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Building a drum roaster
Dan
Top  #141 Print Post
Posted on 10/19/2010 5:47 AM
Small roasters don't need a blower to circulate heat. Making the drum perforated helps with heat transfer and getting rid of chaff, too.

I have a one-pound sample roaster. It's open 'snout' is all the ventilation it needs.
 
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Ringo
Top  #142 Print Post
Posted on 10/19/2010 7:00 AM
Look at post 79, thats a picture of the cyclone in the back ground. Its just a pipe that I welded the ends shut, add a clean out door, you can see the 3 inch exhaust pipe going to the cyclone and the small exhaust motor on top. Stick a pipe in a 55 gal drum, bolt a motor to the top-you got a great cyclone. Like Dan said when you are roasting very little air goes through the roaster, If I run too much air the coffee out of my drum is flat, but I love air roasted coffee, I dot not have a clue why air in my drum hurts the flavor. I do run a lot of air between roast too cool off the drum. If you build a drum you will not be able to design everthing before you start, it will be a process. Things will not work and have to be changed, just realize that going in and have fun. I built my drum for around $1000, thats a lot of cash. Have to be willing to see that lost if you can not get it to work. If you read my thread you will see I had a very hard time getting the drum to turn reliably and the burner to work, you will have problems also but you have too keep pushing. The biggest design advice I can give is put in too much of everthing! Have a ventilation system thats too big but can be adjusted down, add way too much heat but be able to control it, use motors that are too big. The reason I say this is if you underestimate any one of the three you will not be able to roast well. If I ever built a second or third roaster I would be able to dial things back a little. You also need to look for used parts if all my motors gearboxes and electronics were new I would have spent triple.
Edited by Ringo on 10/19/2010 7:33 AM
All you need in life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure. Mark Twain
 
Vidget
Top  #143 Print Post
Posted on 10/22/2010 8:47 AM
Hello Ringo, in the process of construction arose another question. Air from the drum which is taken and passes through the cyclone is returned to the drum? And if you returned, then where?

Unfortunately in my town is hard to find used equipment and even find a new fan was for me a big headache. As always offered great industrial options.

Thanks again for your helpsmile
Edited by Vidget on 10/22/2010 8:51 AM
 
Ringo
Top  #144 Print Post
Posted on 10/24/2010 8:39 PM
Vidget
The air out off the roaster cyclone is exhasted to the outside, some air roasters recycle but drums do not. As you build post pictures, others will be interested. Good luck

Ringo
All you need in life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure. Mark Twain
 
Vidget
Top  #145 Print Post
Posted on 10/25/2010 2:54 PM
Hi Ringo, the whole process of construction I will photograph and lay out here when it comes to metal. I now develop detailed drawings and models in SolidWorks, to minimize the possibility of error and the need to alter anything, as a direct manufacturer will be made at factories in our city and I will be to assemble a roster. Since I live in a city apartment and I'm difficult to deal with it by welding and mechanical workssmile Although I can do it all myselfsmile
 
broeker
Top  #146 Print Post
Posted on 07/04/2014 3:59 AM

Quote

Ringo wrote:

The biggest design advice I can give is put in too much of everthing! Have a ventilation system thats too big but can be adjusted down, add way too much heat but be able to control it, use motors that are too big. The reason I say this is if you underestimate any one of the three you will not be able to roast well.


This is really good advice, I design & fabricate machines for a variety of very different industries.... When doing a new design or machine were I'm not sure exactly how it will perform I always over engineer or over specify the critical elements to ensure enough adjustment for the process to work............... It's a lot easier the down spec in version 2.0
 
Ringo
Top  #147 Print Post
Posted on 08/29/2017 8:42 PM
I built this roaster 7 years ago and it still works great. I did have a problem on the last roast and thought it would be a good idea to warn people. I left the bottom of the roaster open when I built it. I was doing a roast 5 pounds of a really nice Ethiopian, after the roast I dumped in the cooling tray and little bits of cloth came out in the tray with the coffee, I suspected bad beans. I had 5 more pounds of a nice guat in the funnel I dropped it into the roaster. When it was done more scraps. Long story short I had a mouse build a nest on top of my burners and the fan sucked the pieces all through the roaster. I sent two days taking the roaster apart and cleaning everything and adding a screen under the burners. Bought 10 pounds of cheap throwaway beans roasted them to season the drum. It was an expensive lesson.
All you need in life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure. Mark Twain
 
Ringo
Top  #148 Print Post
Posted on 06/24/2020 10:47 AM
So I have a new warning for roasters. When I built my roaster many years ago I put a big Chaff cyclone on it, mainly because I had a big piece of pipe laying around. When I roast I normally do 4 5 lb batches. I freeze it all and then just take it out as i need. I was on my 4 th roast for the night doing a darker roast than normal and i had a fire in my cyclone. I roast in my detached garage with double walled pipe going outside and that goes through a thimble in the wall. So it fire resistant and i finished the roast then put the fire out. My warning is if you roast inside make sure you have a good vent pipe. I attended a roasting class years ago and they said if you are vented well and you have a fire keep the roaster running till it gets cool. if you shut the air off you run a risk of the beans catching fire. Have not been able to make myself go back and clean the roaster yet but i did drill holes in the side of the cyclone so i could spray water in it if it happens again. Have a plan if this happens to you.
All you need in life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure. Mark Twain
 
JackH
Top  #149 Print Post
Posted on 06/24/2020 12:09 PM
Thanks for posting this information. I am glad everything is OK Ringo
---Jack

KKTO Roaster.
 
goat4hooves
Top  #150 Print Post
Posted on 06/24/2020 3:39 PM
Thank you for the sage advice! I'm thankful for knowledge you have shared here. It is good to be prepared and have a plan that you can execute at a moments notice.
 
DrHenley
Top  #151 Print Post
Posted on 06/24/2020 5:01 PM

Quote

Ringo wrote:
Long story short I had a mouse build a nest on top of my burners and the fan sucked the pieces all through the roaster.

Well, on the bright side..."Mousey" is not on the list of flavor defects, LOL.
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AeroPress, Capresso On The Go single cup drip, Moka Pot
DIY Gas Fired perforated drum using TermoPro meat probe as bean probe (very accurate), Aillio Bullet R1 V2
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