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Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:23 pm
by Watcher
A question if I may; do I have to drop them in water once they’ve been heated. The reason I ask is that I only have a mains powered drill (in which to mount my shell holder) and I’m naturally reluctant to have it in the vicinity of a bucket of water; especially knowing how cack-handed I am.
Re: Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:26 pm
by John MH
No, quenching does nothing.
Re: Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:51 pm
by Dellboy
No because quenching would have a negative effect
Re: Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:54 pm
by John MH
Has no effect at all actually.
Re: Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:14 pm
by John25
The only reason to quench is to save burning your fingers or a container.
JMH is correct
Quenching does not effect the state of the brass as it does with ferrous metals.
With a commercial, turntable type annealing machine the instructions will tell you to put a bucket of water underneathe the chute.
Re: Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:50 pm
by dromia
As has been said quenching does nothing, although some people like to drop them into water to stop the heat moving down the case and annealing to far.
Re: Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:07 pm
by 1066
John25 wrote:The only reason to quench is to save burning your fingers or a container.
.
+1
Re: Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:13 pm
by John MH
John25 wrote:
With a commercial, turntable type annealing machine the instructions will tell you to put a bucket of water underneathe the chute.
Not with the two that I've had. If you think that dropping them in water is going to halt the heat transfer to prevent softening the brass too far down the case you've already heated it too much and for too long.
Re: Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:43 pm
by John25
John MH wrote:John25 wrote:
With a commercial, turntable type annealing machine the instructions will tell you to put a bucket of water underneathe the chute.
Not with the two that I've had. If you think that dropping them in water is going to halt the heat transfer to prevent softening the brass too far down the case you've already heated it too much and for too long.
Oh! Mine did, it didn't actually say bucket, it said - container.
And no, I didn't think that.
Anywey, 'twixt us I think we answered his question?
Re: Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?
Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:25 am
by Scotsgun
Quenching will have the negative effect.
Stand cases in about an 2 inch of water. I remove spent primer first so that water enters and maintains an even heat throughout. Heat neck up to a purple/blue colour...definately not up to red colour and then move on to next on. Leave cases standing to cool. The water acts as a heat sink and stops the heat from damaging the crystaline structure of the base.
I'll usually then bung them into the oven and leave for an hour or so at 120-150oC. This helps to relieve any stresses at the transitional points along the case (where the surface of the water reaches). I have a set of lapua 308 brass which is now on its 12th reload but i do keep the loads mellow (stalking load).