My Rifle Brass Annealer

Here's my rifle brass annealer in operation as the first step in reloading precision long range rifle ammunition. I don't think I even wrote anything down as I built it much less any sort of documentation. I used a rotisserie motor for drive, a 10mm XL timing belt (5mm pitch) and sprockets (40:26 ratio to achieve 6 sec rotor revs from the 10 sec motor revs), half inch shaft stock, cheap bearings I bought at the local hardware store, various aluminum pieces from my materials bin and a cake pan. The frame is 1/4" mdf with an aluminum sheet overlay on the front and a mahogany perimeter frame. You can't see them in the video but there's finishing nail pins that guide the cases from the input slot into the heating position.

The big discovery for me was that if the cases landed on a downward moving surface they tended to stop rotating and skidded in place, but when I offset the top rotor so that they landed on an upward moving surface then rotation became reliably 100%. A rotor diameter of around 2" gives enough rotations for uniform heating.

The angular relationship between the two slots is adjusted to achieve the desired heating time (best determined empirically with Tempilaq) and in the video it's set for 5-5½ seconds, which puts my cases in the 700-750º range. Each rotor is fastened to its driving shaft with two grub screws so it's simple and easy to adjust the relationship between the two. A small flame with the tip of the inner cone directed at the neck/shoulder junction (barely visible in the video) is adequate to reach the target temp range.

https://youtu.be/jP8JArYh8zs

Very clever implementation of the feed mechanism. I will endeavor to remember that.

It sure beats spinning cases in a deep socket on my screw gun while counting seconds. :cool:

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Thanks Crusty! We've added your Rifle Brass Annealer to our Firearm and Weaponry category,
as well as to your builder page: Crusty's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-rifle-brass-annealer"> <img src="/uploads/224062/homemade-rifle-brass-annealer.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-rifle-brass-annealer">Rifle Brass Annealer</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/Crusty">Crusty</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/heat-treatment'>heat treatment</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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Hereabouts, likely one of the best endorsements of a project comes from Marv K. "Very clever implementation of the feed mechanism. I will endeavor to remember that." Figure you just scored a 1000 yard X ring. . .
I agree, the cartridge timing and positioning mechanics are ideal. I really like the style Geneva gear action.
I have 1500+ .308 Winchester [M1A] and just as many .30-06 Springfield [M1] begging I duplicate your project.
Poor guys, totally unaware getting 6500 sq/ft of drywall in comes first.

That is really, really nice!

I'll tell you what, I shoot the longest range with a caliber that's not supposed to be able to do it and sometimes it turns out not too shabby and I'm a believer in annealing before every reload so that I get consistent bullet seating depth and consistent bullet release from every round, plus the icing on that cake is the extended brass life: the brass used in the video for testing was some OK but nothing special Hornady brass that I got 19 reloads out of before I retired it because I was getting 10% split necks. And the annealer's beau coups faster than annealing by hand.

I'd never thought about it but it does look like a Geneva mechanism however it's really just one slot to deliver the brass into the heating position at the right time and then another to remove it at the right time integrated into the brass roller. The rotors are kept synchronized by the unseen timing belt and sprockets driving them. Be sure to run some tests with Tempilaq to determine your timing - most of the videos of home built annealers way overheat the brass and that's a bad thing to do.

I load a bunch of calibers; .17 Remington to .375 H&H and .45-70, plus common handgun calibers. It's so rewarding; analyze brass and targets, making a load perform where it didn't [or shouldn't, lol] before.
Using a timing belt, means you could have different case spools. . .better than varying torch placement for good temperature control. And once a combination is set, easily recorded and duplicated.

I've seen other videos of this type of design. None show build details. I'd love to build one but need some sort of materials list and idea of dimensions.
How 'bout it? Would be cool to make one myself.

Thanks and good job!

