Annealer problems



  • Friend of mine won a annealez annealer through a raffle the other day. I went over and helped him set it up and get it going with Greg’s orange flame method. We annealed 100 plus pieces of brass without any issue. He call me today and was having problems out of it. Same cartridge as yesterday just a different batch, before turning the torch on everything worked fine but after he turns on the torch the brass stops spinning. The drive wheels are still spinning fine just not the brass, turn the torch off and everything goes to working again. He’s tried adjusting the torch to pretty much every angle possible and nothing helps. Brass has no sizing lube of any kind on it and he cleaned the wheels with alcohol to remove any residue that may have been present.

    Anyone on here use one of these annealers, or have any ideas on what is causing this issue?



  • @bull81 I've seen these do this before. Customers have called and even asked me about it.

    My advice has always been the same, and they never want to hear it: Sell it and buy a Bench Source.



  • @orkan
    My buddy actually made that comment yesterday before he ever even tried it. I’m sure that’s what he’s going to do, he’s always liked my bench source but this one cost him 20 bucks for the raffle ticket so it was worth a shot



  • @bull81 By the time he sells it, he'll still be money ahead. :)



  • Agreed



  • I have one of these and have been using it now for over a year on my 308 brass and haven't had any issues with it at all. My bottom wheel that rotates the brass has a blue surface that's in contact with the brass and has bit of as soft tacky texture to it the provides a grip for that brass rotation. When I set up the torch, I did make sure the flame hitting the neck of the brass properly but was at somewhat of an angle pointing away from the wheels. I didn't want the possibility of the flame or much of its heat having any kind of melting effect on those rubber wheels.

    Cleaning the wheel(s) with alcohol may not have been a good idea as the heat and alcohol may have a hardening effect on the rubber . . . I'm just guessing. I'd get a hold of the guy that builds these and see if he'd send a new wheel under warranty.



  • @straightshooter1 Its a flawed design from its inception.



  • @straightshooter1

    His also has a blue tape looking covering on the bottom wheel. He didn’t clean it with alcohol until it started acting up, it ran like a top on the first batch of brass. What really makes no sense is the fact that it works fine so long as there isn’t any heat being applied. He’s contacting the manufacturer today, I’ll let you know what they come up with in the event you have this problem in the future.