how hot is too hot for drying brass?

LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1

LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1

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Time for a stupid question.

Just got an ultrasonic cleaner and too dry the brass I recently picked up a on sale heater from Canadian tire. A little Mastercraft barrel heater a with fan and is rated for 900 and 1500 watt settings. I placed a metal rack of brass with the heater placed just above it with the heater tilted up so the hot air would blow through the rack, and put it on the 1500 setting and it sat for about fifteen minuets or so and the brass got quite hot. safe to say its probably dry but I had a thought that maybe it got too hot and might of damaged the brass?

I am pretty sure that that little heater is not capable of heating to the temperatures needed to anneal unless someone put the brass right on the heating element, but just want to make sure.

Thanks.
 
Did you reach these temps?
The higher the annealing temperature, the shorter the time required to anneal. The grain structure of the brass begins to change - indicating the start of annealing - at just under 500 degrees Fahrenheit. At 600 degrees F, brass will anneal in one hour. At 800 degrees F, brass will take only a few seconds to anneal.
I doubt you softened the base, so your good to go.
 
You don't need a lot of heat, your 1500 watt heater is more than enough. Just using a fan at room temperature for a few hours would be enough. Moving air is more effective over heat.
 
Don't ask me how I know but I'll take a WAG and say 160 degrees.


Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Brass Dryer
http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/304424/frankford-arsenal-platinum-series-brass-dryer

Specifically designed to dry brass after Rotary Tumbling or Ultrasonic cleaning
Vented trays provide the best airflow to minimize drying time
Top-mounted fan, circulates up to 160°F air to quickly dry the brass inside and out
5 removable trays easily dry up to 1,000 pieces of .223 brass in less than 1 hour
Heavy Duty 500 watt unit
 
I clean most of my brass in the garage during summer,then I lay it out on a towel in the sun for a couple hours. Works great, but not so much in the winter.
 
In the clothes dryer, on a cookie sheet, on the shoe rack thing that came with it (stuffs into the lint screen slot)

45 minutes on medium/high and they're done!



**only when the wife's not around to catch me messing with her stuff**
 
200 for an hour in the oven on a cookie sheet if I need it that day. On a towel spread out for a few days if I have time. Primers out of course. If they're in, it changes.
 
LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1 said:
...put it on the 1500 setting and it sat for about fifteen minuets or so and the brass got quite hot. safe to say its probably dry but I had a thought that maybe it got too hot and might of damaged the brass?
Click to expand...

"Quite hot" is pretty meaningless. You mean painful to the touch? That's about 60°C. Sizzles water on contact? That's over 100°C. A commercially available heater might hit the first number, but I doubt it would ever achieve the second. And even 100C is nowhere near ruining your brass.
 
Qball-16 said:
In the clothes dryer, on a cookie sheet, on the shoe rack thing that came with it (stuffs into the lint screen slot)

45 minutes on medium/high and they're done!



**only when the wife's not around to catch me messing with her stuff**
Click to expand...

Nice Idea I would not get away with that one LOL
 
I to use the dryer but put on a microwavable plastic tray and again on the shoe rack insert 30-40 minutes and after I do the same to dry the Stainless steel pins for my tumbler. work fast and no water marks
 
I bought a toaster oven for under $20 and I set the temp to 225 for 25 minutes with the door propped open a crack to let any moisture out and then just leave them there till they cool off.
 
I drop my wet tumbled brass in a 5 gallon plastic bucket and use a hair dryer blowing hot air from the top of the bucket.

This way I don't get in trouble for using "her" oven or dryer. But the Frankford Arsenal Brass Dryer is next on my buy list because you can control the amount of heat and stack a single layer of cases on five drying trays.

But there is nothing wrong with using your wood burning stove, a cheap toaster oven or a creative imagination.
 
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