Jim

The major limitation is actually case length - the feed hopper has a notch cutout in it for the case neck to pass through on it's way to the heating position and it needs to be just long enough for the case to go through. I actually used the cutaway aluminum from the notch to make a ramp tab that pushes the case back towards the wall so that it will fall into correct position where the flame is aimed. The slot width in the rotor is pretty forgiving - as long as a case will fall into it below the rotor surface that's good enough. If you've got a small lathe it's relatively easy to make more rotors for really different case sizes and they go onto their driving shafts with a couple of set screws in the bottom of the troughs so they're easy to change. There's little torque required so the set screws don't need to be really cranked tight, which would mar an unhardened shaft.

I've already stated the unique factors to be taken into consideration. A rotor revolution time of 6 seconds is likely adequate for most calibers because the flame can always be adjusted greater. Around two inch rotor diameters provide adequate rotation for uniform heating. Configure it so that the input rotor delivers the case onto an upward moving surface. I chose ½" Thompson QS shafting and it was a good choice. The bearings were just cheap generics from my hardware store that fit. I bought the burner at Home Depot, sawed it in two and spliced a fuel hose between the burner and the tank. The specifics for different case dimensions, a different driving motor or mechanical drive components and different materials selection are design elements to be thought through in each unique instance.

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Originally Posted by Crusty

The major limitation is actually case length - the feed hopper has a notch in it for the case case neck to pass through on it's way to the heating position and it needs to be just long enough for the case to go through. I actually used the cutaway aluminum from the notch to make a ramp tab that pushes the case back towards the wall so that it will fall into correct position where the flame is aimed. The slot width in the rotor is pretty forgiving - as long as a case will fall into it below the rotor surface that's good enough. If you've got a small lathe it's relatively easy to make more rotors for really different case sizes and they go onto their driving shafts with a couple of set screws in the bottom of the troughs so they're easy to change. There's little torque required so the set screws don't need to be really cranked tight, which would mar an unhardened shaft.

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You just answered my main question before I had a chance to ask it. case length, diameters and positioning were my main concern.
Thanks a great build

Very clever!!! I bet you could market those.... but then you would never have time to shoot!!

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Originally Posted by hemmjo

Very clever!!! I bet you could market those.... but then you would never have time to shoot!!

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great idea.looks like it works great

I'm retired and determined to stay that way.

Frank, thinking about it a bit, it's entirely possible to make the hopper with an elongated notch for the case necks with a sliding adjustable tab set to suit any particular case length. And for that matter the rotors could be made to accept slot inserts made from InstaMorph plastic to accommodate a wide range of case sizes if you kept an eye on the rotor temperature, but a properly aligned flame should allow at least a hundred cases to be annealed before it started getting too hot. Machining the inserts from aluminum would even remove that limitation.

That looks perfect for what I need is it possible to get some photos of the back to see the works?

Thanks

Nothin' to see on the backside except the rotisserie motor sticking out from the drive shaft (the opposite end is visible in the video on the left side). It's a belt drive assembly consisting of a drive shaft driven by a rotisserie motor and two driven shafts, each with a timing sprocket, connected by a 10mm XL timing belt, all supported by hardware store bearings which fit the ½" shafts. The flange bearings are inserted into the front and rear panels from the inside and held in position by the hubs on the sprockets. There's also a take up roller on the slack side of the belt to remove the slack. The rotisserie motor has a square socket which normally drives the skewer and I ground down the backside end of the drive shaft with an angle grinder to fit into it. There's no torque required to speak of and the ball bearings can tolerate some misalignment so it's not a critical assembly. If the front and rear panels are temporarily fastened together and then drilled for the bearings at the same time that's adequate alignment for each shaft. Really, it's just three pulleys connected by a flexible belt but using a toothed belt and sprockets to keep them synchronized. I used a 6 rpm motor but I wanted 10 rpm rotor speed so I chose the pulleys ratio to achieve it. The edge frame was sawn on my table saw with mitered corners and when glued together I drilled for and glued bamboo skewer sections in them as dowel pins for reinforcement, and two support feet made to lean the entire assembly backwards around 10º to keep the cases in the hopper. The front and rear panels are ¼" mdf that I cut to the same size as the aluminum cover panel that I bought at Home Depot. I did go a bit overboard with the burner mount and something much simpler which aims and holds the torch in position will work just as well.

