Annealing

[Elwood]

Well it looks like I will have to start annealing .

Has anyone used a temperature indicating liquid or crayon to help them? http://www.industrial-markers.co.uk/rangeS...8&br=14_118

 

Hornady do a kit but at £50 it's a bit pricey,plus I was going to use my K&M cartridge holder and cordless drill to spin the cases in. I read that Hornady supply a paste that indicates a temperature once it reaches 475 F. The liquid is applied about a quarter of an inch below the shoulder, meaning that when the neck has reached the correct temperature of 750F? then the temperature below the shoulder should be about 475F and the liquid then changes colour.

 

Or would it be better to use a indicator on the necks for the correct temperature?

 

Any input or tips on annealing necks would be most grateful from those of you who have done it, I'm currently reading up on annealing on various US websites.

[1967spud]

this should help elwood

 

 

[Berger]

I use a cheap electric screw drive held in the vice and then I have had turned a piece of alloy hwich fits into the drill and i drio the brass into it whist keeping the screwdriver turning obviously wearing a glove so to handle the warm brass,then I dont need to stop 1 out 1 in,takes no time at all,I would love a Ken Light auto annealing machine but the cost does not justify the use

[silentsoulsleave308holes]

after seeing a big anealing turntable at the factory i will never forget the colour they were after they passed through the burners

 

have a look on you sploog

 

if no go I will e-mail you some pics I took

[shootingbags]

I have a Ken Light BC1000 annealing machine with spare case holders on order for a friend of mine who does a lot of shooting .

It will hopefully be here in a few weeks.

[Elwood]

I have a Ken Light BC1000 annealing machine with spare case holders on order for a friend of mine who does a lot of shooting .

It will hopefully be here in a few weeks.

 

Gary I will hopefully look forward to a reveiw and perhaps a price check?

 

I'm now reloading for six calibers and I'm struggling with paying the prices for brass, and I'm looking for ways to make it cheaper.

For the time being I will have to make do with a gas torch and electric screwdriver.

 

Silentsoul, some photo's would be good.

 

Mark and Pete, thanks for the info.

[1967spud]

did ammosmith help on the you tube clip mate, if not ill tell him

[Elwood]

did ammosmith help on the you tube clip mate, if not ill tell him

 

Well to be honest Mark, yes and no. He didn't really give you a close up of what the colour you are looking for should be or give a temperature, but in general it was a help.

[mildot]

I believe it should be a dark cherry colour!

 

I havent anneled brass before but i will have to try once i have relaoded my winnie wsn cases soon.

 

How about one of those infra red temp gauges???? they can be bought fairly cheap now, and i think i would trust that than some paste/liquid.

[SteveW]

I have a Ken Light BC1000 annealing machine with spare case holders on order for a friend of mine who does a lot of shooting .

It will hopefully be here in a few weeks.

 

Hi Gary,

 

Did your friends Ken Light BC1000 machine arrive ??? If you get a chance could you let us know how they/you rate it ???

 

Do you know if there is a UK importer ?? I would prefer to deal with a UK supplier for after sales and service. Maybe another option for you

 

Steve

[shootingbags]

Hi Gary,

 

Did your friends Ken Light BC1000 machine arrive ??? If you get a chance could you let us know how they/you rate it ???

 

Do you know if there is a UK importer ?? I would prefer to deal with a UK supplier for after sales and service. Maybe another option for you

 

Steve

Hi Steve,

 

Yes he received it and is VERY impressed with it. He said that it is extremely easy to use and to prove a point he annealed some well used Winchester brass and said they came up like new !

 

Unfortunately Ken won't even ship to the UK - I had to get it in through a friend of mine in the US.

[Elwood]

Hi Gary,

 

Did your friends Ken Light BC1000 machine arrive ??? If you get a chance could you let us know how they/you rate it ???

 

Do you know if there is a UK importer ?? I would prefer to deal with a UK supplier for after sales and service. Maybe another option for you

 

Steve

 

Steve, there isn't a UK importer and Mr Ken Light will not post outside of the US.

 

He does not have credit card or paypal payment facilities, so you will have to send a bankers draft, this will cost £25, he will then post to an address in the US for £24 who then obviously has to post it on to you at a price. As you can see this all starts to add up, but it didn't stop me, mine is presently mid Atlantic.

[SteveW]

Steve, there isn't a UK importer and Mr Ken Light will not post outside of the US.

 

He does not have credit card or paypal payment facilities, so you will have to send a bankers draft, this will cost £25, he will then post to an address in the US for £24 who then obviously has to post it on to you at a price. As you can see this all starts to add up, but it didn't stop me, mine is presently mid Atlantic.

 

Ian, you must be like an expectant father, please keep us updated when you get it up and running.

Make sure we get some sexy angles on the photo's

 

Did you view/consider the Brass-O-Matic ??? Seems to be more vesatile setup/calibre wise, but not not as tried and tested as the Ken Light.

 

http://www.zephyrdynamics.com/page3.html

 

ATB Steve

[Elwood]

Steve, I must admit the other one didn't get much of a look in. I went through several US websites reading what people recommended and the majority had gone for the Ken Light. Quite possibly the Ken Light was the first annealing machine in which case most people always recommend what they have and not necessarily what's best!

As I'm sure you are aware the Ken Light is caliber specific, again adding to the over all cost.

