How do you anneal your cases?

[Casting Timmy]

It seems like there's a lot of variance on how hot people heat there brass, but only two options on cooling it down. Just thought a poll would show us all what's the majority.

[gcollins]

You don't want to over heat the brass, you want the heat on the neck only!
G

[jmorris]

Not enough is better than too much. There is a sticky on a machine I built at the top of this forum.


This video is just right. The neck is fully annealed and the case can be held immediately afterward.


This video shot when I first got it running shows them being over done. Note the flame color changing from blue to orange, you don’t want that.




This is a good read on the subject. http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html

[Dan Cash]

I use a 500 degree Temmp Lac crayon to mark the case on the area to be annealed and at the bottom limit of annealing. The case is placed on a rotating mandrel and moved into the torch flame. It is held there until the crayon marks in the anneal field melt but the mark at the bottom limit has not yet turned color. At this point the case is dumped from the mandrel into water to arrest the migration of heat. After I establish the time required to achieve the annealing area temperatuure desired, the crayon is no longer used but instead, the exposure to the flame is timed.

[nanuk]

does anyone use molten lead?

seems to me you could adjust the temp, and using fingers tell when the base is getting warm and water drop.

with some experimenting, you could establish an optimum temp, and time.

[Casting Timmy]

I read the 6mmbr.com article and quiet a few others. I do think that it's interesting on the non-casting gun websites they talk about the dangers of lead fumes as why not to dip the cases in lead.

I also think it's interesting some of the information out there is contradictory. Some sites say the brass can be air cooled or water dropped and other sites say that it has to be water dropped to anneal.

I think it's neat to see how the majority does it.

[GRUMPA]

does anyone use molten lead?


Yeah I do cause for me its the easiest. during casting sessions I just dunk the case into the lead for about 5 seconds (just past the shoulder) and put it in water. Seems to work just fine for me.

[Wayne Smith]

I do a slow count as I hold the first one in the melt at 600 degrees + and drop it in water when I can't hold it any more. Then I put on a glove and do the rest to the same count.

[Artful]

I tried the propane and found using the lead pot much easier - dip in oil, dip in lead, drop in water. control the heat with the thermostat on your lead pot fingers tell if it's getting too hot. When I did use propane it was alway tough to get consistant results. I'd guess the newer mechanized annealer's like I see on youtube may be quicker than lead pot but sure cost a lot more also.

[Von Gruff]

Not enough is better than too much. There is a sticky on a machine I built at the top of this forum.


This video is just right. The neck is fully annealed and the case can be held immediately afterward.


This is a good read on the subject. http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html

Very good video and read on the 6mmbr site, and I had read it some time back when I was sorting my own annealing method. I see no need to water drop if the polished case is not taken past the blue - stage into any type of glow so do mine in good light.

Von Gruff.

[Dan Cash]

The only reason I dump the hot case into water is to have some place to put it. Dumping into an empty bucket dings the case mouth. dumping on the bench is a hazzard and I don't want the heat migration.

[jmorris]

does anyone use molten lead?

seems to me you could adjust the temp, and using fingers tell when the base is getting warm and water drop.

Water in the same area as molten lead is asking for trouble.

[Moonie]

Water in the same area as molten lead is asking for trouble.

Actually there is a sticky about this, water on top of the lead isn't a problem, it is when the water gets under the surface that you have an issue.

[jmorris]

Actually there is a sticky about this, water on top of the lead isn't a problem, it is when the water gets under the surface that you have an issue.

I only posted that because of (bad) experience on the subject. I have seen the myth busters stuff but if you play with snakes you’ll get bit sooner or later. Devine intervention is a good thing but don’t count on it.

[rwsem]

I'm archaic; I stick the de-primed brass on a coat hanger (taped so it doesn't slide all the way down). I sit in a very dim, almost dark, room and rotate the case to heat the neck/ shoulder area, until it just starts to discolor, over a propane torch. I slide the case off the coat hanger and let it air-cool.

[montana_charlie]

Couldn't take part in your poll...because the correct answer isn't there.
CM

[runfiverun]

it's all about the temp the brass gets.
i have seen everything from 615 to 725 printed in various articles.
i think if you are doing it every load to four then the lower temps do okay.
and if just doing an anneal every ten times, or for case forming, you want the higher temp.
but glowing red is too hot,i use that color for completely softening cases to swage with.

[Smoke-um if you got-um]

I rarely anneal but when I do I simply set the case in a pan of water up to the base of the neck and use a propane torch. As soon as I see the slight darkening/discoloration of the neck I tip it over and do another one. I mainly only anneal when converting cases to a different caliber. Ex. - 243 to 308, 257 Roberts to 6.5X55, 7.62X39 to 6PPC etc. It is slow but has done an acceptable job for me. My first attempts many, many years ago were with the "red glow" and then tip the case over but they were much to soft and ruined cases. I see in a post above Montana Charlie disagrees with this practice and I would be curious if he might post his method for a comparison. Merry Christmas Mike

[montana_charlie]

I see in a post above Montana Charlie disagrees

The answer I would mark in the poll would say, "Polished case, good light, heat until blue color is visible."

You can stand cases in water if you wish, but I like to spin them in the flame.
You can quench them in water if you wish, but that doesn't change the hardness (or softness) of the metal.
A bucket of water IS a handy place to store hot brass until it cools.
But then you have to dry it and deal with any tarnish the heat and water may cause.

For those who need visual instruction, this guy does a pretty good job...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbRdJqyFDGY

CM

[woody1]

Charlie's right about the water quench. It is not needed for the anneal. I water drop to halt the heat migration. I don't want any anneal past the shoulder so to make sure, they hit the water. Regards, Woody