Thanks Crusty

Congratulations Crusty - your Rifle Brass Annealer is the Homemade Tool of the Week!

Great win on your very first post on this forum!

Some more nice builds from this week:

Ball and Radius Turning Attachment by Dimitris Polychronis
End Mill Cutter Grinder by MachineNZ
Way Oil by DIYSwede
Gear Cutting Hob by bobneumann
Electric Motor Control Circuit by bongodrummer
Chain Drilling Guide by rgsparber
Anvil by AirborneProductions
Lathe Corner Radius Tool by rgsparber
Spot Welder by Mark Presling
Lathe Powered Leadscrew Drive by DIYSwede
Combination Drawbar Hammer and Spanner by Mark Presling
Mill Power Feed by Crusty
Drill Press Centering Tool by rgsparber
Drawbar Hammer Handle by Mark Presling
Hole Angle Drilling Jig by rgsparber
Stamping Tool by Thunderbelch
Laser Cutter and Engraver by MachineNZ
Long Bar Heavy Clamp by Kwandotechnic
Mini Table Saw by Retro Steam Tech
Torsion Beam Lathe Stand by DIYSwede

Crusty - we've added your tool entry to our All Homemade Tool of the Week winners post. And, you'll now notice the wrench-on-pedestal award in the awards showcase in your postbit, visible beneath your username:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...OfTheWeek4.pnghttps://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...eWeekIcon4.png

You'll be receiving a $25 online gift card, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and award choice and I'll get it sent over right away.

Nice work! :thumbsup:

Thank you thank you - I'll be here all week folks. :cool:

I'm glad that I didn't show the three annealers that came before it and didn't make the cut.

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Originally Posted by Crusty

I'm glad that I didn't show the three annealers that came before it and didn't make the cut.

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I don't know about others but I appreciate seeing design evolution. Besides, it's a good way for novices to see how good, suited-to-purpose tools evolve from first thought solutions.

The prototype used a round polyurethane drive belt and bronze bushings supporting the shafts. It was impossible to get it aligned where there wasn't a lot of adverse friction in the system. The 1st revision used ball bearings and it operated much easier but it took way too much tension in the belt to keep the pulleys sort of synchronized. The 2nd rev used a timing belt and sprockets but the rotors were vertically aligned and the cases landed on a downward moving surface and tended to stop rolling and just skidded in place. In the 3rd rev I offset the top rotor so that the cases landed on an upward moving surface and that cured the rolling problem but it initially looked like a bust too until I added guide pins to control the case movement from the feed slot to the heating position. Also my new lathe finally arrived to replace my old one with a twisted off spindle and I no longer needed to try and use my mill as a lathe, so my building quality got a lot better.

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Originally Posted by Crusty

Thank you thank you - I'll be here all week folks. :cool:

I'm glad that I didn't show the three annealers that came before it and didn't make the cut.

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Evolution is a natural process; we enjoy the nuances of observation, test and tuning. A now-famous guy says "If you can't make it precise make it adjustable."

Now, about the lathe with a twisted off spindle, hmmmm?

Brilliantly simple.

I have very little knowledge about ballistics or firearms, and there being no such thing as a silly question I ask why it's necessary to anneal the cases? Is it because upon the initial firing the brass hardens and would possibly burst upon a second firing if not annealed?

Firing stretches the brass to “fit” the chamber. The reloading process resizes the brass so it chambers more easily. Then it is fired again...sized again, etc. The neck is also crimped on the bullet each time in many situations.

This work hardens the brass.