 

I will do a review when I get it and have used it, after that it's off to someone who knows how to build such things

[baldie]

The Ken Light machine was indeed the first Ian, and it is the best of the two, as it completely rotates the cases, as it goes around the wheel. This ensures a completely uniform anneal ring around the case, whereas, the case-o-matic [and my home made jobbie] tend to do it 95% evenly. To be honest, i have found absolutely no difference in the way the case performs afterwards.

The Light unit, is also better value for money.

Either unit will pay for themselves with a couple of boxes of new .338 , or 6.5x47 cases, instantly. Annealed every loading, some cases will have a life extension of 50, yes 50 firings.

Its a no brainer........and its something else to mess with.

[Vermincinerator]

I made a turntable using a "Lazy Susan Bearing" on this i placed a cold meat tin filled with water so that it comes half way up the case body to be annealed.

I then hold a Mappgas torch against the neck and rotate the turntable by hand untill the neck shoulder area of the case glows a dull red.

At this point i knock the case over in the water and remove it with a pair of long nosed pliers.

Simple and cheap.

 

Ian.

[Elwood]

I'm intrigued to know what's the difference between Mapp and Butane gas ?

 

Dave, I hadn't thought about the relevant cost of replacing brass lost to work hardening, cheers I'm starting to feel better about the £££'s the Ken Light has cost.

[baldie]

Ian...bugger the cost.....as the old saying goes..." He, who dies, with the most toys....wins"

 

Seriously, annealed brass shoots better, it tends to do away with a lot of vertical stringing, due to more consistent neck tension. Folk spend a fortune on dies, neck turning, etc, but balk at the idea of annealing, and it can be made as simple as you wish it to be. From standing cases in water, and knocking them over, up to a full blown machine......they all have the desired effect.

[baldie]

The little lad got up puking and crapping this morning. So an enforced day at home. I cant waste a day, so decided to catch up on some loading, and case prep.

Had the whirlygig out, and annealed 300 6.5 x47,s.

 

[njc110381]

I'm intrigued to know what's the difference between Mapp and Butane gas ?

 

Mapp is a mixed gas with acetylene in it. It burns a lot hotter than butane/propane so gets the job done quicker.

[Redfox]

That looks pretty ok Dave and certainly will do a fair job.

Elwood, copyright exists both sides of the pond, so copying Mr lights machine is not only illegal but could cost you very dearly in money, Its also a c**ts trick, design your own or just pay up for one! for yourself and leave it at that.

The biggest problem is annealing, not just softening the cases, your only real temperature control is the speed of the carousel and being able to measure temperature and the end hardness of the case all of which is done at the factories, to get not only consistent results but to not soften the neck and shoulder too much , which is just as bad as too hard.

If too soft the neck doesnt spring back properly or hold the bullet properly either and past the shoulder the case needs to be springy to not stretch too much.

I have done all this and made a machine and was able to accurately test what I had done, I decided in the end as was getting between 12 and 25 reloads ( depending on cal ) that it wasnt really worth the effort, as other things are happening to the case each time its fired. In particular the primer hole is eroded each firing and gets bigger, which affects the ignition significantly and so you end up chasing thou's at one end of the reloading and throwing away inches at the other.

Redfox

[Elwood]

Redfox, comments taken on board about copyright. I have no intention of a direct copy just the principal behind the idea/concept of it and to be honest I doubt it will economically viable and if it is it will be for a few close friends.

 

Interesting comments regarding the loose primer pockets, something that I had over looked!

[SteveW]

Hi Steve,

 

Yes he received it and is VERY impressed with it. He said that it is extremely easy to use and to prove a point he annealed some well used Winchester brass and said they came up like new !

 

Unfortunately Ken won't even ship to the UK - I had to get it in through a friend of mine in the US.

 

Thanks Gary,

 

I missed this yesterday, certainly food for thought, caviar at that.

 

Dave, your skills far exceed my Heath Robinson approach, Sorry to here about the lad, hope he's feeling better soon. What did you use for the motor ??

 

RedFox, Excellent point, well made. I hadn't really thought in that context.

 

Maybe someone in the UK could offer an annealing service ???

 

Steve

[baldie]

This gizmo started life about ten years ago Steve...as a home made pigeon magnet.

Its a windscreen wiper motor off a fiat, i got from a scrapyard. Any will do. The speed controller was cadged off a friend who is an electronics whizz. There was no such thing back then....now you can buy them for next to nowt from commercial pigeon magnet makers.

 

The little fella made a miraculous recovery...around 3 o clock....just before the wife came home.....little bugger.

[SteveW]

This gizmo started life about ten years ago Steve...as a home made pigeon magnet.

Its a windscreen wiper motor off a fiat, i got from a scrapyard. Any will do. The speed controller was cadged off a friend who is an electronics whizz. There was no such thing back then....now you can buy them for next to nowt from commercial pigeon magnet makers.

 

The little fella made a miraculous recovery...around 3 o clock....just before the wife came home.....little bugger.

 

Thanks Dave,

 

Years ago in the pre "Pigeon magnet" days I made a flapper, from just such a motor (Not Fiat)which I believe i still hiding in the garage

 

Glad to hear about the little man, a father's healing hand's I always feel so helpless when mine are under the weather.

Steve