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help to a beginner
pandiani
Top  #1 Print Post
Posted on 11/05/2016 4:05 PM
Hello everyone I'm Marco from Rome
Here in Italy there is the culture that you have for the home coffee roaster
and the machines for roasting cost so much compared to you.
For this I would like a low-cost product, like a popcorn maker, I is coming an Severin 3175

http://www.severi...er-pc-3751

I wanted to know if someone could help me modify this severin
controlling temperature and fan speed, as you did for modyfing the original poppery.
Who helps me, and he comes to Rome, he will have a good coffee offered by me :-)

Seriously I do not have the budget to buy a home coffee roaster that here cost a lot
some examples:
Nesco Coffee Bean Roaster: 515 ?
Fresh Roast SR300: 583 ?
Behmor 1600 Plus: 1,024 ?
Imax Cr 100: 300 EUR
I would like the best way for toasting and possibly cheaper, so I thought the popcorn maker, but if you know a more effective method of controlling temperature and ventilation are here to read.
For now, thank you very much for your patience

Ciao
Edited by JackH on 11/05/2016 5:32 PM
 
btreichel
Top  #2 Print Post
Posted on 11/05/2016 6:33 PM
http://www.homero...ekmod.html

This article may give you a little background.
 
ginny
Top  #3 Print Post
Posted on 11/05/2016 6:35 PM
hello, and welcome to HRO...

you need to remember that you are NOT "toasting," you are roasting your coffee.

I would suggest that you learn to roast with your popper as is without modifying to see if it is what you want to do...

there are several forums here that will help you start to roast in your popper before you modify...


start and see if you like o roast.

ginny



roar
 
BenKeith
Top  #4 Print Post
Posted on 11/05/2016 6:59 PM
Ciao, that's the downside of living where there is about a 300% import tax on this type of stuff.

You might have a problem. Most of those newer popcorn poppers have the fan motor running off the heating element so it makes controlling them a bit difficult without some serious/major modifications.

If you have one of those poppers, you might need to take a picture of the bottom of the motor and post it so someone can tell you what you have and see if there is an easy way to modify it. If you don't have one, I'm not sure I would buy one for sole purpose of modifying it to make a coffee roaster.

You can roast in one without modifying the heater/fan, just use something in the place of that plastic dome that won't belt. A tin can, glass oil lamp chimney etc.

Too bad you don't have a couple cartons of American made Marlboro cigarettes or a couple fifths of Jack Daniel's, you could probably get someone to build you a roaster real cheap. I lived there almost six years and I could get almost anything I wanted with those bargaining items.
Edited by BenKeith on 11/05/2016 7:06 PM
 
pandiani
Top  #5 Print Post
Posted on 11/06/2016 3:49 AM
First of all, forgive me if sometimes my English is not perfect,
Well what to say,
for now thank you all, very kind of you.
# Btreichel: I read through this article, I am what I would do, you can email severin modyifing?

#ginny: thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to be part of this forum.
You're right, I was wrong but not toasting coffee roaster.
Do so directly without any modification would lead to a roasting not homogeneous, not only, the temperature at which the popcorn machine should arrive could be lower than 230 ? C, also a modification on the ventilation resistance making it possible to turn off the exit cold air that would cool the coffee in five minutes provided.

#BenKeith: All right what you say, indeed I fear that my severin popcorn machine is difficult to modify as new concept.
Soon as I can post photos to get advice from you.

One thing I wanted to ask, do you think for roasting coffee at home with a low budget the popcorn machine is the best solution? or there are others?

Guys, thank you all for your interest, I have chosen on your forum because I have noticed great professionalism and courtesy.
Ciao
?Marco
 
JackH
Top  #6 Print Post
Posted on 11/06/2016 5:20 AM
Welcome Marco,

A popper is a great way to start and to learn about coffee roasting. One of the problems with a popper is that the roast time goes too quickly and sometimes bean development is poor because of it.

One thing others have tried without modifying the popper is to add a long extension cord which should drop the mains voltage and slow down the roast.

Tilting the popper at it's base will also help and increase the capacity and bean movement.

