Homebrew Induction Annealer Test (updated with review)

[MarikinaMan]

Here is the first test with my home brew coil and Tempilaq. 6.5 Creedmor brass is taking me 2.5 seconds, and 223 2.15 seconds.



I have achieved crystallization of the the brass where I am annealing, and the hardness is just right. The crystallization looks like hundreds of scratches on the brass surface, while brass that is not annealed is a lot smoother. I have also tested the brass to make sure it is not dead soft, and it passed.



I am considering whether or not to add more than the 4 coils I am using to get the annealer deeper into the case. For now, I am getting to the shoulder, but not much deeper into the case.

[sigguy552]

It’s my understanding you don’t want to go past the shoulder as the goal is consistent neck tension

[MarikinaMan]

Most factory ammo are annealed a little over. I may just call it good right now.

[golfish]

Looks good man. You can see the top just start to turn gray and then off.

I really like doing DIY projects like this. I'm just not sure I need it.

You got the unit a little earlier then expected

[MarikinaMan]

The coil does tend to heat up at around 10 cases. I made two coils and swap them out soon as I see a mirage coming off the coil.

I have supplies coming in for a water cooled coil. I think its worth the trouble mainly because all my reloading processes are now geared to save time.

Aint nobody got time for swapping coils

[golfish]

The coil does tend to heat up at around 10 cases. I made two coils and swap them out soon as I see a mirage coming off the coil.

I was going to ask you about this after you ran a few cases. The guy in the video mentioned it but he didn't give a whole lot of info. How does the process work when you switch coils? Do the two coils have to be an exact match

Does the first coil cool down enough to reuse it in the time it takes to over heat the second one.

I have supplies coming in for a water cooled coil. I think its worth the trouble mainly because all my reloading processes are now geared to save time.

Aint nobody got time for swapping coils

This could be the game changer.

Thanks for all the info..

[MarikinaMan]

^^^ the coils cool down in a couple of minutes. That is forever though compared to the 2.5 seconds it takes to anneal each case.

[MarikinaMan]

Review -

I just annealed 150 cases. Results were excellent. Cases were annealed consistently in a little more than 2 seconds.

Making coils was very simple. I found the right sized socket and wound the coil around it. The induction wire can be bought off eBay for 13 bucks shipped, for a whole new set. You can also recoil the set included in the kit and be operational indefinitely.

I used two coils to anneal 150 cases. I drop and center the case by hand. I got so good at it, I can drop a case and have it centered on the coil. A rubber cutting mat helps dampen the case drop and keep it in place. I then push a button, grab the case with tweezers and fling it into an tin can.

Coil swaps are fast. I turn two coil knobs, use tweezers to take the coil out and put in front of a surplus cooling fan. About 10 seconds.

The main draw back with this solution is duty cycle. The coil needs to be swapped out to cool every 10 cases or so. If I feel the coil getting too hot to touch when I drop a case, if cant hold the coil for two seconds, I swap it out.

At around 50 cases, the unit’s chassis gets warm. I let it sit 10 minutes, I have a cup of coffee, and get back to annealing. If one is not careful about letting the unit cool off regularly, I suspect one could fry it.

Cost of Ownership - At 250 for this annealer build, I feel it is a good option for a precision shooter on a budget that processes under 200 cases at a time. He also shouldnt be in a big hurry. I can process about 12 cases a minute. I recommend letting it cool down for 10 minutes after every 10 minutes of annealing. This cuts into your capacity over time.

The closest alternative is the Fluxeon Annie. For a similar rig, the Annie can be optioned to the hilt, you’ll be looking at $655 out the door. It will have a water cooled coil, cooling radiator, unlimited duty cycle, and lifetime warranty. If you have the budget, need the capacity, I believe the Annie to be a fair offering that gives confidence when it comes to reliability.

[Dirtlaw]

Job well done.

[67Cuda]

Here is the first test with my home brew coil and Tempilaq. 6.5 Creedmor brass is taking me 2.5 seconds, and 223 2.15 seconds.

2.5 seconds per case, but how long to get the next case in position?
Looks labor intensive.

[MarikinaMan]

2.5 seconds per case, but how long to get the next case in position?
Looks labor intensive.

Making match grade ammo is labor intensive. Its a piece by piece, one by one process.

Its a matter of, do you want to make the best ammo that you can or not. The other question is, do you have a need for precision ammo? I like shooting long, which is why I do this.

My plinking ammo process allows me to make 400-600 rounds an hour. I do not anneal plinking ammo.

[golfish]

Thanks for the good review.




I wonder if you made a case rack out if a piece of hard wood (drill appropriate size hole) would work? You could space out the holes as needed. Then again that could just burn up.

[MarikinaMan]

Thanks for the good review.




I wonder if you made a case rack out if a piece of hard wood (drill appropriate size hole) would work? You could space out the holes as needed. Then again that could just burn up.

Im thinking about it, but within minutes, I got really good at dropping a case fully centered.

[golfish]

The more I look at these the more I like em. I can't justify the cost because I don't really need to anneal any brass, but then I don't need 4x357 lever guns either. There is a need for what these tools are originally made for. Working on chopper's, cars and trucks justifies it enough for me

[MarikinaMan]

The more I look at these the more I like em. I can't justify the cost because I don't really need to anneal any brass, but then I don't need 4x357 lever guns either. There is a need for what these tools are originally made for. Working on chopper's, cars and trucks justifies it enough for me

Great minds think alike. It was appealing to me that I could use it for what it was really meant for, besides annealing.