annealing ??

[686]

I have seen several annealers with constant turninr with 2 torches. Some have them both hitting the case at the same point. Some have the 2 torches spaced apart where the case is totaly out of the first one before it gets to the 2nd one. Hiting the case with both flames at the same time would seam the right way. When the case is out of one then goes in to another one looks all wrong. The annealers that have the case stop and has 2 torches always have them both hiting the case. Any thoughts?

[o6Patient]

I have a pan I made that spins in a drill mounted it the vise, this method you only
need one torch and with far more consistent results because the case is slowly spinning
which evens out the heating process much better in my opinion...and easier.

[686]

o6Patient how do you take out the case and put in another one with out burning your fingers? I used a drill with a deep socket in a drill, but hand heled it and i could dump the case out then put another one in, then stick it back in the flame. I was also counting the time. I want to make a more consistant way of doing it.

[M Hicks]

This is pretty interesting. I have wanted to anneal some cases but haven't really been to sure about the process to make sure it is done correctly. Still doing some research but I might try to experiment soon.

[o6Patient]

I have a split bushing that supports the case while it is being heated which is sitting in water
as a heat sink. The bushing being split allows the case head to be sitting in water also.
When the cartridge is heated it just gets tipped over into the water. I don't completely understand
the second part of the question..I just take another case and set it into the holder.
The torch is hand held so you're not setting it into the flame with your hand...maybe that's
what you were referring too.

[o6Patient]

Oh one more thing referring to what you have tried: why would you want to use a deep socket?
My little bushing isn't more than tall enough to balance to case.. maybe a half inch at the most.

[1Shirt]

Guess I am old fashioned! Don't need anything mechanical, just fingers, a burnsomatic torch and a pan of water. Has worked for years, so don't think I will fix it.
1Shirt!

[o6Patient]

Guess I am old fashioned! Don't need anything mechanical, just fingers, a burnsomatic torch and a pan of water. Has worked for years, so don't think I will fix it.
1Shirt!
My set up isn't a whole lot more advanced than just that, it just made me a little more consistent with
a few less finger burns.

[686]

The deep socket lets just the part of the case stick out that i want to anneal. The rest of the case is hidden from the flame. I try to hit just the neck and a little of the sholder. I test with temp lack first. I want to make one like on this sight that is more constant timming in the flame.
Back to the other question about some annealers with t flames away from each other and the case goes throu each one at two different points and times. I would think the case should be in the flame at one point only. Any thoughts ?

[o6Patient]

That is what the spinning of the case does is equal out the heat, the brass conducts the heat and
that is why having it in a socket won't stop the heat from flowing down towards the case
head. Having water down there insures a heat sink and the heat will dissipate proportionately
down towards the case head. By the time the heat gets anywhere near the temp that would
soften the lower case, the neck would be completely overheated and long before that..you
would have tipped it into the water and onto the next.

[Jeff Michel]

+1 keep it simple.
Guess I am old fashioned! Don't need anything mechanical, just fingers, a burnsomatic torch and a pan of water. Has worked for years, so don't think I will fix it.
1Shirt!

[xd4584]

What is the proper temperature to anneal brass and copper?

[o6Patient]

The technique I use is not original in total, it comes from reading John Wootters book back in the late '80s.
I will tell you how I tell the right temperature .. and I think it was directly out of the mouth of Mr. Wootters.
I hold the torch with a modest flame on the neck of the case, the first color you will see is the brass turning
a brown color, then it will turn blueish at that point it is ready to quench. Do not watch the blue but rather
watch when the brown color reaches the intersection of the shoulder and case body, as soon as it does it's
ready to tip into the water. That's how I do it. If the case "glows" it's overheated. If you are looking for exact
temp I do know that if it is heated for only a few seconds as this method does you are probably looking for a
temp. some where between 750 and 800 degrees, a lesser temp of 660 something will do the trick but has to
be heated for 15 minutes or so...as I understand it... 950 will make it start to glow and it will be ruined.
Again I am not a metallurgist but have read/learned a few things over the years, these temps I have no way
of verifying , as I said I use the method I read that old John used and that's been good enough for me so far.

[xd4584]

I can probably handle doing it that way. I was a welder/fabricater most of my life. So I know a good bit about metals and how heating and coolin effects them. I'm not talking about a sheet metal welder or building hand rails or anything like that. I welded aluminum and stainless boat hulls and fuel cells for a long time that were coast guard inspected and pressure tested. Then I started working at Johnson controls building chillers for the navy. Anyhow... Now I work in the test lab. Very detail oriented... I can do the anealing visually but I would love to know the actual temp. I looked in the machinist handbook and its not there... I will see if I can get it from one of our metallurgist at work... Or.. If my infrared reads high enough I can check it myself based on your procedure

[o6Patient]

xd4584, I think you'll find the temps I indicated will be pretty close.
I to did a bit of welding back in a former life and did study metallurgy
to some degree, when I said I have no way of verifying means just that I
don't have the equipment to actually verify the temps., but with that said,
I was giving the "book" values as I remember them.