Brass annealing question

There were not a lot of choices around when I built my first machine.

The Ken Light was one that required rather expensive machined aluminum parts to convert to different cases and was manually loaded.

I wound up making one that used Dillon 650 case feed parts to make swapping between the calibers I needed in volume. Uses two torches takes around 3 seconds a case +/- depending on the case and torch settings.



Hundreds have built them off the “blades” I CNC cut, most similar to the base machine I have. Fits everything from .17 Hornet to 50BMG without having to buy anything else.



https://oi121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/annealer/nottoohot.mp4

Lots of choices out there now though, I just haven’t hand any reason to fix what’s not broken, so to speak.

I'm using the salt bath system for annealing. I don't know if it is the best or the cheapest but it seems to be working pretty well. Probably average one case every 5 seconds. You have to run it as it can't really be automated and you have to decide if you are comfortable working with that hot of a liquid. I use the Lee lead pot, ordered the case holder and temp probe from the company in Canada, ordered the salt from a company in AL, and built a PID controller to control the temp. $200??? The PID control is really what makes the system work well.

When I grow up, I'll be a tenth the inventor/machinist @jmorris is, but in the mean time I built a simpler one.

Video here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7vWe6mmtCNAR7kcG6

I thought the Annealeez was pretty good bang for the buck if you don't want to build your own.

Can’t beat the AMP for convenience and consistency, but it ain’t cheap. I bought mine with a windfall, and am glad I did. It’s so easy there is no reason not to anneal every firing.

I'm also using the salt bath method. If you get into a good rhythm it goes pretty quickly and I did about 500 30-30 cases in one sitting. I got the whole kit from Ballistic Creations in Canada except for the melter.

One more for the Annealeez.

Everything you need but the propane is included. Plug in, fill with brass and watch it work.
Not terribly expensive, works well, is not fiddly once set and EASY.
So easy, in fact, I use every time.

It also ensures dry cases for those that wet tumble.




The only detriment of the Annealeez is wheel size. There is a large wheel set kit for longer and larger case heads.
Without the kit I still did most of a lot of Thirty Aught Six cases, before things got wonky, jammed and scorched a case... (I'll likley never need to anneal those again anyway. And I own no larger cases, these were too long and one tipped out of the roller, jamming.)


For those who don't wish to build their own, the Annealeez is a great machine!

Already assembled and to your door in three days! No speed controllers or small motors to source, wire wrong and fry, before you even get it attached to the unit... (Yup, I did.)

That reminds me. Time to fill the propane tank again.

Another vote for the Annealeez. The other guys hit the high points, and I did a review on it awhile back. Good system, price is right, simple to use, and the current Gen added a few needed things to make it easier to use.

The only other thing I would consider is a Lil Annie induction annealer. After that the price starts to get into some pretty rare air.

I've made a few of these in various configurations:

I use the Annealeez and when using the 750 deg Tempilaq to set up the dwell time I find it very repeatable

For $275 it's hard to beat.

It comes with rollers to handle cases from .223 to .30-06 but you'll need to add the small rollers to do your Dasher brass

Another vote for Annealeez. It just works.

I use the Giraud machine. I like that you can load the hopper and then do something else while it runs. Now, I don't ignore it or leave the room with it running but I can do other case prep work while sitting next to it.

Before I bought it I used my casting pot and molten lead to anneal with.

There is nothing that I don’t like about the Annealeez. The other morning, I perfectly annealed five hundred .308 cases in about two hours.