Annealing tip when using a 650 crayon

[sscoyote]

Just started annealing some 243 WSSM brass, and i heard the 650 crayon was a good way to get it as precise with temp as possible. The problem is it's not really like a crayon, it's more like chalk, and it doesn't adhere to the case neck at all. What i did was just scrape a little off on the inside of the neck. This way it would stay on the inside while i spun it on a screwdriver on the point of the torch, and at about 5 seconds it melted and dissipated. Seemed to work pretty good.

 

[boomtube]

Good thought.

 

[Ernie]

Since I have not used them before I had wrongly assumed they worked like a crayon-Thanks for the heads up and the tip.

 

[Pdvdh]

I also find about 5 1/2 seconds is long enough in my propane torch to reach the proper temperature using the temperature sticks. Brownell's sell a liquid product that can be painted on the casing which is much more user friendly from what I've read, but I've never purchased or used that product. Five seconds is about the length of time that Ken Markle from K&M Services told me he had found to be about right in the annealing work he has done over the years. Of course it depends on how hot your propane touch is. My use of the crayon temperature sticks has confirmed that the liquid product from Brownell's would be a better way to go. Like you said, it's hard to get the crayon to stick to the brass.

 

[LRHWAL]

I also agree that the lacquer is a better way to go.

Here's a link to what i posted on this a while ago - my "Chalkryon" experience:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/tempilsticks-annealing-32472/

Further on I post on how I managed to make it work and also the advice of Tempil in response to my query as to how to use the "crayons". I didn't think to shave a little off and put it inside the neck; neat idea. I undestand that the 650° F is to measure on the shoulder though and not the neck which should be around 730° or something (just from my research on this and no speciual personal knowledge).

I found that it took a lot longer than 5secs with a propane/butane camping stove cartridge driven plumbing torch (that's a mouthfull). Not ideal as it makes the rest of the case pretty warm.

What torches are you guys using?

WL