I don't think it is necessary to vary the fan speed. Initially, you will need the full speed of the fan to move the heavier green beans.

For now, you should be able to try it and see without heavy modification. Later on, you can try some of the modifications posted here by members.
---Jack

KKTO Roaster.
 
pandiani
Top  #7 Print Post
Posted on 11/06/2016 8:55 AM

Quote

JackH wrote:

Welcome Marco,

thanks JacKh

Quote

JackH wrote:

I don't think it is necessary to vary the fan speed. Initially, you will need the full speed of the fan to move the heavier green beans.


for now I wait for my popper and a thermometer will check the temperature and time of roasting, though I imagine that
But if I work on a popper not modify, and I will not remove bi-metallic thermostat, popper what arrives temperatures? And in how many minutes?

I generally roasting Cuban serrano Lavado and Ethiopia Sidamo gr.2.
And here I should write so much, because here in Italy there is little trade of small quantities of coffee, and those who do, you do pay very expensive, about 12 Euros per kg. for ethiopia and 16 for cuba (green), but if I buy 60 kg. I would pay 6 euro per kg.
But then, when I drink 60 kg. of coffee? :-))))

The reason why I would like to start with the major changes is that they are used to drinking, and see, this coffee roasted and would love to achieve similar results and improve them.

However, I will try to follow your advice, and starting plan.
I understand that your are good tips
pandiani attached the following images:
cuba_serrano2.jpg cuba_serrano.jpg
 
btreichel
Top  #8 Print Post
Posted on 11/06/2016 10:03 AM
Marco, I've never seen the insides of the brand of popper you mention, but I bet it's about the same as what's shown. Here in the US we have stores like 'goodwill' where people donate stuff they don't want any more to charity. If you check out stores like that you can find used poppers for 20% of normal price. Go buy one or two of those and start hacking them up. You will quickly learn how to get a functional one. The important bits are to disable the thermal cutout, and power the fan and heater separately. The fuse may get old and blow, but it should n't be a problem with normal roasting.

Fair warning, don't expect normal around here.rockon
 
pandiani
Top  #9 Print Post
Posted on 11/06/2016 11:14 AM
Again, thank you for your support, it is important for me.
in fact here with us there is no big use of machines for popcorn and used if they are few, cheap, average and I want 10/15 euro I bought new in 19. But I think that for try and experiment I'll need more than one, and I always keep close to me fire extinguisher;-)
 
pandiani
Top  #10 Print Post
Posted on 11/07/2016 3:57 AM
Thanks to your suggestions I have stopped the arrival of the new popcorn severin, and today afternoon, I take an popcorn Ardes used (8 Euro),

this:

http://forum.home...ad_id=3946

only, that don't believe to be able to do such modify, for now, thing done recommend me to do, as before thing?
I have purchased this since I had seen the video and therefore I know that it is a popcorn modifiable machine
Edited by JackH on 11/07/2016 1:38 PM
 
pandiani
Top  #11 Print Post
Posted on 11/07/2016 11:37 AM
here it is, how do I proceed?
pandiani attached the following images:
wp_20161107_18_19_18_pro.jpg wp_20161107_18_16_24_pro.jpg wp_20161107_18_19_50_pro.jpg
 
btreichel
Top  #12 Print Post
Posted on 11/07/2016 3:24 PM
Lower left is the bimetallic switch. At minimum, solder it shut, or put a solid piece of wire in its place, or otherwise prevent it from opening. That is the first thing to do.
 
pandiani
Top  #13 Print Post
Posted on 11/07/2016 4:11 PM
removed a metal rectangle beneath him. You say that it is better to remove the bimetallic switch completely and weld into place a piece of wire? did I get it right?
Edited by pandiani on 11/07/2016 4:17 PM
 
btreichel
Top  #14 Print Post
Posted on 11/07/2016 10:39 PM
Yes, or just solder a piece of wire in parallel (acrost it) that will let the roast get hot enough.
 
