feelinducky
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- Oct 6, 2010
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I was checking his store in the evening. It makes sense to me that he probably makes them during the day and adds them into inventory in the evening. It worked for me.
My salt bath annealing
- Thread starter feelinducky
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That's probably the most unsafe method of annealing I have ever seen. Only a matter of time before someone is reported to have knocked a hot pot of salts over or allowed them to get too hot and harmed themselves with the fumes. No way is handling hot cases with a glove one at a time faster that an automated torch or induction annealing machine... Plus you HAVE to throw them in water to wash off hot salts then dry the cases which takes even more time.
I'll definitely stay with my hopper style torch annealing machine. It may have cost me a little more money to purchase my machine, but its WAY faster and a heck of a lot safer. Set up a for the case I'm annealing, load the hopper full of cases, turn it on and do other tasks in the shop while the machine does all the work for me. Perfectly annealed brass and no drying wet cases afterwards.
I'll definitely stay with my hopper style torch annealing machine. It may have cost me a little more money to purchase my machine, but its WAY faster and a heck of a lot safer. Set up a for the case I'm annealing, load the hopper full of cases, turn it on and do other tasks in the shop while the machine does all the work for me. Perfectly annealed brass and no drying wet cases afterwards.
Hand Skills
Well-Known Member
Ya, be sure to check the MSDS on the salts, especially if annealing indoors. Never worked with the low temp salts myself, but high temp salts are no joke.
Disposing of salts is not to be taken lightly either.
I torch my brass. Save the fluidized bed for steel.
Though if I ever have 500 cases to anneal, I might change my tune.
Disposing of salts is not to be taken lightly either.
I torch my brass. Save the fluidized bed for steel.
Though if I ever have 500 cases to anneal, I might change my tune.Bigfishonafly
Active Member
That's probably the most unsafe method of annealing I have ever seen. Only a matter of time before someone is reported to have knocked a hot pot of salts over or allowed them to get too hot and harmed themselves with the fumes. No way is handling hot cases with a glove one at a time faster that an automated torch or induction annealing machine... Plus you HAVE to throw them in water to wash off hot salts then dry the cases which takes even more time.
I'll definitely stay with my hopper style torch annealing machine. It may have cost me a little more money to purchase my machine, but its WAY faster and a heck of a lot safer. Set up a for the case I'm annealing, load the hopper full of cases, turn it on and do other tasks in the shop while the machine does all the work for me. Perfectly annealed brass and no drying wet cases afterwards.[/QUOTE
Yes nothing has ever been harmed by fire. Especially fire from a torch.
Seems to me they both can be dangerous, and both have their pros and cons. If you anneal pick your method and use it safely. I'm not so sure annealing adds to accuracy. It probably adds to case life but I usually get 7 plus firings per case anyway. I can't justify the extra time and expense based on what I think I know now.
Annealing mostly benefits SAAMI cases where a person is using standard dies. The cases get worked vigorously back and forth from fireform shape to FL sized shape. The excessive work hardening makes the brass brittle which shortens case life and reduces case dimensional consistency. Annealing is required to avoid split necks, stubbirn hardened case shoulders that no longer set back properly in the die, and erratic neck tension. So in this instance, YES, annealing is very important to maintaining "consistent" accuracy in a SAAMI spec chamber rifle using standard off the shelf reloading dies.
With custom rifles it can be a little different if a person knows how to set everything up properly during the build. By purchasing a custom reamer, you can get the rifle chambered, then have a company like Whidden create a custom sizing die that is specifically designed to only size the case to the minimum amount required for chambering. This way the brass is worked a LOT less from fireform shape to FL sized shape and the brass maintains its elasticity for a much longer period of firings. Other features Whidden dies allow is the use of a properly sized bushing along with a custom expander ball to help reduce the work hardening on the neck. So with a properly spec'd custom sizing die, bushing, and expander ball, the need for annealing to maintain accuracy or prolong case life can be virtually eliminated because the brass is moved very minimal amounts between firing and sizing.
With custom rifles it can be a little different if a person knows how to set everything up properly during the build. By purchasing a custom reamer, you can get the rifle chambered, then have a company like Whidden create a custom sizing die that is specifically designed to only size the case to the minimum amount required for chambering. This way the brass is worked a LOT less from fireform shape to FL sized shape and the brass maintains its elasticity for a much longer period of firings. Other features Whidden dies allow is the use of a properly sized bushing along with a custom expander ball to help reduce the work hardening on the neck. So with a properly spec'd custom sizing die, bushing, and expander ball, the need for annealing to maintain accuracy or prolong case life can be virtually eliminated because the brass is moved very minimal amounts between firing and sizing.
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Mikecr
Well-Known Member
Dip annealing is the most accurate annealing for us, don't even doubt that.
For those of us that have been doing it, I've dip annealed for over 30yrs, it's no big deal. And for many of us in reloading, it's not a race either. We want to make the best ammo we can.
There is evil energy in a pot of molten anything. There is evil energy with any flame process. But we can manage it (we're not all stupid).
For those of us that have been doing it, I've dip annealed for over 30yrs, it's no big deal. And for many of us in reloading, it's not a race either. We want to make the best ammo we can.
There is evil energy in a pot of molten anything. There is evil energy with any flame process. But we can manage it (we're not all stupid).
Not all stupid. Unfortunately there are plenty of them out there
When you are trying to anneal 500 or more cases at once, you might change your mind on using a method that requires you to physically handle each case one at a time during the entire annealing process. Some folks dont mind taking the time to do it. I'd rather be doing other things like getting more work done or shooting
DartonJager
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Just to add I also have a Salt bath annealing kit from Ballistic creations and yes there are some dangers you need to be aware of and take precautions for and I accept them, but so far it's worked very well for me in I've annealed the same 300wsm and 35rem brass 3x now or after every 3rd firing. Been using the same 30 pieces each of 300wsm and 35rem as a test to insure no issues will arrise before I commit to doing it with all my brass. Will anneal the same brass 1 more time to have ten firings on each piece of brass if by then no issues have arrisen I will adjudge it safe.
I anneal my brass at 900-910*/F for 4-5 seconds using a metronome app I downloaded for free as it allows me to precisely control my anneal time
I use the temperature probe attachment on my Fluke meter to monitor and maintain very accurate and consistent temperature control of the molten salt.
However on another sight a person who is extremely knowledgeable about annealing who displayed a knowledge of annealing I've never seen before or since suggested and uses quite small stainless steel beads used for sand blasting in place of salt in the same LEE lead melting pot I plan on buying and trying some to see if it works as it would be a viable alternative to liquid salt
I anneal my brass at 900-910*/F for 4-5 seconds using a metronome app I downloaded for free as it allows me to precisely control my anneal time
I use the temperature probe attachment on my Fluke meter to monitor and maintain very accurate and consistent temperature control of the molten salt.
However on another sight a person who is extremely knowledgeable about annealing who displayed a knowledge of annealing I've never seen before or since suggested and uses quite small stainless steel beads used for sand blasting in place of salt in the same LEE lead melting pot I plan on buying and trying some to see if it works as it would be a viable alternative to liquid salt
tangodown
Well-Known Member
Yes, a PID is an excellent idea!! I did a short search for ideas and found one in particular on utube that would seem to work... BUT... it seems as though it would be child's play for a EE which I'm not... Any ideas to get around the complexity?
