newbe ?

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Re: newbe ?

Postby Jim in Houston » Fri Jul 20, 2012 4:31 pm

Wow! Annealing! What else don't I know anything about?

In the absence of annealing, it sounds like I could get around 10 reloads on a single case, but of course I would like to get more. I am not hot-loading them, just the standard 38 grns of LG for the 225 and 250 FTX's. What are the signs that the case has reached its limit (or prefereably, one reload before it reaches its limit). And what are the the indicators that the limit has been exceeded? Should I look for cracking around the mouth of the case? Is there anything that is going to happen that is in the catastrophe category?

Help, I am drowning in ignorance. :o
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Re: newbe ?

Postby Texas Sheepdawg » Sun Jul 22, 2012 8:12 am

Hoot wrote:
Texas Sheepdawg wrote:So I've never annealed my brass. Being poor, what is the most economic and easy way to anneal my brass?


One of these 3/8" socket / drill adatpers:
Image
A drill to spin it with and a socket that the cases fit inside of to spin them in.
Then a simple propane torch with a medium to fine pencil point. No need for MAPP gas, a swirl tip or "sweating big pipes" tip. You want to be able to concentrate the heat in a small area while slowly rotating the case. The heat will spread easily due to brass' good thermal conductivity. Even one of those small butane ones you can pick up from HF, though butane is an expensive fuel.


It might be a good idea to get some TempLac (google it) until you get a feel for doing it by sight. I've seen at least one well produced, but totally wrong How-To video on YouTube, so be careful of free advice. The guy was ruining his cases. It drew a lot of critical comments from folks in the know, who saw it. I use a lock stud from a Lee Case Trim kit chucked in my drill, but I have to loosen it after each round is done to drop it into the water quench (which isn't necessary). With a socket that surrounds the lower half of the case, you just tip it upward a little to keep the case in it while spinning and then tip it down toward the catcher. If you apply the heat accurately and prudently, you can let them air cool. The residual heat that migrates down the case as it cools is no where close to high enough to change the brass' properties in the lower half. I know one fellow who twirls them in his fingers and drops them to cool and it doesn't burn his fingers. A dot of TempLac, applied inside the mouth is probably the most accurate approach, but you have to clean it out of the cases when done. I tried my remote reading IR thermometer, but the refresh rate was too slow on it and it was too inconsistent to rely upon.

Unless you plane on doing them by the hundreds, there's no need to ramp up the technology any more than primer pocket cleaning or mouth chamfering.

Hoot


What size socket do you use? And is it a deep socket or standard?
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Re: newbe ?

Postby Hoot » Sun Jul 22, 2012 9:39 am

Texas Sheepdawg wrote:
What size socket do you use? And is it a deep socket or standard?


While sockets seem to vary slightly from one manufacturer to another, a simple 1/2 inch one works fine for me.

Image

Small enough that the case doesn't wobble too much inside as you rotate it.

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Re: newbe ?

Postby Texas Sheepdawg » Sun Jul 22, 2012 9:43 am

RPMs about 60-100rpms?
The only problem Im having is finding a small enough flame tip for propane.
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Re: newbe ?

Postby Hoot » Sun Jul 22, 2012 9:55 am

Texas Sheepdawg wrote:RPMs about 60-100rpms?
The only problem Im having is finding a small enough flame tip for propane.


Don't get me wrong WRT the tip size. Some rather large appearing tips focus down to quite a modest point when you don't turn them up all the way. The one I use is IIRC, the standard tip that comes with a no-frills Bernzomatic torch kit. The kind with just a rotary knob. Not the self-start, swirl type, Which I also have. You can work with any tip, but the real powerful ones require split second timing.

Hoot

EDIT: Yes, somewhere in the 60-100 RPM. Not critical as long at the rotation speed allows the heat to be applied evenly, for at least one, preferable several revolutions, before you reach the desired temp. That keeps the degree of anneal the same all around.
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