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500g Air Roaster
greencardigan
An update on this build is overdue.

I finally got the 4.5" roast chamber built and tested. Unfortunately I had trouble getting the 500g green to circulate properly at lower blower speeds. I tried a roast but it stalled before FC as I couldn't turn the blower down enough.

So onto RC version 2 :)

This one is using a 3.5" pyrex tube and a steeper funnel and it seems to get better circulation but is probably a bit small for 500g roasts. It looks like it might be a good size for 250g - 300g roasts.

I hope to do a test roast with the new RC soon.

www.greencardigan.com/misc/air_roaster_build_3/roast_chamber_2/rc_on_roaster.jpg

And a few videos.

250g green showing the removable RC. You can see the old RC on the right side of the video.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQABba0hAvg[/video]

400g green
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjBpujRXrwU[/video]
 
yamhill
I like the looks of your roaster.

I have the same or similar vacuum motor and a selection of metal bits similar to what you have here. How did you mount the blower? Could you post some pictures of that part?

John
 
allenb
Super job, nice and compact, great bean movement/circulation.

This really reminds me of the old lava lamp designs from the 70's.

Can't wait to see some beans darkening in it.

Allen
1/2 lb and 1 lb drum, Siemens Sirocco fluidbed, presspot, chemex, cajun biggin brewer from the backwoods of Louisiana
 
greencardigan
The blower is a nice fit inside some PVC tube.

This is the bottom side of the blower tube. I have an end cap that is fixed over this end to stop the blower from blowing itself out the bottom.
www.greencardigan.com/misc/air_roaster_build_3/blower_in_pvc_lining_bottom.jpg

The top end. A PVC reducer goes on this end to attach the blower tube to the heatgun element.
www.greencardigan.com/misc/air_roaster_build_3/blower_in_pvc_lining_top.jpg

The blower tube with reducer and heatgun element attached. The pvc parts are a snug fit inside the stainless tube shown (a flour sifter).
www.greencardigan.com/misc/air_roaster_build_3/pvc_lining_1.jpg

An upside down milkshake cup covers the heatgun element.
www.greencardigan.com/misc/air_roaster_build_3/milkshake_cup_heatgun_cover_1.jpg

A wiring pic showing the inside prior to installing the triac blower controller.
www.greencardigan.com/misc/air_roaster_build_3/wiring_mostly%20complete.jpg
Edited by greencardigan on 03/20/2012 7:31 PM
 
lmclaren
Nice compact design.ThumbsUp
 
greencardigan
Thanks. Yep I was aiming for something light and portable.

I've not long finished a semi sucessful roast. 250g Brazil Daterra Estate. It hit FC at 7.30 and SC at 10.30. I was aiming for 8.00 and 12.00 but my thermocouple placement might be bad. FC was at 185C and SC at 215.

I'll post a roast video or two tomorrow.
 
JETROASTER
Very nice! :Clap:
Weren't you a little surprised by the blowers ability? It's amazing what a little 3" fan can do!

-Scott
Edited by JETROASTER on 03/21/2012 9:05 AM
 
seedlings
Dang! Send that fat hog to market.

ThumbsUp
CHAD
Roaster: CoffeeAir II 2# DIY air roaster
Grinder: Vintage Grindmaster 500
Brewers: Vintage Cory DCU DCL, Aeropress, Press, Osaka Titanium pourover
 
greencardigan

Quote

freshbeans wrote:
Very nice! :Clap:
Weren't you a little surprised by the blowers ability? It's amazing what a little 3" fan can do!

-Scott


Indeed I am! It seems just as powerful as the 900W blower in my 1kg roaster.
 
greencardigan
Here a couple of videos of the roast.

What do you think about the asymmetric bean circulation? Should I try to stop it?

Beginning of the roast. I was using my controller to monitor the temps but not control the heater.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5__oljUcuzo[/video]

First crack showing the asymmetrical bean circulation and low recorded temp.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcmSjtuEaAU[/video]
 
yamhill
Thanks for sharing the pictures. The fit of the blower to the PVC looks perfect. What type of pipe is it - seems like it would get some heat?

The design and build look very nice - compact and robust.

John
 
greencardigan

Quote

yamhill wrote:
Thanks for sharing the pictures. The fit of the blower to the PVC looks perfect. What type of pipe is it - seems like it would get some heat?

The design and build look very nice - compact and robust.

John

I'm not real sure what type it is. I just went browsing at the local hardware with my blower. :)

It doesn't get any heat from the elements. Only the heat generated by the blower itself.
 
seedlings
I don't see a problem at all with circulation- those beans are mixing nicely. Is it possible the hopper isn't entirely level? Either way, it's fine though, and you might be able to reduce fan speed to get a different circulation. I bet you can break that entire roaster down into a medium suitcase!

CHAD
Roaster: CoffeeAir II 2# DIY air roaster
Grinder: Vintage Grindmaster 500
Brewers: Vintage Cory DCU DCL, Aeropress, Press, Osaka Titanium pourover
 
greencardigan
The only problem is my thermocouple is located on the side where the beans are getting blown up. So I might move it around to the other side to see if I get better temp readings.
 
oldgearhead
I used a BMT for a couple of months, but I found that the probe I have in the hot air stream, directly under the perf plate, reads exactly the same + 30F at most stages of the roast. . . .

No oil on my beans...
 
Beaner
I'm glad you started this thread. I've been wanting to build something better than my Jethro2 and this thread kick started my brain. Already found a 5A mini vac at Goodwill and the motor looks pretty much like yours.

I've wondered about those motors but never gave it much thought until this thread. Hmm, now I just have to scroung the shop for the rest of the parts.

Thanks for posting.
 
greencardigan
I'm still having trouble getting correct temperature readings from my thermocouple.

FC is at 190C (374F)
SC is at 215C (419F)

I'm expecting the temps to be about 10C higher. Does anyone else have this issue in an air roaster?

Should I just ignore it? Maybe I could just add an adjustment factor in my controllers code.
 
greencardigan
The perf plate is a cut down sink strainer.
 
lmclaren
If you can sit them together and it still reads different I would replace. I try to use identical tc's if I can.

If one has a different case / probe to the other then you may get a difference based on the inertia. You could try swapping and see if the problem follows the tc or the channel?

btw, my fc is between 213 and 215 on the ir when the tc reads all over the place, sometimes it is 20c off. I found it sensitive to placement. When the beans are floating you are really reading the air temp around. I found increasing the air speed showed a different temp.


Lee
 
MadDawg
I have been looking over these forums in anticipation for the next line of progression from my modified popper. I am very interested in building something very similar to this.

I was just wondering how it was working out for you over the long-term? What kind of bean charge seems to be ideal for this build?

My plan is to get my hands dirty on something this size, then to later use it as a sample roaster for a 2.3kg one that I plan to build later on.

Thanks,
Chris
 
greencardigan
Hi Chris and welcome.

To be truthfully I haven't really used this roaster since I got it finished. I think 300g to 400g was about right for this roaster but it was limited by the roast chamber size. This batch size is currently too small for our consumption so I use my 1kg roaster.

So I think this little roaster still works and I may start using it again soon. I'm actually very happy with how this build turned out.

Brad
 
cody
greencardigan,

One silly question that I have not been able to glean from the forum posts, unless I'm missing it.. with this particular build, how do you dump/cool the beans?

Thanks very much!
 
greencardigan
Hi Cody,

The roast chamber unscrews from the heater section. They are connected with threaded plumbing parts.

I cool the beans in the roast chamber.
 
greencardigan
The video in the second page of this thread should show the roast chamber being removed.

http://homeroaste...post_34901
 
cody
Thank you, sir.

A few more newbie questions, when you have a moment:

- How is the perf plate secured into the base of the RC? Is it a press fit? Would you possibly be able to take a photo of the area on this roaster?

- What are the threaded components you're using for the removable RC called? How is the top one secured to the base of the RC?

Thanks again!
 
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