New project to try - Cheap Annealing Setup

[Hozzie]

I have been considering buying an annealer as I am shooting a little more 308 and am in the process of turning my Savage Target into a 260 for 1000 yard shooting.  Of course coming along with that is the need to anneal cases after a few reloads.  I have been looking at the Giraurd and BenchSource and while both are very nice, they are spendy.  I usually am a buy once, cry once type of guy, but I ran across this video and I have to admit, I think it is a pretty slick setup since all I am probably doing is a couple hundred cases at any given time.

I thought some of you may also be up for a small project that to me looks to be well worth it.  Worst case, I am out $20 $50 and a little time.  

https://youtu.be/1uPlbB6LHKE

Edited May 19, 2016 by Hozzie

[mikegideon]

I like this one...

 

[Hozzie]

That's pretty nice, but I didn't want to work THAT hard at making it.  It ended up costing me about $50 as the two propane torches were $30 alone, but with a couple of small updates, I think I will be ready to go.  I just want something to support the bottom of the propane bottles a bit and maybe a small clamp around each bottle  to hold it better and I should be good to go.   I can put a small pan under the back to catch the brass.  I think it will work perfect for what I need.

 

[Omega]

I had seen a video once on how I do it, but can't seem to find the exact one.  Here is one sort of like it, but the torch is in a stand and you have a bucket of water to stop the heat from progressing:

I don't anneal often, maybe after 3 or 4 firings for my hunting rounds or ones I formed myself like the 300 BLK or .277 WLV.

[frankmako]

Nice work.  I need to build one too.  What type of brackets did you use and where did you get them.  Tired of using the drill. 

[Hozzie]

They are just simple shelf brackets from HD.  8"x10".  I just cutoff the angled support on two of them so I could bend them to the angle I needed.  I used a 3/8 nipple 6" long for the shell holder and the eye bolt for the handle.  You will need a piece of 7/16 wood dowel to go inside.  It's really pretty simple.  I used a couple of T brackets and bent them to match my angle on the bottom of the propane bottles to give them a stop to sit on.  All in all, it seems to work well.

For reference, the base is 24" x 12".

Edited May 20, 2016 by Hozzie

[frankmako]

Thanks.  Gives me something to do on a rainy day.  It is easy when you follow someone that has already done one.

[xtriggerman]

Wow, talk about over engineering! Decades ago an old timer who had shot more rounds than I would in 3 life times told me how to anneal brass. Take the biggest fry pan you own, put about 1/2 to an inch of cold water in it depending on the length of your cartridges. stand up your brass in the water. heat one at a time with the torch tip and knock it over once its hot. done. Its impossible to ruin a casing this way since the last thing you want to do is anneal the bottom half of the brass. This works for $0 spent. I use MAP gas for a lot of things and I just bought the new Benzomatic (Lowes) auto light tip with an adjustable flame. My old non adjuster one craped out a few days ago. The new one is fantastic. I even use it to start a fire in the fireplace and MAP will go past 2000F so you can even silver solder with it. 

[Hozzie]

For me, one at a time in water is too slow and annoying.  There is no worry on overheating the case when only doing the neck for 4 or 5 seconds.  The two flames provides more uniform heating.  As with any of these types of things, do what works for you.  I liked this one because it was a bit faster overall.

[Omega]

45 minutes ago, xtriggerman said:

Wow, talk about over engineering! Decades ago an old timer who had shot more rounds than I would in 3 life times told me how to anneal brass. Take the biggest fry pan you own, put about 1/2 to an inch of cold water in it depending on the length of your cartridges. stand up your brass in the water. heat one at a time with the torch tip and knock it over once its hot. done. Its impossible to ruin a casing this way since the last thing you want to do is anneal the bottom half of the brass. This works for $0 spent. I use MAP gas for a lot of things and I just bought the new Benzomatic (Lowes) auto light tip with an adjustable flame. My old non adjuster one craped out a few days ago. The new one is fantastic. I even use it to start a fire in the fireplace and MAP will go past 2000F so you can even silver solder with it. 

I've done that too, but I used a square baking pan and I put enough water to go just below the shoulder.  I stood up some deprimed .308s (was thinking maybe they wouldn't sit right on the bottom if not full of water) then went to putting the torch to them.  it worked decently enough, but standing them all up became tedious so now just use the drill method.  I toyed with the idea of getting an Annealeez machine but I don't anneal enough to warrant it.

[Hozzie]

That Annealeez seems reasonable to me.  Basically half the price of the other two.  Had I seen it before I made this I probably would have sprung for it.

[mikegideon]

4 hours ago, Hozzie said:

That Annealeez seems reasonable to me.  Basically half the price of the other two.  Had I seen it before I made this I probably would have sprung for it.

Didn't know that thing was out there. Kinda a knockoff of the Giraud, which is good .I like consistency, and this will do it

[Omega]

Yea, it's basically on the same level as some of the DIY projects on YouTube.  In a couple vids they show the back; besides the metal it looks rather simple.  But I'm not that skilled at metal work so I'd have to buy one if I wanted one.

[Omega]

I thought i would add this article I came across awhile back, a lot of useful info:

http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html