Annealing Parameters

[rsbhunter]

The videos I mentioned are not hawking any certain brand, Eric does a comparison video between the AMP and flame, but he also has every top notch loading piece of equipment available.... The rewards of hard work.....Reese on the range, built his annealer, so no promotion there.....like I said, I have no dog in this fight, people can anneal or stress relieve by candle flame if it works for them...I just think the term "anneal" is used to describe a process that isn't.... rsbhunter

 

[ajkellerusmc]

Butterbean makes it pretty simple on his utube video. The point is do it the same for each case which gives consistency, like rocket science.

 

[asd9055]

The videos I mentioned are not hawking any certain brand, Eric does a comparison video between the AMP and flame, but he also has every top notch loading piece of equipment available.... The rewards of hard work.....Reese on the range, built his annealer, so no promotion there.....like I said, I have no dog in this fight, people can anneal or stress relieve by candle flame if it works for them...I just think the term "anneal" is used to describe a process that isn't.... rsbhunter

I like the DIY videos...and I have gathered a lot of material on building both flame and induction annealers. I also watched a lot of EC videos and I will always be supicious...you dont have to be

 

[Mike Matteson]

I was going to purchase AMP machine, but ended up in getting an Bench-Source Case Neck Annealing Machine. It has a double source of flame, turns and on a timer. The only thing I didn't like about the Bench-Source Machine was using small bottle for propane. Being an old camper and didn't like the white gas to use on my cook stove. I change it over to propane. I use a 5 gallon propane tank for a source. I add a tee and put on propane lights. So back to the annealer. Set with a regulator off the tank, a tee, 2 hoses, and adaptors to fit the torches supplied. You have extended source of propane without worrying about your flame going low. Set how the torch hit the case neck and time needed to heat. The case is turned so it's petty much even heat. It get much harder than that. I have the Tempilaq on hand, but I don't really think I need it. i would start out with some old case that a dead (primer pockets gone or case separation or a long that line to get it down. Why anybody would start out with new or good cases, is beyond me. I don't know of any hand loader that doesn't have old case laying around. Presently I am in Mexico North, and not in Montana where most of my equipment is at.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I use a deep well socket, power screw diver along with a tub of water next to a propane torch. The count is thousand 6, then into the water. Best effect is inside the tip of the flame where it crowns, the dark blue part. Rest that crown just below the shoulder. Don't it under bright light.. it's best to see the hint blue coming on.

I do similar but I hold it at the base. When it gets too hot to hold I dump it in the tumbler which is already running. Cools it off quick and I don't have to deal with a wet case. I like that method over the drill socket because the chances of overheating are slim and I believe I get a more consistent anneal between batches if my flame is hotter or cooler. Who knows…that's my argument at least. The one thing I've noticed is that the smaller the case the quicker it gets hot though, so it's not a perfect science

 

[asd9055]

I was going to purchase AMP machine, but ended up in getting an Bench-Source Case Neck Annealing Machine. It has a double source of flame, turns and on a timer. The only thing I didn't like about the Bench-Source Machine was using small bottle for propane. Being an old camper and didn't like the white gas to use on my cook stove. I change it over to propane. I use a 5 gallon propane tank for a source. I add a tee and put on propane lights. So back to the annealer. Set with a regulator off the tank, a tee, 2 hoses, and adaptors to fit the torches supplied. You have extended source of propane without worrying about your flame going low. Set how the torch hit the case neck and time needed to heat. The case is turned so it's petty much even heat. It get much harder than that. I have the Tempilaq on hand, but I don't really think I need it. i would start out with some old case that a dead (primer pockets gone or case separation or a long that line to get it down. Why anybody would start out with new or good cases, is beyond me. I don't know of any hand loader that doesn't have old case laying around. Presently I am in Mexico North, and not in Montana where most of my equipment is at.

Mike, when you are back in the states, you might be able to find small bottle to large "conversion" kits are camping gear stores.

 

[milboltnut]

I do similar but I hold it at the base. When it gets too hot to hold I dump it in the tumbler which is already running. Cools it off quick and I don't have to deal with a wet case. I like that method over the drill socket because the chances of overheating are slim and I believe I get a more consistent anneal between batches if my flame is hotter or cooler. Who knows…that's my argument at least. The one thing I've noticed is that the smaller the case the quicker it gets hot though, so it's not a perfect science

guess I could just flop them on a cookie sheet instead.

 

[WapitiBob]

I wonder... so long as your case heads weren't compromised, couldn't you just harden them back up a bit by running them through an FL die, then a mandrel a couple of times? Stretch them a bit back and forth and they outta be good to go, no?

My fl die shrinks the necks by almost .015" so a few passes might do it.

 

[kai]

After building a mechanical automatic flame annealer, I learned about salt bath annealing.
My salt bath annealer uses a Lee lead pot to melt the salt. I built a PID temperature controller that uses a thermocouple to monitor and maintain the salt temperature very accurately (+ or - 2 degrees C).
I put my cases into the melted salt for 6 seconds with a long tweezer. The cases are held neck down in the salt by a stainless steel holder.
I found that a 6 second soak produces very consistent annealing. It's long enough to saturate the brass to bring it up to the temperature of the salt and there's no possibility of over heating above the temperature of the salt bath.
By maintaining the proper level of salt, the case necks and shoulders get annealed without much heat reaching the body of the case.
I quench in water.
It's fast... 10 pcs per minute and inexpensive to build.

 

[ButterBean]

I don't have an AMP, and probably won't (if ever) for a while because I'm broke af.
That thing takes all the "guess" work out of the equation, no doubt.
BUT, I think the machine gets far more credit than its price tag suggests, simply because folks don't reign in their variables when annealing using other methods, namely, via flame.

I've watched countless videos and read countless articles on the subject. Consistency this, consistency that... yet even from competition shooters, I can't find a single source which consistently dials in on a primary variable when flame annealing. Temperature.

They adjust their flame to a certain contact point on their brass and that's all, then they time it to a tee, but holy hell, they never measure their actual heat output from one session to the next in order to ensure they're annealing with the same flame as they did previously. A minor knob adjustment can result in a 50-200 degree variance, yet they don't measure this?

Easy peezy from one batch to the next without blowing $1500 on something you can literally build yourself for $100 worth of Amazon parts.
1. Maintain same distance from case mouth to tip of torch.
2. Maintain height of flame... where it hits the case.
3. Maintain time in the flame.
4. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL, maintain consistent heat output. Measure the flame temp. Why does nobody measure flame temp from one session to the next? Everything else is irrelevant if you'd not setting your flame the same way emery time.

There is a video on YouTube @ ButterBeans Barstool that will answer your questions

 

[jthor93]

There are only two ways to flash anneal brass: flame or induction.

Flame: Annealeeze, bench source, several other flame annealing machines, DIY projects or using a socket and drill. The drill socket method is the least repeatable method since the human is judging everything, but will do the job until you get a machine to do it.

Induction: AMP, Annie (extremely back ordered from what I understand), and the the DIY GinaErik Induction annealer. I built one long ago and its pretty easy to build. Just follow the instructions/diagrams.

Induction is going to be your most consistent method from day to to day.

Salt Bath Annealing: Doesn't flash anneal brass, bottle neck cartridges, and isn't worth your time.

 

[ButterBean]

I'm gonna go on and get this in early

 

[asd9055]

I'm gonna go on and get this in early

View attachment 334068

That must be what batch annealing looks like

 

[yankee outlaw]

Thank you LRH and all you hunters and reloaders there is always some funny business going on hear