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The Soup Can Roaster (SCR)
TimEggers
Top  #1 Print Post
Posted on 06/02/2007 11:19 PM
Hello fellow roasters! Here is my submission I call it the Soup Can Roaster. Building it was really easy as it's simply a soup can with some slots cut into it in which I inserted some fins made from disposable oven liner pans which are held on with two pipe clamps.

I have less then $10 invested in the drum itself (I already had the drill) and the only other tools I used to build it was a Dremel tool for cutting the slots (but any sharp tool would work for this), a screw driver for tightening the pipe clamps, shear for cutting the oven liner tins for the fins, and a nail to make the hole in the back for the thread rod "drive shaft."

The photos on my web site (which also has a movie of the roaster in action) really showcase how simple the design is and making one of your own should be self-explanatory from the photos.

I use the roaster on my gas stove and it works great. Another pro of this roaster besides being easy and cheap to make is the fact I can pull samples or take bean temps at anytime during the roast. I have great results at 75-80g green bean weights, 100g tended to let the occasional bean fall out of the roaster. I suppose if you wanted to roast more you could use a bigger can! Here is a picture of the SCR:
TimEggers attached the following image:
alumichimney2pagetop[200].jpg
Edited by TimEggers on 06/03/2007 11:17 PM
Tim Eggers


Tim's Coffee Pages CLICK HERE
 
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TimEggers
Top  #2 Print Post
Posted on 06/04/2007 10:43 AM
Why thank you Mr. Needham coming from you that means a lot!
Tim Eggers


Tim's Coffee Pages CLICK HERE
 
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TimEggers
Top  #3 Print Post
Posted on 06/11/2007 9:43 AM
I've completed a larger version of this roaster capable (I believe, have yet to test) a full quarter pound batch. The can I was using didn't have a lid so I made a foil funnel. The pros of this is it makes dumping much more efficient and faster. Loading isn't a problem (I use a flexible cloth bowl that my mother in law made for me, it has a coffee print on it).

Anyway here it is and a movie of it in action can be found on my website:

Soup Can Roaster
TimEggers attached the following image:
qpscr[204].jpg
Edited by TimEggers on 06/11/2007 9:44 AM
Tim Eggers


Tim's Coffee Pages CLICK HERE
 
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Mike
Top  #4 Print Post
Posted on 06/11/2007 11:26 AM
Tim,

Nice job. I like the second video on your site, teaspoon as a tryer (sp). Super cool.

Mike
B)
 
TimEggers
Top  #5 Print Post
Posted on 06/11/2007 11:49 AM
Thanks Mike, yeah it's a slick little roaster.

Here in IL the summers can be warm a muggy, somehow the thought of using this inside rather then roasting outside sounds good. Plus I'll be able to watch my daughter even if it means roasting a few more times a week.

Thanks again!
Tim Eggers


Tim's Coffee Pages CLICK HERE
 
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Mike
Top  #6 Print Post
Posted on 06/11/2007 1:22 PM
Tim,

A ventilation rig with a suction plenum hooked to the stoves vent hood, just outside the drum opening, where it wouldn't rob heat from the drum but would pick up any chaff/smoke that flies out would undoubtedly make it perfect for clean indoor roasting. How do you like that for sentence construction?

A guy could really go crazy using your design as a 'proof of concept' prototype.

Mike
B)
 
TimEggers
Top  #7 Print Post
Posted on 06/11/2007 1:50 PM
I only wish I had a vent hood over the stove! Oh well.

Yeah the concept seems solid in fact some others have taken their own interesting approaches:

http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/homeroast/300782
Tim Eggers


Tim's Coffee Pages CLICK HERE
 
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TimEggers
Top  #8 Print Post
Posted on 06/14/2007 10:02 AM
The first batch of the 1/4lb drum is complete. All went well. I started with a 120g-batch load (about 4 1/4-ounces) and ended at Full City (no second crack) with 100g (or just shy of a true 1/4lb batch size).

The coffee looks great and the roast went very well. I believe this is the thermal maximum of this set-up however as I had to go full power to get this roast curve (albeit a nice one). I had first crack at 11 minutes and reached full city just as I hit 14 minutes roast time.

All in all I really like this drum over the first version because of the slightly larger batch size and the cone funnel opening makes dumping easier. Not to mention that in a mere 14 minutes I have enough coffee for a few days.

A very practical and simple to make roaster that is also easy to use. I have learned that my infrared thermometer is less than ideal, as it just isn't suited for this because the temperature reading jumps around quite a bit. However with the open-ended drum design one could add a probe quite easily.

All in all it should offer me an alternative to hot outdoors roasting this summer!

The blurry spot must have been a smudge on the camera lens!
TimEggers attached the following image:
Picture 003[205].jpg
Edited by TimEggers on 06/14/2007 1:15 PM
Tim Eggers


Tim's Coffee Pages CLICK HERE
 
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TimEggers
Top  #9 Print Post
Posted on 06/20/2007 10:04 AM
To whom it may concern (or interest) I modified the original drum to have a funnel opening like the larger drum. The larger drum wouldn't let the beans maintain a suitable mass for me to stick a probe into. I'm hoping the smaller diameter drum will help. Plus it will be a little lighter so I can try to use slightly more beans. I won't add any pictures because it looks just like the larger drum.

I'll update as I do a few roasts using the probe.

Thanks!
Tim Eggers


Tim's Coffee Pages CLICK HERE
 
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TimEggers
Top  #10 Print Post
Posted on 06/21/2007 2:06 PM

Quote

TimEggers wrote: I have learned that my infrared thermometer is less than ideal, as it just isn't suited for this because the temperature reading jumps around quite a bit.


