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Opinion on this annealer

N

nevertipsy

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 16, 2013
52
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Hey guys, I've fired my Lake city LR brass about 4 times and I figure its time i should anneal. Before doing it the power drill way, I thought i might look into buying an annealer since I've been pressed for time because of work. I know everyone says the Bench source is the best, but its so dang pricey, and if I could use money for a sling or more ammo... why not. I saw this one on ebay, and wondered about what you guys think, its seems similar in concept to the Bench source, though I'm worried about the angle of the torch head a little bit. You guys are much more of experts than I am, so I will defer to you guys.

Annealer | eBay

they also have a video of it working:
Annealer II - YouTube

Ebay = $350 + 24 = 374 to my door with 1 torch head

I ran the numbers and the Bench source is $499 + 23 for shipping + torch head from HD ~$13 (since they dont include any) = $536 to my door

about a $162 difference, of course the bench source looks a hell of a lot nicer and cleaner. What do you guys think?
 
First I am a Bench owner so I may be bias. I don't like how there is no 360 degree rotation of the case and the first touch look like the flame misses most of the case. The Bench source is a quality unit and has a place to turn if there are any issues with the unit. The EBAY unit may work just fine but what if there is a problem??? For $150 I go with quality every time. I have had mine for about a year and have not had any issues.
 
Your post says that you really want the Bench Source. It is a long term investment so go ahead and pay the small difference to buy what you really want.

That said, I have an annealing machine like the one pictured, Ballistics Edge, I think. The brass does rotate and there are two torch holders (on mine) that are completely adjustable for angle and height. Setup is pretty much the same on all of them as far as getting the flame angle and intensity right.

OFG
 
Annealer and tempilaq have paid for themselves many times over, there is no other way to keep the brass from getting brittle and to keep the neck tension consistent


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the cases look to be turning, but barely any time in the flame. and they're dropping in to a plastic bowl. how hot could they be. not 750.
 
I called the seller and spoke directly to him.

He makes these machines in his shop. He was very nice and knowledgeable. You can vary the speed of the rotating plate and the shells will also rotate due to a 6 degree cut in the plate.

He also said if there are any problems to just call him and they will take care of them.

I don't see why this unit would be any different than other units with a mainstream name, except it may not be as "cosmetically appealing." Likewise it is not as expensive.

But annealing's purpose is to heat the brass evenly up to a specific temperature, and this unit will do just that.
 
The one you are looking at on Ebay looks like a copied version (and a bad copy at that) of the one I use:

cartridgecaseannealing

I have several plates as I use it for .416 Barrett on down to 6.5 CM. This unit runs about 475.00. As you said, the one you are looking at would probably do the job so it comes down to how much you want to spend. If the guy has a good track record and will take care of issues then it might not be a bad unit.
 
Don't know anything about the Ebay unit you are looking at. If you get the gut feeling that this seller will provide you value for your money, go for it. That said, a common quote around here is "buy once, cry once".

Will the unit you are looking at get the job done? Guess you won't know until you spend the coin on it and give it a try.

I'm not a BenchSource fan boy. I did however buy one right from the company after talking to the owner and the very knowledgeable lady who answers the phone. BenchSource gets very few returns and seldom has warranty issues from what the owner told me. There are also a lot of members on this forum who run them. Most all of them have high praise for the unit. That should tell you something. Of course there are other brands and designs to choose from too. Good luck in your decision and happy shootin'!
 
After doing my research I went with Ballistic Edges 420 and am very impressed with it.
You can also change base plates for different calibers and the company is great to deal with. Postage was reasonable and I got it sent to Australia.
The dual nozzles allow for better control of temperature.
Also I'd recommend using the tempilaq brush applicator on some older "scrap" brass mouths rather than the outside of the case, or using a laser thermometer as the brass is just too reflective to get an accurate temperature.


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Actually he just used this guy 13mm 12V 8RPM High Torque DC Geared Motor - Free Shipping - DealExtreme and then adjusted his flame. Although you could just vary end cap diameter to change time spend under flame as well. If you want to get fancy you could even mount Bernzomatic WH0159 Universal Torch Extension Hose-334246 at The Home Depot and this guy Bernzomatic WT2301 Self Igniting Basic Torch Head-334496 at The Home Depot with the help of this guy Cramik Enterprises 2 in. Copper-Plated Split Ring Pipe Hanger-21007 at The Home Depot so that you get a consistent distance from the flame although i think that would push you over the 50 mark, so it may not be worth it
 
Didn't think about flame intensity, but you're right. Next on the cards would be to make a dispenser to drop the brass in for you.
 
I bought a bench source about 3 weeks ago after doing my own research. The price difference is small for a lifetime investment. I was not able to find any post about owners not being happy with the bench source. Also it seemed like it was easy to set up and lots of adjustments, as well as no need to change shell plates. Unfortunately for me my turn table that spins the case while it's in the flames stopped working about 20-30 cases into my first batch. I think it is a faulty motor. If I tapped the motor it would start working again. Called them the next day, great to deal with apologized and had a pre paid shipping ticket in my email less than 5 minutes after I hung up. Sent it to them last Monday and recieved a shipping notice this afternoon that it's on it's way back to me. I am very happy with my purchase I believe it is a faulty motor, something they had no control over. And the build quality is awesome.
 
While I'm in the jury rigging mood, you could use the arms off this guy http://www.buildersmetalwork.co.uk/images/001-khl50.jpg?osCsid=f4a95508c6eef226d78b411ec4461bea to create a V. Although unless you wanted to answer a few more problems, you would still likely have to feed off the horizontal side on a ramp like the one pictured. In that case your feed ramp your walls would form more of a "y" than a "V"

You may run into issues with cases coming down from the top causing pressure on the cases waiting in line and push them up against the wall of the circular end cap. The motor listed is not too high on torque and from the looks of it, durability isn't its strong suit. Although you probably shouldnt need to store too many cases as leaving a torch unattended probably isn't the best idea. Either way this harebrained scheme will no doubt be less sturdy, so you may be getting what you paid for and less than that with my advice :)
 
Go with the bench source, it was my first choice and I never looked back at the other ones.
Might be at the top of the price market, so do what I did. No more reloading toys for six months.
 
Unlike a lot of videos, that machine is not over doing the job and looks to function well.

There is no worry about a plastic tub. If your cases fall out hot enough to cause any damage they are toasted. You don't want the entire case at 750 just the neck and the transfer of heat is very fast. If you are just faster "dwell time" than having the flame color change from blue to orange (using propane) and can hold the base of the case right after it is done, you have done it right.

If you want to save a few more bucks and have a machine that can anneal all the way up to 50 BMG, send me a pm.

I have two more machines, using drop material, that are going to be sold before the production units go on the market.

This is the last one that sold (note the scratches in the top plate, that don't effect function) comes with everything in the photo except the torches.

IMG_20140516_243104_556-1_zpsa294a6ae.jpg


$290 + shipping will get you one.

This is a video of an auto fed version (haven't figured out how to make them affordable enough yet) but it works the same except for manual case feed.

 
Last edited:
My friend and I just purchased one of JMorris' machines, and they are top notch quality. Definitely worth it for $290.
 
Rangemaster said:
Go with the bench source, it was my first choice and I never looked back at the other ones.
Might be at the top of the price market, so do what I did. No more reloading toys for six months.
Click to expand...
What cartridges are you annealing? I'm looking for a start setting on the Bench Source for a 6.5 Creedmoor.
 
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