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I built an annealler and it seems to function fine. The problem i am having is i can't get the brass neck to glow. I am using a brand new propane flame pencil torch and have gone from almost stopped to 100 percent and can't seem to to get the 6.5 grendel brass to glow. I have seen the vids and the average time in the flame is around 6 to 7 seconds. I have run from 7 sec to over 10 and it does not ever glow. I plan on getting some tempilaq next and maybe switching to mapp gas. Thanks in advance.
Turn the lights out.
I did that. I am in the basement so real easy to get dark. I deliberately slowed it down to get a piece red hot and couldn't get it to glow.
Don’t know about the pencil torch, may not be enough BTU to get to that heat to make glow. I do know about soldering and you have to match the torch to the job.
I use one of these with my home made annealer. Most cases take 8 to 10 seconds the way I set mine.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzoma...2301/202539575
This is the one i bought. https://www.lowes.com/pd/BernzOmatic...-oz/5014236237
I may be doing it wrong, but I stop the flame heat before the neck glows red. Usually about a count of 5 or so +/-. Burns-o-matic torch heating the spinning cases which are in a tool in my variable speed hand drill. Goes pretty well.
What part of the torch flame is your brass hitting? If it's in the yellow part of the flame adjust it till the point of the inner blue flame (hottest part of the flame) is just hitting the brass. This may help.
sometimes getting that kind of glow is counter productive, you just need to get to the proper temp for solong, you can easily over do it.
watch some videos. Color change is all your looking for. Red hot is too hot.
Try using a bernz tourch, more flame than a pencil type. I use an old 45 record player to turn my brass holding the flame, blue tip, just off the neck. 5-6 seconds is all.
you will see some colour change in the flame (green) around the case where you are heating it = enoughQuote:
Originally Posted by Teddy (punchie)
A torch flame consists of two cones, an outer light blue flame and an inner dark blue flame. The hottest point in the flame can be found at the tip of the inner flame. 2237 degrees F.
Red glow, BAD.
You do NOT want to have the case neck glow...if you hit cherry red, it's pooched. Get some Tempilaq 750 and paint it on the inside of the neck. Once that colored Tempilaq turns clear, it's done. Drop it on a cloth and let it cool on it's own.
I tried to get it red hot to see if i could. 10 seconds with the center blue flame almost touching the neck and shoulder junction, never saw a glow. ordered some tempilaq.
I watch the color of the neck. Brass turns a 'wheat' color when at proper anneal temp. When it cools you will see the anneal line on the shoulder - sort of silvery looking often with a blue 'ring'.
I anneal in a lead pot of silica sand very fine sand. The pot is brought up to 775* and left to normalize for 40-45 mins. The "rack holds 12 cases around the edge of the pot. so cases soak in the sand for 13-15 seconds. I only get a very light color change on the brass. Part of this is the lack of oxygen and other impurities in the hot sand. I get a very consistent even annealing this way.
Having discussed this with metallurgists at work and starline the consensus is the lack of oxygen is the reason for the light color change, The heat and soak time are doing the job with out the discoloration.
I think we put more in the annealing colors than is needed. THey are a by product of the impurities of the flame methods and working in an open atmosphere
Color change is due to changing reflectivity of the changed grain stucture of brass. The 'ring' is due to oxidation of the copper. It's all surface changes that can be polished away, as commercial brass is often polished. Mil brass oftenisn't to verifythat it was formed properly (or to reduce by the cost of polishing?).
Got my tempilaq today. painted 6 pcs. Ran thru and adjusted till i got the right cycle on my annealer. Turns out my speed needs to be set at 60.