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the eWok/CO (w/ a few new tweaks)
stereoplegic
Top  #1 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:14 AM
did i make it in time? the site says 00:20:37, but it should only be 11:20 PST.

anywho here's a revamp of my eWok/CO

1) Capacity in pounds/ounces:
i just finished a 2lb 2oz batch of Costa Rica Tarrazu. normally i do 1.5lb batches at most

2) Type of heat:
electric, main source: 1200w convection oven, secondary source: electric wok heating element run through 600w dimmer

3) Type of agitation:
other-a nice strong gearhead motor driving stirring arms a la stir crazy

4) Roasting time at maximum designed load
16 minutes to 450 degrees F. normally i shoot for 12-16 minutes, no matter what degree of roast.

5) Roaster temperature at finish of max load:
25-50 degrees F hotter than bean mass temp at most

6) Explain in detail the process of roasting coffee with your roaster
-preheat w/ CO heat only to 300F for 1/2lb batches, 400F for 1 lb, 480 for 1.5 (turn on eWok heating element for last 10 degrees). for the 2lb 2oz roast i preheated to 500F w/ both heat sources.
-remove CO top, load greens, replace CO top, start timer and set CO for 300F
-try to reach 300F between 4 and 5 minutes, using eWok heat if necessary. at 5 min, adjust CO to 415F
when nearing desired time for start of 1st, turn up eWok heat until 1st crack is rolling.
-adjust CO to desired finish temp, only using eWok heat if necessary to pull beans out of first.
-remove eWok/CO from window duct and dump beans onto bottom box fan through eWok's duct spout
-turn on box fans, place top fan over bottom fan, room temp in less than a minute, even w/ 2lb 2oz.

7) Cost:
convection oven top: i can't remember, but $40 shipped @ most, from eBay
electric wok: 1.99, thrift store
600w dimmer: $3.50, walmart
stainless steel mixing bowl (bottom, replaces paint can used originally, $1.99, thrift store.
gearhead motor: free, from electric kettle popcorn popper
toggle switch for motor: free, also from kettle popcorn popper
stirring arms: free, from the top of a lampshade
screws, bolts, nuts, washers: $3 tops, hardware store
kitchen appliance cords (for eWok heating element): 2x$3, hardware store
wire nuts: $2 tops, hardware store
extension cord (to cut up for wiring): $1, $1 store
SS sheet (for duct spout on eWok): $5.99 hardware store
4"x8' dryer duct: $5.99, hardware store
4" mini fan for window duct: $5, target
box fans: 2x$10, walmart and target
2"x4"s: free
plastic bread/pastry palet: free
aluminum window screening (for bottom box fan): $7, hardware store
cooking thermometer/timer: $19.99 shipped, eBay
jersey gloves, 4x$1, $1 store
masonite to hold duct in window: free (from my sign shop days)
yardstick: $3, hardware store
ruler: $1, $1 store
springs (to hold yardstick around CO lid): $3, hardware store
RTV silicone: 2x$1, $1 store
total: $133.47, including super-rapid cooler

