Fluxeon Annie Annealer Issues

[Okanogan]

I have had my Annie for more than 2 years. It may not be current information but I went through an extended delay and some swapped emails with Garret with my order too. The order took more than 6 months but it eventually showed up so I wouldn't give up all hope. One would have thought their marketing, production and customer service would have improved over the years but it doesn't sound like it. I don't use the Annie that often but have not had any problems with it in the intervening years though.

 

[SheepShapeAK]

Well, I finally received it. As I said, I wasn't worried about the wait. I just wanted to know it was actually coming. Garrett apologized and said my order definitely fell through the cracks when they had to pull machines back due to an issue with one of the chips.

Anyways. We shall see how it works for my needs.

 

[Kmccord]

Well, I finally received it. As I said, I wasn't worried about the wait. I just wanted to know it was actually coming. Garrett apologized and said my order definitely fell through the cracks when they had to pull machines back due to an issue with one of the chips.

Anyways. We shall see how it works for my needs.

View attachment 307416

Fire it up, let's see that thing in action.

 

[SheepShapeAK]

Eric Cortina has a good review of AMP vs Flame Annealed.

 

[Terje338]

Any news regarding the lead time of the Annie Annealer? Just order one, and right after I found this tread... Hope the production time better now then before.

 

[Okanogan]

I ordered one years before this thread started and the thread indicated not much had changed. Assuming history repeats itself, you at least know what to expect.

 

[Accidic]

(Sorry for reviving a slightly dead thread but in response to request shortly before I ordered)
@Terje338 , Approximately 4 months in total. Ordered 6/1/2022. Received 10/3/2022. Did receive an email with the shipping label August 24, after several weeks with no movement I reached out (9/19) and received a response within a half a day. As I'd picked up more than just the basic pieces I had no heartburn with this being the cause of my delay and clearly this wasn't the issue the OP had. He received the last part of my order and sent it out about a week later. Though while OPs experience was not ideal, I did end up buying it based on him having finally received his.


That said, reading through the vitriol and frustration in this thread I've still unfortunately not seen the feedback I actually wanted/sought regarding the differences in the two. I was rather amused at the insinuation that the Amp was easier to find than the Annie which was not my experience at all. I had tried to purchase the Amp repeatedly for quite some time before giving up and going with the Annie instead. I suppose the irony is that now you can find the AMP available (albeit at +several hundred dollars from when I was trying to purchase previously with continuous unavailability). That said, it makes a clear noticeable difference (the Annie) with the brass without requiring propane (my main need) though I cannot yet attest to it's results as some others have. I've no doubt the Amp would have as well in fairness. I would very much love to see someone who happens to have both compare them fairly. I keep waiting to see THAT video become available. I've seen Amp downplay salt bath annealing's results (was an option I was happy to remove) but honestly doubt we'll see the same sort of test here.

 

[Sdvldog1371]

Also kicking the dead horse. It took WAY too long to get mine and it took WAY too long to get my cooling kit and it came with a broken reservoir I still haven't heard squat about where I can buy a replacement. I just super glued the 6 or so cracks running up the side and sat it in another container to catch any coolant that could come out.

. It works. Sadly I was able to order parts off Amazon, cut up an old metal self and use some thin angle for a hopper and weld up nearly identical anneal-eze gas torch annealer. Individual roller speed control and very adjustable torch head...even had little rubber feet on it. Worked great until I got my Annie, gutted the torch setup to scalp parts for another project.

. The only issue I have with the Annie is not having any imperical evidence proving the efficacy of my selected annealing times. I have seen the videos of how AMP tests their AZTEC code and annealing efficacy. They actually test brass hardness at different numbers of firings and then annealing and testing hardness again. They have fancy lab equipment they use to analyze the annealed and un annealed brass. It would be nice to test, set and forget but I don't shoot enough to really justify all that extra money. If I had a few friends nearby who reloaded we could share the cost, but not a reality for me.

 

[hseII]

Also kicking the dead horse. It took WAY too long to get mine and it took WAY too long to get my cooling kit and it came with a broken reservoir I still haven't heard squat about where I can buy a replacement. I just super glued the 6 or so cracks running up the side and sat it in another container to catch any coolant that could come out.

. It works. Sadly I was able to order parts off Amazon, cut up an old metal self and use some thin angle for a hopper and weld up nearly identical anneal-eze gas torch annealer. Individual roller speed control and very adjustable torch head...even had little rubber feet on it. Worked great until I got my Annie, gutted the torch setup to scalp parts for another project.

. The only issue I have with the Annie is not having any imperical evidence proving the efficacy of my selected annealing times. I have seen the videos of how AMP tests their AZTEC code and annealing efficacy. They actually test brass hardness at different numbers of firings and then annealing and testing hardness again. They have fancy lab equipment they use to analyze the annealed and un annealed brass. It would be nice to test, set and forget but I don't shoot enough to really justify all that extra money. If I had a few friends nearby who reloaded we could share the cost, but not a reality for me.

We are in the market for an Annelear.

I would love to see a head to head comparison by an independent type reviewer.

That @ButterBean guy sounds like he has the knowledge & the necessary tooling to compare.

What would be needed to get a square comparison?

Genuinely Curious.

 

[Sdvldog1371]

We are in the market for an Annelear.

I would love to see a head to head comparison by an independent type reviewer.

That @ButterBean guy sounds like he has the knowledge & the necessary tooling to compare.

What would be needed to get a square comparison?

Genuinely Curious.

I suppose it depends on what a square comparison means to you. To me, I would want to take 50 or so pieces from one lot of cases that have been fired and 50 unfired. I'd have the virgin cases tested by a materials lab or using a Webster BB-75 hardness tester. Then I'd test the 50 fired cases and have their harndess labeled on them. I would anneal half of the fired cases using the Annie and send the other half to someone with an AMP. Then I would test or have a lab retest the two sets and compare that data. The only thing is I don't know where to send the brass or the cost; and a certified Webster tester is more than an Annie setup, Lol. It would be nice to test the three methods against one another. That's where I have to give it to AMP is that they've done the research and have the lab tools necessary to test stuff. I'm sure the torch method or Annie work just fine, I just don't know if I'm getting actually achieving the best results.

 

[orkan]

That @ButterBean guy sounds like he has the knowledge & the necessary tooling to compare.

He has a vickers hardness testing machine?

What about 3 dozen or so barrels, all with identical configurations and chambers? Enough components on hand of the same lot numbers to see the testing through? The ability to quit his job and do this full time for about a year? How about a documented capability of producing sub-0.2 moa groups at 100yds or farther?

So far I've never met anyone in this industry or outside of it that has the skill, resources, and experience needed to properly put it to bed. A government funded PRIVATE entity with full autonomy and a staff of professional shooters, metallurgists, ballisticians, and chemists might have a shot at it.


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[ButterBean]

We are in the market for an Annelear.

I would love to see a head to head comparison by an independent type reviewer.

That @ButterBean guy sounds like he has the knowledge & the necessary tooling to compare.

What would be needed to get a square comparison?

Genuinely Curious.