I'm considering purchasing one of these. Just looking to get some reviews since they've been out for some time now. How do they compare to the bench source annealer??
Alan
Alan
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Re: Giraud Annealer
The Giraud and the Bench Source both are excellent machines and IMO the only two machines to consider when purchasing an annealer.
The Bench source is built like a tank. its honestly a thing of beauty and works excellently. The electronics are top notch and the speed dial relates to seconds so its easy to set. With the use of tempilaq the two torch setup works like a breeze and anneals very quickly. the downside is you have to sit at the machine and feed brass into it one at a time. if your a handy guy i am sure you can rig up a hopper but if not plan to spend an hour at the machine watching it spin to anneal around 500 rounds.
Then comes the giraud which solves the obvious issue above by incorporating a hopper. This is a huge advantage. you can load all 500+++ rounds into the hopper and turn your back on the machine while you do other tasks. The machine works efficiently and easily drops annealed hot brass into a bucket of water. The downside of the giraud is that it is only a single torch setup so annealing takes about 1.5 times as long per case. Not a big deal since you dont have to man the machine but it should be noted. Also the slide carriage that "spins" the case in the flame doesnt like to return to zero everytime no matter how you lube the bearings. Easy fix is to simply raise the left of the machine roughly 1/2 and inch and let gravity take over.
To wrap it up...Both machines are excellent choices. It is really a personal choice as to weather or not you want a hopper or to hand load your brass into the machine. if your annealing 1000's of pieces there is an obvious winner there but if your doing a couple hundred once a month....you see where I am going here. Either way you wont be disappointed.
The Giraud and the Bench Source both are excellent machines and IMO the only two machines to consider when purchasing an annealer.
The Bench source is built like a tank. its honestly a thing of beauty and works excellently. The electronics are top notch and the speed dial relates to seconds so its easy to set. With the use of tempilaq the two torch setup works like a breeze and anneals very quickly. the downside is you have to sit at the machine and feed brass into it one at a time. if your a handy guy i am sure you can rig up a hopper but if not plan to spend an hour at the machine watching it spin to anneal around 500 rounds.
Then comes the giraud which solves the obvious issue above by incorporating a hopper. This is a huge advantage. you can load all 500+++ rounds into the hopper and turn your back on the machine while you do other tasks. The machine works efficiently and easily drops annealed hot brass into a bucket of water. The downside of the giraud is that it is only a single torch setup so annealing takes about 1.5 times as long per case. Not a big deal since you dont have to man the machine but it should be noted. Also the slide carriage that "spins" the case in the flame doesnt like to return to zero everytime no matter how you lube the bearings. Easy fix is to simply raise the left of the machine roughly 1/2 and inch and let gravity take over.
To wrap it up...Both machines are excellent choices. It is really a personal choice as to weather or not you want a hopper or to hand load your brass into the machine. if your annealing 1000's of pieces there is an obvious winner there but if your doing a couple hundred once a month....you see where I am going here. Either way you wont be disappointed.
Re: Giraud Annealer
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PinkGunsRSilly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you can load all 500+++ rounds into the hopper and turn your back on the machine while you do other tasks. </div></div>
I don't think I would be turning my back on anything using an open flame.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PinkGunsRSilly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you can load all 500+++ rounds into the hopper and turn your back on the machine while you do other tasks. </div></div>
I don't think I would be turning my back on anything using an open flame.
Re: Giraud Annealer
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Evilaviator</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PinkGunsRSilly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you can load all 500+++ rounds into the hopper and turn your back on the machine while you do other tasks. </div></div>
I don't think I would be turning my back on anything using an open flame.</div></div>
so you've never turned your back to stove cooking soup or stew?
I am not suggesting you leave the house and go run errands, I am merrily stating that you can leave the machine unattended and turn your back to focus on other stages of brass prep.
When you run 500 pieces at a time like that your bodies internal clock kicks in and you sense when a problem occurs with the machine. Basically every 7-15 seconds you hear a piece of brass "clink" on to the conveyor and you hear the motor turning the conveyor. When you don't hear that sound for 15+ seconds you naturally turn around to check it out. No big deal. I promise you can turn around from the machine and leave an open flame "unattended!"
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Evilaviator</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PinkGunsRSilly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you can load all 500+++ rounds into the hopper and turn your back on the machine while you do other tasks. </div></div>
I don't think I would be turning my back on anything using an open flame.</div></div>
so you've never turned your back to stove cooking soup or stew?
I am not suggesting you leave the house and go run errands, I am merrily stating that you can leave the machine unattended and turn your back to focus on other stages of brass prep.
When you run 500 pieces at a time like that your bodies internal clock kicks in and you sense when a problem occurs with the machine. Basically every 7-15 seconds you hear a piece of brass "clink" on to the conveyor and you hear the motor turning the conveyor. When you don't hear that sound for 15+ seconds you naturally turn around to check it out. No big deal. I promise you can turn around from the machine and leave an open flame "unattended!"
Re: Giraud Annealer
A friend of mine bought a Giraud, it's pretty cool and very consistent, you can dial it to the speed and heat level easily. I have 500 cases im getting ready to take over and do, looking forward to the beer drinking session, cause that's all it takes!
A friend of mine bought a Giraud, it's pretty cool and very consistent, you can dial it to the speed and heat level easily. I have 500 cases im getting ready to take over and do, looking forward to the beer drinking session, cause that's all it takes!
Re: Giraud Annealer
I would love to have a Giraud annealer sat next to my Giraud case trimmer, but the former is restricted by ITAR as an automated loading machine! Madness.
I would love to have a Giraud annealer sat next to my Giraud case trimmer, but the former is restricted by ITAR as an automated loading machine! Madness.
Re: Giraud Annealer
I've had very good luck with mine. Initially the trolley didn't want to return to the stop 100% of the time but some squirts of powdered graphite on the bearings took care of that and now it returns perfectly.
About the only negative to the machine is the propane valve is REALLY touchy. A *very* minute change in the opening of the valve makes a large change in the flame setting and that can easily be the difference between under-annealed and over-annealed brass. When Doug says the valve only needs to be "slightly cracked open" he's not exaggerating. It's much easier to slightly crack the valve open and set it for a steady flame and then adjust the trolley speed until the proper annealing temperature is achieved rather than try to make very small adjustments of the propane valve.
I've probably run about 10,000 cases through it so far... mostly because once my friends found that I had an annealer it seems that brass follows them over when they come to visit.
I've had very good luck with mine. Initially the trolley didn't want to return to the stop 100% of the time but some squirts of powdered graphite on the bearings took care of that and now it returns perfectly.
About the only negative to the machine is the propane valve is REALLY touchy. A *very* minute change in the opening of the valve makes a large change in the flame setting and that can easily be the difference between under-annealed and over-annealed brass. When Doug says the valve only needs to be "slightly cracked open" he's not exaggerating. It's much easier to slightly crack the valve open and set it for a steady flame and then adjust the trolley speed until the proper annealing temperature is achieved rather than try to make very small adjustments of the propane valve.
I've probably run about 10,000 cases through it so far... mostly because once my friends found that I had an annealer it seems that brass follows them over when they come to visit.