tools used:
dremmel, drill, hacksaw, screwdrivers, pliers, wire strippers

as you can see by this first pic, my setup takes a lot of space, but it's sooooo worth it.
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010084[393].jpg
Edited by stereoplegic on 08/01/2007 1:58 AM
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #2 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:33 AM
a closeup of the roasting setup: the stainless steel mixing bowl replaces the original bottom, which was a paint can. the motor is now mounted through the bowl as well as the eWok. the controls for motor (toggle switch) and the eWok's heating element (dimmer) are now mounted in the SS bowl (no more separate control box-woohoo!) the cooking thermometer/timer has replaced the multimeter w/ thermocouple sheathed by a steam toy steam wand. its probe runs through the same hole in the eWok as before, held in place by 1/4" compression fittings. i added RTV silicone around the yardstick to keep chaff from flying out.
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010086[394].jpg
Edited by stereoplegic on 08/16/2007 2:11 PM
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #3 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:42 AM
the other side, so you can see the duct/pour spout (made from a stainless steel sheet).
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010095[418].jpg
Edited by stereoplegic on 08/16/2007 4:31 PM
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #4 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:44 AM
the motor.
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010081[396].jpg
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #5 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:45 AM
the window duct
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010087[397].jpg
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #6 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:47 AM
the outside side of the window duct.
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010088[398].jpg
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #7 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:48 AM
underneath the ss bowl.
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010091[399].jpg
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #8 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:50 AM
4 layers of $1 store jersey gloves to handle this thing safely.
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010098[400].jpg
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #9 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:54 AM
the cooling setup: two 20" box fans on a plastic pallet. both fans face downward, so the bottom sucks while the top blows (hehe). the bottom fan has 2x4's around it, holding an aluminum window screen.
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010096[401].jpg
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #10 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:55 AM
a whole lotta beans cooled really fast.
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010089[402].jpg
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #11 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 1:56 AM
the end result. 4 1/2lb bags full from 1 roast.
stereoplegic attached the following image:
P1010097[403].jpg
 
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David
Top  #12 Print Post
Posted on 08/01/2007 11:16 AM
Your entry is in on time, stereoplegic.
The rules say PST, so you did have another hour after the system clock hit midnight. Sorry for the confusion.

Thanks for your entry.
 
stereoplegic
Top  #13 Print Post
Posted on 08/16/2007 2:11 PM

Quote

Homeroaster wrote:
Cool execution of the turbo oven unit originally conceived and designed by Ryuji Suzuki a few years back (he used to regularly post on the Sweetmaria's Homeroast List).

i did not know that. makes sense, most of my ideas have been inspired by SM's list and site, as well as this site.

Quote

Using a turbo oven and a stir crazy allows a fairly decent sized roast.

i never had very good luck w/ the SC. couldn't get the shaft mod to work for me (too wobbly) and the motor was way too weak, hence the much heavier duty 31RPM gearhead motor. the wok idea was originally to allow gravity to assist in agitation (bowl shape instead of the SC's flat surface) as well as putting plenty of space between the CO and the beans w/o a spacer, and having more room for bigger batches. the eWok's heating element really comes in handy for bigger batches, and profile control is something i never really had w/ the standard SC/CO combo (first almost always ran right into second).

Quote

Having a smoke removal vent is a nice touch.
Nicely written article. It was unclear as to how the dump chute and smoke removal chute worked. No real description or pictures. I would have liked to see the agitation device too.

thank you. the dump chute of the eWok plugs straight into the ducting of the smoke removal vent. while roasting, the chaff and smoke blow out of the dump chute and through the duct out the window. at end of roast, i simply remove the eWok/CO from the duct and dump into my cooling setup. the dump chute allows me to do this w/o removing the CO (not scrambling to find a place for the CO that won't melt or catch fire is nice). here's a pic of the stirring arm setup from the original thread (before i replaced the steam-toy-steam-wand sheathed TC with the new SS probe TC): homeroasters.org/php/forum/attachments/P1010062%5B130%5D.jpg

Quote

The pics of the roasted beans look a bit uneven. Is that typical or just the way the camera imaged the beans?

sorry, forgot to turn off the flash (or maybe it's the other way around-forgot to use the flash and the flourescent kitchen light didn't do the batch justice-i forget). the roast came out very evenly. if i had any of it left, i'd snap another pic, but between gifting, sharing, and personal consumption, it's long gone.

Quote

Somehow, when I see that roaster, I think of the spaceship on "Lost In Space"

yeah, i'm lovin' the new lower profile the SS bowl bottom offers, as opposed to the old top-heavy R2D2 look i had going on before w/ the paint can base. as it's sturdier now, it's also much quiter. the motor doesn't echo in the SS bowl like it did in the paint can.
Edited by stereoplegic on 08/16/2007 4:15 PM
 
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ginny
Top  #14 Print Post
Posted on 08/16/2007 2:38 PM
Mike:

This Roaster is great. Love the hoodie!!

