RH Somerset
Well-Known Member
Interested
Would anyone be interested in an affordable, UK made induction annealing machine?
- Thread starter HandB
- Start date
intrested , the gap imo is making these things at the right price . It simply has to be economic over and above the replacement of the brass . Lapua is easy ten reloads at top accuraccy ( as in match ) without anealing . The guy who gets the cost right is the guy who is going to sell a bundle
Would that not depend on the chambering, and the load ?
I think you'd struggle with some magnum cartridges ?
Yes that would help but brass chemical composition also influences melt time. The simplest way is to sacrifice some cases from a batch by running the induction coil until the case melts then backing off the timer progressively until the case doesn't melt. I am not so keen to waste brass because one would have to do that every batch so if my buddy can create an auto-calibrating annealer I will go for that instead.
Yes that's the key. The annealer needs automatically to optimise the run time of the induction coil for each case as they differ in thickness, chemical composition etc. It needs to do a nice thorough anneal but without melting the case. If I had a spare £1300 I would get an AMP annealer but if my buddy can make an auto-calibrating annealer for a more affordable price I will go for that.
Yes I find my .308 brass is not in need of much annealing so I may not bother annealing them at all. My annealer will mainly be used on my brass with narrower necks relative to the case width as I find these work harden much quicker to the extent where the neck tension is all over the place, obturation fails sending hot gas backwards and I even get split necks. In particular my .243 and 7x57 cases suffer from this rapid work hardening. I guess in these narrow necked cases the neck takes more of a battering from the hot gases passing through than a wide mouth case like a .308. So I would say if you only shoot .308 it is not worth getting an annealer. If you shoot overbore cartridges like .243 then an annealer is useful.
Induction brass annealer redux
My first annealer was built with the help of hollywood. He worked long and hard on finding the right coil size. He also came up with the water cooled coil and the radiator/pump system for it. I added the timer system, trap door, and voltage/current monitor meter. Together we came up with what...
forum.accurateshooter.com
I'm lucky to have the AMP, which is a complete extravagance, given the use it gets, but I much prefer it to the previous version, which used gas.
With regards to neck vs case diameter, it's also a balance between not over annealing the neck, and under annealing the shoulder. I had an issue with some 9.3x62, which with hindsight, really didn't need annealing, where the necks became so soft, some started to collapse when inserting the bullet.
This was easy to address, but time consuming. Annoyingly, some slipped through, without any visual sign, only to bite me on a recent driven boar trip, where the bullet parted company with the case, and the powder entered the R8 bolt housing, jamming it up.
Fortunately, I had a second rifle, and could just swap the bolt housings over. Checking the ammunition later, I found 4 more rounds, where the bullet was easily pulled out.
Sorry for digressing, but connected, and a lesson learnt.
There's also the Annie annealer
and the QuickAnneal made in South Africa
Cheers
Bruce
and the QuickAnneal made in South Africa
Cheers
Bruce
The method by which the AMP "decides" the correct annealing time for any given cartridge is their trade secret and what makes the machine as good as it is.
Also, each AMP manufactured is calibrated by performing microhardness tests on annealed cases
When I built my annealer, I knew I could not make a machine that automatically "decided" when the anneal was complete, but I do have the ability to hardness test each case after annealing to establish the correct annealing time.
It's the hardness testing that validates the annealing
Cheers
Bruce
Also, each AMP manufactured is calibrated by performing microhardness tests on annealed cases
When I built my annealer, I knew I could not make a machine that automatically "decided" when the anneal was complete, but I do have the ability to hardness test each case after annealing to establish the correct annealing time.
It's the hardness testing that validates the annealing
Cheers
Bruce
I like that. First thought, was I wonder if a tube/hopper could be fitted, so as the annealed case drops out, another drops in
I would be interested also.
shot one for decades exceeding the ten firings not an issue . chamber fit and not over sizing not caliber matters. 308 and 243 should be equal if the movement to tight chamber is equal . You only need a 2-3 tho@ size . a slack chamber and over sizing will wreck brass fast
Yes gas is also good. If you are good at mechanical things, a gas torch, an old microwave oven motor and an old saucepan would be enough for a reasonable gas annealer.
I’m sure I’ve seen a YT where Wojtek has fitted a Dillon hopper to his….I like that. First thought, was I wonder if a tube/hopper could be fitted, so as the annealed case drops out, another drops in
