The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading D.I.Y. Candle Annealer-case necksGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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While the induction annealer (below) is excellent, there is a simple method for small task case annealing. An outside barn/garage plus small desk. A pair of gloves helps along with a few various trays and an old wet towel-with a few old candles Stick the candles upright. Turn the case necks in the candle flame until they are way too hot to hold. Hence, gloves. Then over to the wet towel for cooling/cleaning case necks. The PPC and target rifle folks use this method. I use it for specialized cartridge cases or wildcats like the 33 WCF or 450 Alaskan. These are rare cases that must be re-formed requiring a lot of brass work hardening. Annealing in the case neck area saves brass. Brass for the 33 WCF is easily formed using annealed 40-65 brass as from Starline. The CH or RCBS 33 WCF resizer easily forms 33 Win brass in one pass using this method. It really pays for itself in saved cases, rather than the use of 45-70 brass. Another annealing case that is more difficult is the wildcat cases like the 450 Alaskan from the parent 348 WCF brass. Brass in 348 is tough, but annealing helps the extensive reforming operation to 450 Alaskan. It requires annealing of the 348 necks, then expanding through a set of RCBS re-form dies. Again annealing saves on expensive case loss. SAVE THOSE CANDLES AND BRASS CASE NECKS! Avatar | ||
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I use a propane or butane torch. No soot, Sherlock. Old Corps Semper Fi FJB | |||
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The method works... But its not very precise- not that that matters, and more to the point is that its pretty time consuming. I admit I brought an AMP annealer and its much faster. Cases last longer if I run them through at least every other time shooting them. I don't think its particularly financially worthwhile (how many cases would I have discarded vs. using the cheap method and just throwing away the old ones...) but it does make my African rifle calibers that are unobtainable for brass right now stay in the rotation as opposed to waiting until I can find brass again... The torch and the candle method just take more time, that's all. Time vs money... | |||
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I have never owned a gas torch but might get one if someone can tell me a failsafe way of annealing with one that doesn't cost too much money or time. Meanwhile, I might try that candle trick - I do have some candles. | |||
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I would be very hesitant about annealing with a heat source as slow as a candle. Keep in mind that the case head must remain hard. Annealing with such a slow heat source may allow too much time for the heat to travel down to the head. There are several ways to anneal cases. The safest is probably the electronically-controlled induction annealer, but a cheap hardware-store propane torch works well if you have a suitable way of controlling the heat input. For a smallish batch of cases, get some tempilaq heat-indicating paint and a little cup adapter for a hand drill. Apply temppilaq to the case mouth and rotate the case evenly in the flame until the paint changes colour. The case can then be dunked in water or allowed to cool on it's own. I used to dunk them purely becasue that eliminated the need to handle hot cases. | |||
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PC has a point as to case head/base, but the candle method is for neck area only. This is the area that benefits from annealing, as brass work hardens with reforming the neck and top 1/3 or 1/4 of case body. In many wildcat calibers, this neck and shoulder area is the location of much case re-forming or re-working. The brass neck/shoulder area really benefits from candle annealing. This area is the most critical for annealing-it works! Avatar | |||
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My concern is that brass is a highly conductive metal. If you heat only the mouth but do so very slowly (as with a candle), the base will get far hotter than if you heat the mouth with a more powerful flame. My concern is that the head might in this case become hot enough to start annealing, although no doubt there are a bunch of variables such as case length that will make a difference, and I admit I haven't tried it myself. I have only annealed with a gas torch and by dunking the case mouth in lead (what a disaster that was). | |||
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Thanks PC, unless someone suggests a safer method I might try Wstrnhntr's holding the case head in my fingers until the blowtorch makes it too hot to continue. Anyone, anyone? | |||
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I ordered some aluminum case holders with a stem that works in a drill press and works as a heat sink. spins the case while I use the torch on neck and shoulder, the lower part of the case holder keeps the case cool while you work only the portion that sticks out gets heat on the neck and small part of the shoulder. only cost a $1,50 per caliber so I bought a set. Pretty neat set up for smaller jobs and shows the heat stop line like factory stuff. FOR THE ANNEALERS: Dale Hegstrom Little Crow Gnworks, LLC 6593 113th Ave NE SUITE C SPICER, MN 56288 Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Graeme Wright's book on shooting the British double rifle says that the finger test for annealing is adequate. I followed that for annealing 416 Rigby & 470NE. Now I do the same for all smaller calibers (which I never used to anneal before.)
"When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick." | |||
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Thanks Nakihunter, I wonder if the extra length of the 470NE might allow more heat before it got to hot to hold at the other end? I put the case-holding idea to a mate this morning and he countered that different people have different abilities to withstand heat, citing his wife who could put her hand into water much hotter than he could. I guess there is judgment required in any method, though, so I might give it a go. Aternatively, if I can find some kind of continuous turntable, I might try putting a case in some water in the middle of it. Should I knock the case over in the water once the neck turns blue? | |||
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Sambar, did you see my post mentioning Tempilaq? To measure is to know. | |||
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I did, Peter, but have never seen the product. Where's the best place to get it? A mate suggests annealing in the dark to look for cherry red in the neck. Later, it would appear, the color thereabouts should be blue. Is Tempilaq easy to get off? Thinking of Ray's solution, I'm wondering if an old-timey steel drill chuck might act as the heat sink, too? Trouble is the .45-70 etc would be too big and all my drills bar the press (where the heat would ascend) have modern, plastic chucks. | |||
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I don't know about Australia, but here most bigger reloading shops sell it. Since we are a much smaller economy I would expect your guys to be more jacked up. It's also available through welding supply shops and knife-making supply shops, but Tempilaq comes in different temperature ranges and it seems more difficult to get the right one from the industrial supply stores. Comes off in the tumbler. Judging temperature by color is very dependent on light levels. Many people do it but I am always reminded of Gen Julian Hatcher's tale of 1903 receivers bursting because the heat-treaters in some shops refused to use more modern techniques and over-heated the steel. | |||
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