After a fresh set of batteries the infrared thermometer works like a charm! I hit first crack at about 415F so it must be fairly accurate (within reason, I consider any thermometer to be a point of reference tool and not an actual temperature recording tool). That's good to know, as now I won't have a wire probe in my way!

I've been very pleased with this simple effective set-up.
Tim Eggers


Tim's Coffee Pages CLICK HERE
 
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ginny
Top  #11 Print Post
Posted on 07/26/2007 11:07 AM
Tim:

Way to go. We are talking plain and simply but with great results.
Thanks for taking time to enter. Lot's of luclk.

ginny

remember I can be bribed!!

s:8s:8s:8
 
seedlings
Top  #12 Print Post
Posted on 07/26/2007 11:23 AM

Quote

TimEggers wrote:

Quote

TimEggers wrote: I have learned that my infrared thermometer is less than ideal, as it just isn't suited for this because the temperature reading jumps around quite a bit.


After a fresh set of batteries the infrared thermometer works like a charm! I hit first crack at about 415F so it must be fairly accurate (within reason, I consider any thermometer to be a point of reference tool and not an actual temperature recording tool). That's good to know, as now I won't have a wire probe in my way!

I've been very pleased with this simple effective set-up.


Nice work. On my reference tool I get 1C around 375F... 2C around 425-ish.

CHAD
 
TimEggers
Top  #13 Print Post
Posted on 07/28/2007 1:41 PM

Quote

seedlings wrote:

Quote

TimEggers wrote:

Quote

TimEggers wrote: I have learned that my infrared thermometer is less than ideal, as it just isn't suited for this because the temperature reading jumps around quite a bit.


After a fresh set of batteries the infrared thermometer works like a charm! I hit first crack at about 415F so it must be fairly accurate (within reason, I consider any thermometer to be a point of reference tool and not an actual temperature recording tool). That's good to know, as now I won't have a wire probe in my way!

I've been very pleased with this simple effective set-up.


Nice work. On my reference tool I get 1C around 375F... 2C around 425-ish.

CHAD


Hi Chad I've found my temps to very closely mirror Tom's and have been quite happy with this small batch/sample roaster.

I really like the fact that it's such an "anyone can build" design. A few simple widely available parts, a little know how and anyone at any skill level can have a dependable fully functional coffee roaster at very little cost.
Tim Eggers


Tim's Coffee Pages CLICK HERE
 
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ginny
Top  #14 Print Post
Posted on 08/16/2007 1:27 PM
Woo Hoo,

Tim this little guy sent me to heaven. Plain all out simple roaster using a couple of basic elements and other things found around any home/workshop.

I have already run through my pantry to find cans to assign to this particular project.

Alas, my dogs will be eating a lot of yams (plain not candied) and green beans in their food for the next week.

I plan to zip to the border for a couple of days, down between Arizona and New Mexico, which may have me camping out a couple of nights. I always toss a tool pack into the car which includes my DeWalt 18v (read you never know when you may need to muscle something.)

Got drill, got cans, got old camp stove or wood, got fresh roasted coffee...

Your SCR is the bomb. You really have something here Tim.

I am not sure if my coffee will measure up to what you have pictured with your entry but for sure the campsite will smell fabulous.

Thank you so much for taking time to not only join homeroasters and staying through some growing pains but for sharing this wonderful, totally portable, cordless, efficient, full on roaster as well as sample roaster.

Tim, well done. I will send you a picture from camp; or maybe they have scratch and sniff digital photo's at Wal-Mart by now!!!

Love to you and family, great job ,

ginny

always s:8s:8s:8 today B)B)B)B)B) and of course B)B)B)
 
seedlings
Top  #15 Print Post
Posted on 08/16/2007 1:31 PM

Quote

ginny wrote:
...maybe they have scratch and sniff digital photo's at Wal-Mart by now!!!


Oh, please, no.

Nice job again, Tim!

CHAD
 
EddieDove
Top  #16 Print Post
Posted on 08/19/2007 8:53 PM
Tim,

I love it! s:2s:1s:2

Maybe I missed it, but do you use the drill on the high or low speed setting?

I am thinking this would be great for camping! Do you perchance use it for such?
Respectfully,

Eddie Dove

The South Coast Coffee Roaster
vita non est vivere sed valere vita est
Home Coffee Roasting Blog and Reference
http://southcoast...gspot.com/
 
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TimEggers
Top  #17 Print Post
Posted on 08/21/2007 9:53 AM
Thanks guys for the replies!

I didn't fabricate a funnel cone for a few reasons 1) no need to make the roaster that complex, I designed this FOR ANYONE TO BUILD adding specialized fabricated parts would hinder that and 2) weight (the roaster would have been too heavy to stand on its own (making a stand was out of the questions see reason 1) above).

As for the drill speed it is a variable speed drill so I tighten the clamp just enough to get the speed I want (you can see videos on the SCR's own website).

I loved the other roasters in the contest for their clever design but I'd never attempt to build any of them for several reasons the main one being I don't have the tools needed and they are just too complex (although this I'm sure lends to excellent roast performance). The SCR is a roaster that lets face it ANYONE can build with a few simple tools everyone owns already (if they own a drill that is). Who doesn't have a can opener, scissors and screwdriver? Pipe clamps are easy to come by too. I wanted simplicity that anyone could replicate while still getting excellent roasts and overcoming the primary home roaster design flaws (direct bean access for pulling samples, complete profile control etc). The SCR is a SAMPLE ROASTER those wanting 1-4 pound batches need look elsewhere, however those who have a FreshRoast and want to go in another direction I offer them this option.

The contest was a great reminder for me just how clever the home roaster can be and how exciting it can be to see how others resolve the many issues in getting to the perfect roast. What fun!
Tim Eggers


Tim's Coffee Pages CLICK HERE
 
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