Annealing Service - viability?

[Schmo]

I could see possible customers trusting/valuing the results of AMP above someone tweaking a flame setup. I've personally struggled getting consistent flame over the course of a big batch with my hoopty gen 1 annealeeze

Sure. My statement would be that almost no one on here, besides benchrest or F-class, could shoot the difference.

 

[wind gypsy]

Sure. My statement would be that almost no one on here, besides benchrest or F-class, could shoot the difference.

As long as you're getting an anneal and not over-annealing, I'd have a hard time disagreeing with you. But the risk of setup not being correct or heat wandering is certainly higher with flame.

 

[Schmo]

As long as you're getting an anneal and not over-annealing, I'd have a hard time disagreeing with you. But the risk of setup not being correct or heat wandering is certainly higher with flame.

I understand. If I start doing this and it goes well, I may upgrade to an AMP at some point. But getting started it would be flame annealing

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Sure. My statement would be that almost no one on here, besides benchrest or F-class, could shoot the difference.

People are more likely to pay for what they perceive is a quality product.

And, for me at least, I would want to be able to promise consistency to my customers. If I were going to send you brass that costs $3-10 each, I would want to be sure it would come back the same way every time.

I would not bother to send you 6.5 CM brass, for instance, since it’s something where it is common enough and cheap enough that I would prefer to buy another 200 rounds new. Unless the annealing price was very cheap and very consistent.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[wind gypsy]

If the new burstfire induction annealer and ADG one get out into the market and prove solid, i think the AMP annealer will be a hard sell anywhere near their current prices.

 

[kswaterfowl]

There was a guy on snipershide that used to have an tumbling and annealing service. Not sure if he is still doing it, but I always thought it was a great idea. Because I hate brass prep work as much as I hate cleaning my guns.

 

[wind gypsy]

People are more likely to pay for what they perceive is a quality product.

And, for me at least, I would want to be able to promise consistency to my customers. If I were going to send you brass that costs $3-10 each, I would want to be sure it would come back the same way every time.

I would not bother to send you 6.5 CM brass, for instance, since it’s something where it is common enough and cheap enough that I would prefer to buy another 200 rounds new. Unless the annealing price was very cheap and very consistent.

For guys that just shoot Lapua/Alpha/Peterson SRP creedmoor brass (same goes for BR variants, 6 GT, ARC's, x47s, etd) - you're talking $1.3/ea brass that will live on for 15+ firings if you're not obscene with pressure/sizing so spending $0.20/ea for annealing could be a nice option.

 

[Schmo]

People are more likely to pay for what they perceive is a quality product.

And, for me at least, I would want to be able to promise consistency to my customers. If I were going to send you brass that costs $3-10 each, I would want to be sure it would come back the same way every time.

I would not bother to send you 6.5 CM brass, for instance, since it’s something where it is common enough and cheap enough that I would prefer to buy another 200 rounds new. Unless the annealing price was very cheap and very consistent.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

Honest question: How much variability do you think there is on a quality flame annealer? If the torch is operated from a 20lb tank vs a 1lb bottle, you’ll get basically zero flame variation in each batch of brass. Each piece is in the flame the exact same amount of time. The only variation you’d have would be the initial setting of the machine (which I could set using tempilaq), and brass variance (which will happen no matter what machine you use).

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Honest question: How much variability do you think there is on a quality flame annealer? If the torch is operated from a 20lb tank vs a 1lb bottle, you’ll get basically zero flame variation in each batch of brass. Each piece is in the flame the exact same amount of time. The only variation you’d have would be the initial setting of the machine (which I could set using tempilaq), and brass variance (which will happen no matter what machine you use).

I don’t know how much variation there is… never done it myself. I have just seen some DIY setups that look really hard to maintain consistency.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Schmo]

I don’t know how much variation there is… never done it myself. I have just seen some DIY setups that look really hard to maintain consistency.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

This would not be a DIY setup. I have an annealing machine. The Ugly Annealer designed in Australia.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

This would not be a DIY setup. I have an annealing machine. The Ugly Annealer designed in Australia.

Explaining your setup and showing it to the ignorant is going to be an essential step for selling your service to someone like me.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Schmo]

Explaining your setup and showing it to the ignorant is going to be an essential step for selling your service to someone like me.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Q_Sertorius]

View attachment 934230View attachment 934232

I would pay for that service for my expensive brass.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Schmo]

The above are some from over a year ago that I was doing for myself. If I do this, I would most likely use tempilaq for proper heat application. I would also use a 20lb cylinder instead of a 1lb bottle so that flame variance would be basically non existent.

 

[Schmo]

If the new burstfire induction annealer and ADG one get out into the market and prove solid, i think the AMP annealer will be a hard sell anywhere near their current prices.

Yeah! If the Burstfire is solid, it wouldn’t take a ton of business to upgrade to that and offer induction annealing.

 

[huntnful]

People will use the service. IDK about pricing. But 100 piece minimum or $30 minimum .30 a pop would be good. They obviously pay shipping both ways.

I’ve ruined many of pieces of brass with a flame annealer, as well as the AMP (the amp is far from perfect). So being consistent and conservative on the heat put into the case is imperative.

The more you do, the better you’ll get anyways.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

People will use the service. IDK about pricing. But 100 piece minimum or $30 minimum .30 a pop would be good. They obviously pay shipping both ways.

I’ve ruined many of pieces of brass with a flame annealer, as well as the AMP (the amp is far from perfect). So being consistent and conservative on the heat put into the case is imperative.

The more you do, the better you’ll get anyways.

That’s about $0.50 cents a round with normal shipping costs round trip for 100 rounds. Not saying that is high or low, but I would build the return shipping into the price.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Schmo]

That’s about $0.50 cents a round with normal shipping costs round trip for 100 rounds. Not saying that is high or low, but I would build the return shipping into the price.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

No realistic way to build shipping into the price. I utilize a discount shipping broker, and customer pays actual shipping cost.

For example, to ship 100 pieces would be $7-$10 or so, so there wouldn’t be any way to add a certain amount per piece and it be consistent, because let’s say if someone needs 1,000 pieces done, it won’t be the same shipping price per piece.

 

[huntnful]

That’s about $0.50 cents a round with normal shipping costs round trip for 100 rounds. Not saying that is high or low, but I would build the return shipping into the price.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

No realistic way to build shipping into the price. I utilize a discount shipping broker, and customer pays actual shipping cost.

It’s not a massive operation or anything. Any customer will be a normal shooter, dealing with a small time guy, understanding of the costs of shipping IMO.

“Send me your brass and the money to anneal it (.030 a pop), plus the money to ship it back ($10 or whatever). It doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that for him at this point.

 

[Schmo]

It’s not a massive operation or anything. Any customer will be a normal shooter, dealing with a small time guy, understanding of the costs of shipping IMO.

“Send me your brass and the money to anneal it (.030 a pop), plus the money to ship it back ($10 or whatever). It doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that for him at this point.

I figured I’d structure it something like this: customer hits me up, and ships me his brass. I anneal it and purchase the shipping label, then send him his bill. As soon as he pays, it’s shipped back to him. This would prevent me from getting taken by someone not paying. If he never pays, then I can sell the brass and recoup my costs. I would expect this scenario to be extremely low odds, since guys are normally very good to deal with.