Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

[Quackaddict]

Well, after playing with some cases I mucked up a while back, I decided that I would give annealing a try on some of my Lapua 308 cases, for the most part I think I got it right, the amount of crap still left on my casenecks even after tumbling is real evident after you throw a flame to it.

Here are a few pics:

What do you all think? The color seems to match the new lapua cases in the first picture pretty well. I used varmint al's method with a semi darkened room and a 13 dollar torch from Ace and MAPP gas. I just sat the cases in a 9/16 deep well with a nut in the bottom of it and spun it slowly while in the heat. A 10 count got me to a little red glow, as soon as I saw the glow I removed the heat and grabbed another. In full light it was real hard to see the glow at all and I had to rely on the count.

 

[jrpilot]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

From what I can see from the pics, it looks good to me.

 

[johndoe]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

Looks good!

 

[vman]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

looks ok to me

You could try polishing up the necks real well if you dont want to cook "crap" onto them during annealing

 

[Quackaddict]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

They come clean for the most part after a second round in the tumbler after the annealing process, I suppose I could put some additive in the media to clean em up more.

 

[High Binder]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

Perfect!

 

[oldjad02]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

I tried the water pan method about 60 years ago, not sure how good it worked then, but I think I will get the hornady annealer: it has 3 holder (223,308,mag) that spin the case in a power screwdriver or drill motor and uses that heat senitive material that yu put on the hneck of the case. it changes color when you reach the correct temp, then you drop the case into a water quench. It seems it would be very accurate and repeatable. I don't want to mess up a few hundred of my Lapua cases. i think it sells for $50. Not sure how much the cost per case for the tempature sensitve material, but it has to be cheaper than a new Lapua cases. JimDee

 

[jet_lagged]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

Looks good.

For anyone considering buying a "kit" (like $50 at Midway), if you already have basic tools, all you really need is the temperature indicating mechanism.

So just get a bottle of Tempilaq in the 650F heat range. Made by Tempil, Inc.

Available at industrial supply or welding stores, or online an lots of places


http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/GSDRVSM?PACACHE=000000145786132

 

[Quackaddict]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

I was gonna buy that kit to, until i looked into what is actualy is, the deep well socket in the drill works just as good, and it cost me nothing as I had it. 13 bucks for a torch and a bottle of propane. Hornaday sells the 475 degree temp stuff with the kit, you put it on the body of the case, and when it turns you have gone far enough on the neck of the case. Personally I think I may buy a bottle of the 750 and put a dab on the neck, when it goes you remove heat, time it and watch where it was in the flame and you will be fine.

I would rather spend 50 bucks toward a machine of some sorts than a kit you can make yourself for much less. Midway carrys the temp paint for 15-20 bucks a bottle.

 

[myerfire]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

You only need to put the templaq on a few cases until you get a feel for how many seconds you need to keep the case in the flame.
myerfire

 

[High Binder]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JimDee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I tried the water pan method about 60 years ago, not sure how good it worked then, but I think I will get the hornady annealer: it has 3 holder (223,308,mag) that spin the case in a power screwdriver or drill motor and uses that heat senitive material that yu put on the hneck of the case. it changes color when you reach the correct temp, then you drop the case into a water quench. It seems it would be very accurate and repeatable. I don't want to mess up a few hundred of my Lapua cases. i think it sells for $50. Not sure how much the cost per case for the tempature sensitve material, but it has to be cheaper than a new Lapua cases. JimDee </div></div>

Use a 1/2" deep socket cucked into your drill. It's way cheaper

 

[Short Round]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shot In The Dark</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JimDee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I tried the water pan method about 60 years ago, not sure how good it worked then, but I think I will get the hornady annealer: it has 3 holder (223,308,mag) that spin the case in a power screwdriver or drill motor and uses that heat senitive material that yu put on the hneck of the case. it changes color when you reach the correct temp, then you drop the case into a water quench. It seems it would be very accurate and repeatable. I don't want to mess up a few hundred of my Lapua cases. i think it sells for $50. Not sure how much the cost per case for the tempature sensitve material, but it has to be cheaper than a new Lapua cases. JimDee </div></div>


Use a 1/2" deep socket cucked into your drill. It's way cheaper </div></div>

Tis what I do.

 

[CanPopper]

Re: Took a whack at Annealing, what do you think?

I recently purchased a high temperature thermometer. Then I used it to measure the heat of my alcohol lamp. Discovered that the flame is 1100 degrees F. So even a simple alcohol lamp is hot enough to anneal cases which require 750 to 800 degress F.

Armed with that knowledge, I cooked the necks of my brass in the alcohol lamp while doing a 10 to 11 "one thousand" count. Seems to anneal pretty well.

Afterwards, I loaded up the freshly annealed brass and shot them. The body and head appeared to have remained hard.