Determining annealing duration

U

UndFrm

Private
Minuteman
Dec 13, 2022
79
10
CA
#1
I have watched several videos and read multiple articles but I am still unsure. So here it is.

I am using a single torch setup (Mag-Torch® MT200, propane) but I am simply unable to see the color change. I thought, I'll use this single piece of brass to figure out how long to anneal, went as high as 11 seconds, but I didn't see any change in the color of the brass or the flame from the brass. The torch is on the rotating brass and it just kept heating without any visual glow.
The brass is an Alpha, 6mm. I stopped at 11 seconds as I thought it's way too much and I'm probably not doing something right.

I tried this at night, with zero light.

Thank you
 
#3
Brass needs to glow red slightly. Depending on brass roughly 6-8 seconds. Alpha is thick neck brass so probably 6 seconds till it turns red. Everyone has a different opinion.
 
#4
Dolomite said:
Brass needs to glow red slightly. Depending on brass roughly 6-8 seconds. Alpha is thick neck brass so probably 6 seconds till it turns red. Everyone has a different opinion.
Click to expand...

What could be the reasons if it's still not turning red after 10 seconds? I did use the outer flange instead of the pencil one.
 
#5
someone else maybe able to confirm but the tip of the blue flame is the hottest and should be just touching the neck. not sure how the flame is hitting your brass, just the tip of the blue flame or the flame blowing around the neck? The pencil torch works the best.
 
#7
Brass wont change colour unless the heat source (flame tip) can overcome the ability for the brass to thermally dispate said heat.

Ie: your flame needs to be hotter. Get your flame closer.
th (1).png
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dolomite, straightshooter1 and UndFrm
#9
Dolomite said:
someone else maybe able to confirm but the tip of the blue flame is the hottest and should be just touching the neck. not sure how the flame is hitting your brass, just the tip of the blue flame or the flame blowing around the neck? The pencil torch works the best.
Click to expand...

I was in the outer (faint) flame. I'll move it to the tip. Should the bright flame be going ground it, or just the tip barely touching?

Otherwise, tempilaq.

Thank you
 
#10
UndFrm said:
I was in the outer (faint) flame. I'll move it to the tip. Should the bright flame be going ground it, or just the tip barely touching?

Otherwise, tempilaq.

Thank you
Click to expand...
It's good that the flame goes around it. Get that blue tip just on the neck-shoulder junction. Do this is a darkened room and as soon as you see a faint red/orangish glow, remove the case from the flame. The glow of the hot brass is your key. You want to get that heat up on the neck as quickly as possible so it doesn't have time for much heat to travel down the case body.

My pencil flame touch didn't heat my brass fast enough for me, so I replaced the pencil torch head with a swirl flame torch head. It heated things up much faster. . . and yes, it will surround the neck and shoulder nicely and give me a nice uniform result.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: UndFrm
#12
straightshooter1 said:
It's good that the flame goes around it. Get that blue tip just on the neck-shoulder junction. Do this is a darkened room and as soon as you see a faint red/orangish glow, remove the case from the flame. The glow of the hot brass is your key. You want to get that heat up on the neck as quickly as possible so it doesn't have time for much heat to travel down the case body.

My pencil flame touch didn't heat my brass fast enough for me, so I replaced the pencil torch head with a swirl flame torch head. It heated things up much faster. . . and yes, it will surround the neck and shoulder nicely and give me a nice uniform result.
Click to expand...

Adjusted the flame. Pencil just touching, going around, nothing. Just to be clear, if I am not seeing the glow/orange flame, it is not getting annealed, is that correct? Trying on once fired brass, just tumbled.

Thank you
 
#14
UndFrm said:
Adjusted the flame. Pencil just touching, going around, nothing. Just to be clear, if I am not seeing the glow/orange flame, it is not getting annealed, is that correct? Trying on once fired brass, just tumbled.

Thank you
Click to expand...
How long you heating up the neck? Post a video of you annealing a few pieces of brass in a dark room.
 
#16
UndFrm said:
Adjusted the flame. Pencil just touching, going around, nothing. Just to be clear, if I am not seeing the glow/orange flame, it is not getting annealed, is that correct? Trying on once fired brass, just tumbled.

Thank you
Click to expand...
It's not the flame that you're looking for an orange glow. Clean brass, depending on just how clean, doesn't easily produce any orange flame. When one sees the orange "flame", it actually due to impurities left on the surfaces of the brass. You should be looking for a glow of the brass neck itself.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: UndFrm
#18
Maybe it's because the caffeine hasn't kicked in yet, but am I missing something here? Neck starts to glow at about 10 seconds (faint). Flame contact starts at 3 seconds, so you're at about 7-8 seconds anneal time. Just gotta ask, have you ever been diagnosed with color vision deficiency by an optometrist or ophthalmologist?

1719252328982.png

1719252676135.png

1719252121958.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dolomite, UndFrm and straightshooter1
#19
Evintos said:
Maybe it's because the caffeine hasn't kicked in yet, but am I missing something here? Neck starts to glow at about 10 seconds (faint). Flame contact starts at 3 seconds, so you're at about 7-8 seconds anneal time. Just gotta ask, have you ever been diagnosed with color vision deficiency by an optometrist or ophthalmologist?

View attachment 8445573
View attachment 8445583
View attachment 8445569
Click to expand...

Initially I thought you were kidding, but with the timestamps you provided, I think you might be right.
I'll show the video in person to someone and see if they notice it. My optometrist didn't say anything, a few months back.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Dolomite
#20
OP this is 10.0 and 10.5s,
the fram before the pictures above...

note 1 the "color flash" in the flame/halo...
this is a different indicator than the dull red neck,

but typically has some luminosity element vs just pure color
you maybe able to trigger off if you're having some color issues.

IIRC...if you see a later color flash with yellows, greens etc
thats typically bad means some alloying elements are burning off
this looks pretty decent to me tho...

las frame shows brass out of the flame with red glow,
no crazy rainbow colors...

I think overal (eg...last frame) looks good ...?
1719260645917.png

1719259606408.png
1719260236231-png.8445695
 

Attachments

  • 1719259570150.png
    1719259570150.png
    244.1 KB · Views: 16
  • 1719260236231.png
    1719260236231.png
    56.3 KB · Views: 115
  • Like
Reactions: UndFrm
#23
ma smith said:
IIRC...if you see a later color flash with yellows, greens etc
thats typically bad means some alloying elements are burning off
this looks pretty decent to me tho...
Click to expand...


Just an FYI you and others to keep in mind:

In order to burn the elements out of an alloy (e.g. burning the zink out as some think) the alloy first has to be melted to a liquid, then the element can be burned out, not before.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Cole440
Dark necks on annealed cases
Replies
15
Views
752
straightshooter1
straightshooter1
M
First time annealing, have questions.
Replies
15
Views
816
spife7980
spife7980
T
SOLD Burstfire Gen 2 2-in-1 Annealer
Replies
1
Views
176
BassNbrass
B
R
Rate My Annealing...
Replies
5
Views
478
Doom
Doom
JoeMamaFTW
6.5 Creedmoor load (Ar-10, ELD-X)
Replies
2
Views
472
JoeMamaFTW
JoeMamaFTW
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Merch
Alerts