Recommendations for an Annealer

beltfed

beltfed

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 99%
96   1   1
Location
Calgary
I'm looking to do roughly 5000 cases currently and going forward a few thousand of various calibers per year of .223, .308, 6.5x55, 7.5x55, 30.06, 6.5 Grendel, 6ppc, and possibly 6.5 Creedmore.

The Amp is out of my price range unless I fall into one at a relatively decent deal.

I was close to pulling the trigger on a Ballistics Recreations annealing salts set up some time ago (prior to Covid), but I see the owner has wound down his operation.
That, and the nature of dealing with molten salt and my trust in myself not to have a significant 'driver error' accident leaves me to believe this isn't the best choice....

So, that leaves me with the thinking the best alternative is a propane torch set up like the Giraud or the Ugly Annealer.
Both the Giraud and Ugly don't appear to want to ship out of CONTUS.


What's available and maybe someone here in Canada is a stocking dealer?

Thanks in advance!
 
Personally I use the old propane torch do it a mildy dark room and watch the brass Change color mildy. I have been tempted to make my own now that magnetic induction cooktops are cheep, at the crappy tire. When they are on-sale the single burners are 60-80 and a spool of wire at a supply warehouse is 10-20

Just a note originally I wanted to put a timer on it so I could be accurate, but from what iv read the electronic parts will not like cycling.
 
beltfed said:
I'm looking to do roughly 5000 cases currently and going forward a few thousand of various calibers per year of .223, .308, 6.5x55, 7.5x55, 30.06, 6.5 Grendel, 6ppc, and possibly 6.5 Creedmore.

The Amp is out of my price range unless I fall into one at a relatively decent deal.

I was close to pulling the trigger on a Ballistics Recreations annealing salts set up some time ago (prior to Covid), but I see the owner has wound down his operation.
That, and the nature of dealing with molten salt and my trust in myself not to have a significant 'driver error' accident leaves me to believe this isn't the best choice....

So, that leaves me with the thinking the best alternative is a propane torch set up like the Giraud or the Ugly Annealer.
Both the Giraud and Ugly don't appear to want to ship out of CONTUS.


What's available and maybe someone here in Canada is a stocking dealer?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I use the ballistic recreations and it's pretty straightforward. But like you said, he's done now.

What about annealeez? That was what I was considering before I got the salt bath kit. I think they are made in Florida and they ship to Canada. Or atleast they did when I was shopping
 
Whelp, I just bought $550 worth of .223 and 7.5x55 brass to augment the stash, so keeping it alive is worth the effort.

The AMP seems like the Mercedes option, while the Annie induction unit looks like an VW R32 option.
 
After much thought, I think the lowest cost, rotating drum flame annealer you can get is the ticket. Like the DIY drum types you see on Youtube, or the EP 2.0.

You want to be able to control it. In addition to being expensive, the AMP system gives you zero control. The people who built are the ones controlling your annealing process, and my opinion is their understanding of the process isn't half as good as they think it is.

It should be affordable. Some of the early carousel types, with spinning platens made out of CNC-machined aluminum, are absolutely ridiculous in how overbuilt they are. They will cost you $600, which is at least $300 too much.
 
I went with a carousel type in the AGS 3.0. i like the quality of construction that has gone into it and i can get it shipped direct from the manufacturer cutting out middlemen.
I also like the ability to run a bigger bottle of propane off the bench, cutting down on the cost of those blue soldering or green camping throw away cans of propane that some annealers seem to be tied to for use with a u-bolt.

thanks for all of the suggestions!
 
Pescado said:
My AGS 3.0 just arrived. I'll set it up this week. I thought it was the best bang for your buck.
Click to expand...

I'm looking forward to your observations and thoughts on the AGS. i got the DHL shipping notification the very next day after I placed my on-line order the night before.
 
My AGS 3.0 showed up a few days ago. It's much smaller than I expected.
Hoping to use it for the first time this weekend, but initial impression is that it's well machined.
 
After thinking long and hard, and researching all the different options, I ended up building the hand induction annealer, as seen above.

I'm in just over the $300 into it, and have now been using it for a few months. I don't know why I waiting so long and debated soo long on it. Easy to set up, and easy to run. I even added to external computer fans to run with it. One on the brass as I anneal and the other on the back end of the unit to help cool faster.

This last weekend I did another run of about 500 brass. No flames to worry about, quick and easy set up, and quick adjust between the different calibers. I will be running an anneal between every firing on the brass going forward.
 
BattleRife said:
How do you set up a machine like that? Frequency, volts, amps, time, what are the adjustments you can make and how do you determine the ones you want?
Click to expand...

Its a short lube toob clip, but the guy explains it pretty well.
Just a little DIY and some trial and error and one would be good to go or spend the $300-400 the gogong version and fiddle some more ?
Rob
 
Lee trimmer base, propane bottle with pencil nozzle, a drill and a cup of water for quenching the necks. Cheap and works as good as anything else with practice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom