Thread: DIY Automated Annealing Machine

Something I've always wanted, but never been able to justify. So as always when stuck in this situation I'm going to have a crack at making one.

I've made a start, and am waiting on a couple parts to arrive to finish it off. If I suddenly delete this post, you'll know I jumped the gun and shared this to soon and I have failed...and taken to it with a hammer. But if I post more pictures, then you can assume it's all going well and everything's rainbows and ponies!

Anyway, the idea isn't original. It's been done before, but this is my version of it:


Step 1:

Buy a $3 cake tin from the warehouse.


Drill a hole in the centre (you can see my making out above, two right angles at any point on the circumference always meet in the centre).

Then cut a slot out of it. The size isn't that important right now, it will possibly made larger later on after testing?

Step 2:

Purchase a BBQ rotisserie, these have a small reduction gear box inbuilt. They are cheap and designed to run for a long time, plus they are cheap



Connect it up to your cake tin and you're about half done.




step 3:

Time to make a stand! Not about hunters rights or the evils of 1080... no, a stand as in something to hold the above parts.



MDF, the back of a hilux as a work bench and a skill saw...can you get any more kiwi male than that!







Motor all mounted, just use brackets that come in the kit with the rotisserie (note I'm not using the term "spit-roast" just in case @R93 goggles it).


Step 4:

Getting the cases into the cake tin.

To do this, there will be a basic hopper, with a timed wheel that will collect and transfer a brass case from the hopper
and into the rotating cake tin.



Yes it is a skateboard wheel...but what did you expect, the other main component is a $3 cake tin!


Step 5:

Ummmm this is where I'm waiting on some trademe purchases to arrive so I can finish it.

So that's all for about a week while I'll wait for couriers to arrive.

Kj

I think I see where you're headed.. Have you kept the bit of cake tin you cut out? That should rivet on nicely

This should give you a better idea, its just taped together for the sake of taking a photo.



That's all I can do until more parts arrive.

Kj

Good work so far @kimjon

I made my own based on a design from Skip on the Aussi Hunting forum as seen here.
http://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.n...estions-24700/

How are you going to vari the rotational speed of the cake tin to adjust the length of time required in the flame to acheivel the correct annealing temperature.?

Cheers
Pete

Originally Posted by P38

Good work so far @kimjon

I made my own based on a design from Skip on the Aussi Hunting forum as seen here.
http://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.n...estions-24700/

How are you going to vari the rotational speed of the cake tin to adjust the length of time required in the flame to acheivel the correct annealing temperature.?

Cheers
Pete

By making the hole in the side bigger by the looks.

I like the look of a spring setup like on this one Auto Annealing Machine , looks like the sort of thing easily boogied up at home but still be reliable

Yeah skip's was one of the designs that I've stolen ideas from.

I'm not going to be varying the motor, as it spins at about the right speed. But the size of the hole in the side of the cake tin will be enlarged if cooking time is to long. To fine tune I'll adjust the flame.

Will watch with interest.

BTW These do such a good job I annealed everything insight in 5 minutes flat and now my annealer is almost redundant.

Cheers
Pete

Originally Posted by P38

Will watch with interest.

BTW These do such a good job I annealed everything insight in 5 minutes flat and now my annealer is almost redundant.

Cheers
Pete

shoot them then start again!

Are you going to join the two rollers together with a pully and belt or something? after all they only need to go the same speed as each other.

You could vari the speed of the drive with a variable dc supply.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Are you going to join the two rollers together with a pully and belt or something? after all they only need to go the same speed as each other.

You could vari the speed of the drive with a variable dc supply.

Yes, with a small chain and sprocket (those are the parts I'm waiting on).

And awesome suggestion on the dc power supply, thank you VC! I'll get a variable resister and boggie it up on the output side.

Kj

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Are you going to join the two rollers together with a pully and belt or something? after all they only need to go the same speed as each other.

You could vari the speed of the drive with a variable dc supply.

Often a wide rubber band joins/drives them together

Cheap too

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Often a wide rubber band joins/drives them together

Cheap too

+1

Go for toothed wheels and bands to keep it all in sych.

I'm waiting on the belts.

Motor
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/24RPM...589957986.html

Speed Controller
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/PWM-D...388412090.html

Shaft Pulleys
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs...589238470.html

Motor Pulleys
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs-...336088316.html

Belts
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/free-...384550219.html

Got enough coming for 5 double sided units.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

+1

Go for toothed wheels and bands to keep it all in sych.

I'm waiting on the belts.

Motor
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/24RPM...589957986.html

Speed Controller
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/PWM-D...388412090.html

Shaft Pulleys
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs...589238470.html

Motor Pulleys
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs-...336088316.html

Belts
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/free-...384550219.html

Got enough coming for 5 double sided units.

Be keen to see it when it made. Thanks for links, very useful...and man those prices are cheap!

You'll laugh when you see mine, maybe a bit of overkill, but at least I know it will mince a case before it stops!

It owes me about $30 all up, then gas torch will be another ~$50 on top of that.

Kj

I am making one as well, waiting on couplings. I am using a $5 chinese arduino and a $3 power unit.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1PCS-...021670021.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/FREE-...589798672.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10-PC...378602118.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2pcs-...539442438.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1pcs-...580354773.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-H...945043436.html

if anyone is interested in more pics look up "arduino nz" on facebook

Post pics as you progress Steven. That's why I'm sharing, so people can learn and copy mine...and its great that others such as yourself are adding better information as we go along too.

I'm an electronics retard, so the BBQ rotisserie appeals to me as you can't get any more easy than plugging into the wall socket and flicking an on switch. But I can definitely see huge advantages in your system, especially if using multiple rifle calibers that each require a specific annealing time.

Kj