pandiani
Top  #15 Print Post
Posted on 11/08/2016 6:17 AM
OK done.
Correct me if I'm wrong:
A: hot wire (220 volts)
D: provides power to the fan
E: I have to start a new electric wire which will be connected to the new power cord?
B: I have to stop and use it with the new line along with E?
B and E are two main heating coil wires are ready to the new heater power cord
how many questions
I probably made mistakes, now tell me,
step by step
and thanks
pandiani attached the following images:
linea_calda.jpg chiusura_contatto.jpg schema_lettere.jpg
 
btreichel
Top  #16 Print Post
Posted on 11/08/2016 10:51 PM
Figure 2 looks correct. Now it's a matter of learning to roast. Tilt it about 15 degrees, and add the green when it's running. That will let you roast a bit more.you are using the green coffee to keep (control) how much heat is available to roast.
 
pandiani
Top  #17 Print Post
Posted on 11/09/2016 3:53 AM
Then after editing I tested the machine with a thermometer (no coffee, only hot air)
The machine reaches its maximum after 9 minutes to reach 227 degrees Celsius (440.6 Fahrenheit), should not go higher up?
But what worries me, is that in 2 minutes to reach 206 degrees Celsius (402.8 Fahrenheit) in five minutes 220 degrees Celsius (428 Fahrenheit).
It is not too high temperature in such a short time?
pandiani attached the following images:
9_minuti.jpg 5_minuti.jpg 2_minuti.jpg
Edited by pandiani on 11/09/2016 3:55 AM
 
BenKeith
Top  #18 Print Post
Posted on 11/09/2016 5:49 PM
It has been a very long time since I've used a popper but once you have beans in it, it should take longer to come up in temps. I would try about a 100 gram roast and see how it does. Have something very long handy you can stir the beans with just in case they don't move freely when you first start them. Not sure what you are using for the roast chamber extension but I would make me one little modification if it has trouble getting hot enough after first crack. Make something that can be put on top of it to restrict the exhaust hole to approx. 30-40mm. Somewhere around the first crack, you can put that on top to reduce the air flow and it will help it reach higher temps a little faster for your development phase and help get into second crack if you want that dark.
 
pandiani
Top  #19 Print Post
Posted on 11/10/2016 7:54 AM
Hello to all,
here I attached my first roast, made with ardes popcorn machine.
We must say that the total time was 08.30 minutes. In my view, thirty seconds too. The temperature was the problem, in fact I could not get it down after the first crack, was around 200 degrees Celsius, and then it went to 230 but never beyond, and this is good.
Unfortunately, while turning off and on, if you do not come down too slowly.
Tips?
pandiani attached the following image:
wp_20161110_12_47_55_pro_1.jpg
 
btreichel
Top  #20 Print Post
Posted on 11/10/2016 8:35 AM
They will roast fast without alot more extensive mods, which I don't suggest right now. The less beans in the roaster, the slower the roast because there will be more airflow with less bean mass. Also, you will have to dump out the beans at the desired end.
 
pandiani
Top  #21 Print Post
Posted on 11/10/2016 11:17 AM
I try with less beans?
still I wait to do other modifify?
 
btreichel
Top  #22 Print Post
Posted on 11/10/2016 3:51 PM
I would. One thing at a time.
 
pandiani
Top  #23 Print Post
Posted on 11/12/2016 6:05 AM

Quote

pandiani wrote:

OK done.
Correct me if I'm wrong:
A: hot wire (220 volts)
D: provides power to the fan
E: I have to start a new electric wire which will be connected to the new power cord?
B: I have to stop and use it with the new line along with E?
B and E are two main heating coil wires are ready to the new heater power cord
how many questions
I probably made mistakes, now tell me,
step by step
and thanks


From what I've studied these days, I think I should change several wires that are not what I thoughtShock
 
btreichel
Top  #24 Print Post
Posted on 11/13/2016 8:59 AM
I can't see see your a,b,c numbers. However, here are some other instructions.

https://www.engad...e-roaster/
Edited by JackH on 11/13/2016 3:36 PM
 
pandiani
Top  #25 Print Post
Posted on 11/13/2016 11:00 AM
Thanks I had also seen this link, let's say that I have seen them all, or almost all, but a little afraid of me, you put itGrin
 
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