Annealing.

[Eligus]

I've just had my first attempt at annealing, tiny .22 Hornet cases! The majority came out fine with a light blue line about 1/3rd of the way down the case. However, 5 or 6 have the discolouration extending further down, some nearly to the base. Have I ruined these cases ?

[pothunter]

I've just had my first attempt at annealing, tiny .22 Hornet cases! The majority came out fine with a light blue line about 1/3rd of the way down the case. However, 5 or 6 have the discolouration extending further down, some nearly to the base. Have I ruined these cases ?

If the change in colour is below the neck I would say they are all knackered.

[strebblo]

I tend to anneal the neck and shoulder as long as it goes no further down than the top third. It's up to you if you decide the ones that have gone further are dodgey. If it was me I'd either mangle and bin them or try them with a lighter load from a safe distance with 10ft of string to the trigger and the rifle strapped down in a work mate or similar.
If you've got loads of brass then save the time and effort of doing that - put those down to experience and chuck em after they've been mangled.

Oops, edited this just now

[harry mac]

mangle and bum them .

[strebblo]

Well spotted! That's the only trouble with the swipe keyboard and predictive text on my phone - it turns me into a total spaz!

Honestly, it's not often that I get to advise anyone to mangle and bum.... That's usually the other forum!

[Eligus]

Thanks, I'm not all that fussed about a few cases, they can go. I'll only use the ones that look decent although I'm only loading nowhere near the max recommended load.

[airgunnut]

this is what you need http://www.giraudtool.com/annealer1.htm
http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html

[strebblo]

That's exactly what you need if you're entirely devoid of any kind of practical skill, a blow torch and a drill.
Or maybe just far more money than sense.

It's not difficult to do it properly or consistently with just a blow torch and cordless drill.

[1066]

I've just had my first attempt at annealing, tiny .22 Hornet cases! The majority came out fine with a light blue line about 1/3rd of the way down the case. However, 5 or 6 have the discolouration extending further down, some nearly to the base. Have I ruined these cases ?

If you're annealing for accuracy, then consistency is the name of the game - really need to be all the same. The colour change isn't always reliable, a newly tumbled case very often shows very little colour change, the same case that has been standing for a week before annealing will show a classic blue colour.

These are cases I annealed straight after tumbling in SS media.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcyAkj-LzA8

[6mmbrbob]

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct...81828268,d.ZGU

very simple and easy with a variable power supply to a old 12 volt drill as the driver.

6mmbrbob.

[sidesy]

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct...81828268,d.ZGU

very simple and easy with a variable power supply to a old 12 volt drill as the driver.

6mmbrbob.

loving that device

[bulls_hitter]

DIY annealer
I though about buying a machine until I saw the price so I made this
http://youtu.be/z0TlctbLT3w
I am not an engineer and most parts came from the bay
I could take a few photos of the works if anyone is interested
Steve

[sidesy]

DIY annealer
I though about buying a machine until I saw the price so I made this
http://youtu.be/z0TlctbLT3w
I am not an engineer and most parts came from the bay
I could take a few photos of the works if anyone is interested
Steve

More chance of me landing a F16

[DaveC]

I have a question about annealing.

I have watched a pile of YouTube videos and looked at various discussions on this, what I do not get is why after heating the brass, some drop it into cold water, which is what I thought your were supposed to do with brass to soften it, but some don’t and let it air cool, surely this will not work.. maybe I am wrong.


Dave

[1066]

I have a question about annealing.

I have watched a pile of YouTube videos and looked at various discussions on this, what I do not get is why after heating the brass, some drop it into cold water, which is what I thought your were supposed to do with brass to soften it, but some don’t and let it air cool, surely this will not work.. maybe I am wrong.


Dave

The annealing process with brass is different than something like steel. To anneal steel you would heat to red hot then cool slowly, to harden it you would heat to red hot then cool it quickly by quenching in water/oil.

With brass it makes no difference whether you let it cool slowly in the air or water quench, it still stays soft, brass is hardened by working it (which is why we anneal cases)

To anneal brass you need to raise the temperature to above about 600F but below about 850F, the problem is that we only want some of the case annealed not the whole lot.