Determining annealing duration

[UndFrm]

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

 

[iceng]

What degree tempilaq for annealing

What is the best tempilaq for annealing brass cases?

www.snipershide.com

 

[Dolomite]

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.

 

[UndFrm]

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.

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.

 

[Dolomite]

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.

 

[Haney]

Tempilaq is the way to go . Once used you will realize glowing brass may not be a good thing .

 

[iceng]

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.

 

[Dolomite]

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.
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Is that different if using propane or map gas?

 

[UndFrm]

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.

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

 

[straightshooter1]

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

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.

 

[iceng]

Is that different if using propane or map gas?

Yes. That heat guide is .. just a guide. The principle of "hottest part of the flame" still holds however.

 

[UndFrm]

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.

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

 

[wv.citybilly]

I use a drill and count to 5, just beginning to glow, blackening the shoulder and neck. Case is held at about a 45°.angle to flame, aimed at shoulder. It's the neck that glows (not the shoulder).

 

[Dolomite]

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

How long you heating up the neck? Post a video of you annealing a few pieces of brass in a dark room.

 

[ma smith]

you may need a few pieces of brass to get the hang of it.

 

[straightshooter1]

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

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.

 

[UndFrm]

How long you heating up the neck? Post a video of you annealing a few pieces of brass in a dark room.

Thank you

 

[Evintos]

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?

 

[UndFrm]

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
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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.

 

[ma smith]

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 ...?

 

[Dolomite]

reduce the flame some so the inner blue flame tip is hitting the neck. That should get it hotter quicker.

 

[Andrew863]

Don't over think it. When it glows it's done.

 

[straightshooter1]

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...

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.

 

[ma smith]

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.

no, thats my bad. its a figure of speach.