AusVarmint

I've been looking at putting together an annealing machine for a long time now but couldn't find the time to work out how to hold the case, spin the case and time the case in the flame reliably. Another forum that I am a member of posted this Youtube video up

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So I built one last week.

I have had to buy the motor, a PWM controller, a cake tin (drum) and an ultrafine tip for my old Primus blowtorch so it owes me just over $60 so far. I'm not counting misc. tek screws, some scrap plywood, a steel coathanger and aluminium angle. You will note that the prototype needs work, particularly my burner retention sub-assembly which could do with improved fine adjustment.

Thanks for posting this Adam and yes I have been on Ebay already.

I bought these for the motor and PWM.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/201038464919

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/201009613850

Nice. Does it drop them on the neck or do they land on their side?

This is what a nicely polished Winchester 308 case looks like after 7 seconds in the machine.

kickinback wrote:Nice. Does it drop them on the neck or do they land on their side?

The fall out mostly on their side, but even when they fall on their neck they are only falling 3 inches and the necks don't dent. I tried dropping them into water and it clearly made no difference to the annealing action as once the heat is removed the cases stop annealing - even though the bases are cool to the touch straight out of the machine, 10 seconds later they become too hot to touch due to heat transfer down the case.

Have a read of this to understand it better. http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html

Very good.
So when does the production line start on the commercial run.
The case looks just right.
Cheers

macca wrote:Very good.
So when does the production line start on the commercial run.
The case looks just right.
Cheers

I need to sort a couple of things out and try my loading system for the machine. That involves annoying a sympathetic local machinist who has his hands full with making some long action chassis products right now so it might be a few months.

Thanks for posting them up Adam.

On mine I plan to have a short ramp below the exit point of the drum to catch the annealed cases and roll them down into a collecting tray. No point in dinging up nice freshly annealed case necks.

JasonF wrote:Thanks for posting them up Adam.

On mine I plan to have a short ramp below the exit point of the drum to catch the annealed cases and roll them down into a collecting tray. No point in dinging up nice freshly annealed case necks.

Changing the shape of the entry/exit slot on the exit side will see them landing on their bases.

kickinback wrote:

JasonF wrote:Thanks for posting them up Adam.

On mine I plan to have a short ramp below the exit point of the drum to catch the annealed cases and roll them down into a collecting tray. No point in dinging up nice freshly annealed case necks.

Changing the shape of the entry/exit slot on the exit side will see them landing on their bases.

Yes it would, but then the next case won't feed cleanly from the chute.

I tried slanting the notch in the drum and it didn't work as I had hoped. The leading edge is the bit that would adjust the fall of a case, but it is also the part that regulates the entry of a case into the drum. If the base goes out first, so too does the base enter first.

There is NO problem with the cases falling on the necks. They do not dent, and even if they did, you resize the necks after annealing anyway to make sure the size is right.

FWIW this machine feeds amazingly well. So far I can run these cases through it one after the other without any adjustment of the drum or cartridge stop.

22 Hornet
222 Remington
6.5x47 Lapua
308 Winchester
257 Roberts
7mm SAUM
300 Win Mag
338 Lapua
375 H&H
375 Cheytac

Obviously the flame tip would need to be moved from one to the other, but the drum itself (cut off at 32mm deep) works fine with all of them.

This version has an exit ramp which I like the idea of...

http://youtu.be/laxgWGDglFk

I like it
How easy is that.
I might see if I can make me one of those.

what and where did you get the drum