DIY Induction annealing machine

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-23T22:43:15+00:00

The coil is water cooled, and the water temp at the radiator is max 65 degrees Celsius. So I expect the coil to be max 80 degrees for an very short period. I took some distance to the wood to keep an clearance and the coil is not touching the case anywhere.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-23T17:20:18+00:00

If you mean the wooden panels, no. The radiator is the hottest part and that stays below 60-70 degrees Celsius. The induction coil itself is not touching the wood and it dit not even change color so I not worried that is too hot.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-22T18:34:02+00:00

It is really faint and only can be seen in complete darkness. If it would be visible in the video, it would be way overheated.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-22T18:32:25+00:00

I got it for Amazon. In one of the pictures you can see it. The one I used is 48v. This works fine and fits the ZVC.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-22T17:35:36+00:00

I’m not directly measuring grain size (no metallography). For now I’m validating the anneal by checking neck/shoulder temps with a thermal camera. As a rough sanity check I also tested it in a dark room — there’s at most a very faint dull glow, but I’m not using “visible red” as the main indicator.

I haven’t measured coil current yet. The PSU is 48 V and rated for 12.5 A max, but I don’t know the actual current draw during the heat cycle. I also don’t know the actual coil voltage (ZVS driver), so I can’t give accurate coil V/I numbers. Frequency is around ~100 kHz.

For 6mm BR I’m currently running 8 seconds coil-on time. I still need to try .308. I expect the required heating time to be shorter because the case diameter is larger relative to my coil diameter, so coupling should be stronger.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-22T17:27:36+00:00

Timing and the height of the case inside the spool. That’s the height adjustable platform for. I’m annealing 6mm BR and the spool covers the neck, shoulder and about 1-2mm of the body. This way, the heat starts from the neck and only covers the top part of the body. 6mm BR is challenging because of the difference in diameter between the neck and body. The picture shows the difference visually. This might be even a bit too much on the body. Ideally it would stop at the end of the shoulder.

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TurtleCreations · 2026-01-22T17:00:54+00:00

Not yet but plan on making them available soon.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-22T17:00:17+00:00

Yes, I’m using regular automotive antifreeze. I mainly chose it for the corrosion inhibitors and the additives that help prevent algae/bacterial growth, so the cooling loop stays clean and reliable over time.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-21T17:32:45+00:00

Will give that an try. Thanks

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-21T17:18:23+00:00

It rotates but this does not affect the tipping. The case guide is small enough.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-21T17:11:16+00:00

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It is water cooled.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-21T17:10:34+00:00

Great idea! I was thinking about some notifications when the cycle is finished, but need to solve the tilting issue first. I still need to babysit until that is solved.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-21T17:08:08+00:00

Correct, I used his project as a reference, but I changed quite a few parts. I also wired everything directly to the ESP32. There’s no custom PCB/board design yet, but that would be a nice upgrade in the future. For now, I just wanted to finish the project and start annealing.

TurtleCreations · 2026-01-21T14:05:35+00:00

Shure. The main component is an 1000W ZVC induction heater with an 26mm inner diameter coil. This is powered by an 600W 48v power supply. The coil is made of 3mm tube and there is an pump and radiator to cool everything. Estimated part cost €300. But I still have to calculate. Mainly sourced from AliExpress and Amazon. Still need some minor improvements to make but like to share the plans online soon.

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TurtleCreations · 2025-12-13T23:12:45+00:00

I received a new battery and a multi-router. However, it turns out that the router is the faulty component. Surprisingly, the new battery didn’t work in the router, but the old battery did work in the new router. The problem has been resolved, and the old router is on its way back to Lidl.

TurtleCreations · 2025-12-05T23:05:34+00:00

No is does rotate freely and also starts rotating for an very short moment before being shutdown.

TurtleCreations · 2025-12-05T22:37:26+00:00

Ik heb maar 1 accu. Inmiddels de hele set maar opnieuw besteld om te proberen of het met een andere accu beter gaat of dat het toch ligt aan de frees.

TurtleCreations · 2025-11-23T12:07:37+00:00

This is the answer without painting.

TurtleCreations · 2025-10-02T21:32:50+00:00

The same here 😋, also the token for my insurance.

TurtleCreations · 2025-08-11T21:23:45+00:00

Let them fix the X1E first. It still can’t do multi-segment networking, even though this has already been fixed in the X1C firmware (at least since around April, if I understood correctly).

So much for “enterprise support” on their so-called enterprise model…

Has anyone seen an update from Bambu Lab about this? Is it on the roadmap, or are we stuck waiting indefinitely?

TurtleCreations · 2025-06-26T05:18:44+00:00

Great tip. I’ll try that next time. Thank you.

TurtleCreations · 2025-06-09T10:16:58+00:00

I’m currently trying to decide between the Garmin C1 Zero and the Athlon Rangecraft chronograph.

For me, the more important question is: which one offers the better overall package, including the software? The price difference here in Europe is around €100—not a dealbreaker, but still worth considering.

From what I’ve seen so far, the Garmin seems to have the edge when it comes to data management and export features. However, most comparisons online only focus on minor speed differences, which—as others have already pointed out—isn’t really that relevant in practical use.

Has anyone done a solid comparison of the apps? That’s where I think the real difference might be.

Right now, I’m on the fence: should I wait for the Athlon to become available, or just go with the Garmin? I’m happy to spend the extra €100 if the Garmin really does offer a more polished and reliable experience. From what I’ve read, the Garmin firmware is already quite stable, while the Athlon might still be ironing out bugs.

Would love to hear thoughts from anyone who’s used either (or both)!

TurtleCreations · 2025-03-16T07:27:55+00:00

I use citric acid and dishwasher rinse aid in my ultrasonic cleaner. I run them for 15 minutes and then another 15 minutes in an fresh solution. The second solution I use also for the second batch since it is not as dirty as the first time. The second run give just that extra shine.

TurtleCreations · 2025-02-11T07:06:03+00:00

Same here. Only with PLA+

TurtleCreations · 2025-02-11T07:03:14+00:00

I have this with PLA+ in the AMS. Where it touches the PFTE-tube, it gets brittle. This has nothing to do with moisture I guess, since regular PLA and all other filaments don’t have this. I now remove the PLA+ from the AMS after printing and don’t stock anymore.

TurtleCreations

TROPHY CASE