each for their own good reason. Some shooters may feel completely justified in spending $500 on a fully automated annealer just to do a few hundred cases at a time, whereas some may feel annealing is a waste of time and money altogether.


It's the whole reason I posted this idea... to find out whether it would be worth spending time on. I'm still on the fence, and considering as busy as I am at work, it will be a while before I do make it if I decide to do so. But until then I am perfectly content with hearing both positive and negative opinions. You won't hurt my feelings, haha.

Thank you all again!

 

[amlevin]

It's the whole reason I posted this idea... to find out whether it would be worth spending time on. I'm still on the fence, and considering as busy as I am at work, it will be a while before I do make it if I decide to do so. But until then I am perfectly content with hearing both positive and negative opinions. You won't hurt my feelings, haha.

Thank you all again!

You can always do what a famous gun maker did. Build one or two prototypes, take they along with you wherever you'll encounter fellow shooters and if there's interest then take orders. When you have enough orders to justify a production run then build 'em.

 

[mao0720]

id be interested for sure!

 

[fguffey]

I didn't mean any hostility by the "lets ignore that" comment, simply exploring ideas for something I can personally use and justify.

I am the only person that understood your comment.

simply exploring ideas for something I can personally use and justify

Same for the last part of your quote. All I have invested in annealing equipment is the tools required to make it and scrap metal. Then there is heat.

F. Guffey