The biggest concern I had was with all the cords hanging all over the place. Got kids, old folks or even yourself not paying attention and you have an accident at the ready.

I must laugh here because I have cords all over the damn place, got toys? got cords? My friends ask me how I can stand all the cords and I explain that I do not see them...
that said this is a Roaster for all to use and cords can be a hazard.

Your Roaster has capacity, good heat source, super roasting times, your cost factor was great.

Your article "how to" was well done though I would have liked more photo's of the way you put it all together and how it all worked; something was missing for me here.

I have more thoughts about your entry. Let me gather them together for another note.

Mike, well done and thank you so much for taking the time and effort to enter our very, first ever contest!!!

love ya dude,

ginny

t-shirt (sh) coming!!

s:8s:8s:8s:8B)B)Grin
 
stereoplegic
Top  #15 Print Post
Posted on 08/16/2007 4:36 PM
yeah, i know the cords are an issue, the roaster itself only has 2 (CO is unmodded internally, so thats 1. the other cord powers the motor (via toggle switch) and the eWok heating element (via 600w dimmer), but the exhaust fan makes 3 (not an issue now that i'm plugging it into the wall outlet closest to the kitchen window), the 2 box fans make 5, the little table you see in the photos (a projector table w/ 2 switching outlets for the box fans, $5 thrift store find, forgot to add that in the contest write-up, though it's not completely necessary) makes 6, and the extension cord that everything leads to (except the exhaust now) makes 7. as far as the writeup and building photos, just didn't have time w/ work and time spent on what would have been my other contest entry (i'll just have to save that for next time).
Edited by stereoplegic on 08/16/2007 7:40 PM
 
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ginny
Top  #16 Print Post
Posted on 08/16/2007 5:06 PM
you did a sterling job, regardless of cords...

ginny
 
stereoplegic
Top  #17 Print Post
Posted on 08/16/2007 7:29 PM

Quote

Homeroaster wrote:

Quote

stereoplegic wrote:

Quote

Homeroaster wrote:
Cool execution of the turbo oven unit originally conceived and designed by Ryuji Suzuki a few years back (he used to regularly post on the Sweetmaria's Homeroast List).

i did not know that. makes sense, most of my ideas have been inspired by SM's list and site, as well as this site.
<SNIP>


http://themeyers....ic3893.htm
Discussion on the SM list in 2002


ok, i thought you meant the oven itself. i kinda figured an SM's list member conceived the SC/TO combo
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #18 Print Post
Posted on 08/16/2007 7:32 PM

Quote

Homeroaster wrote:
I guess the dump chute is high enough so that beans don't go into it while roasting, but chaff and smoke can go out? I think I get it.

right. w/ bigger batches i tilt it a little to make sure beans don't try to run away.
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #19 Print Post
Posted on 08/17/2007 12:52 AM

Quote

Homeroaster wrote:
Somehow, when I see that roaster, I think of the spaceship on "Lost In Space"
www.neweyestudio.com/ebayTemp/ebt277.jpg

hey Ed, just looked over Chad's thread again, forgot that he said this...

Quote

seedlings wrote:
Someone could make a Hottop/Stir crazy look like a REAL UFO and maybe that's what the judges are looking for.

homeroasters.org/php/forum/attachments/P1010086%5B394%5D.jpg
in hindsight, that's frickin' hilarious!s:8s:8s:8 so do i win the "Looks like a REAL UFO" GRANDEST OF THE GRAND Prize?;);)
Edited by stereoplegic on 08/17/2007 1:07 AM
 
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stereoplegic
Top  #20 Print Post
Posted on 08/17/2007 12:59 AM
i guess a real UFO would be cordless, though...
Edited by stereoplegic on 08/17/2007 1:07 AM
 
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EddieDove
Top  #21 Print Post
Posted on 08/19/2007 8:04 PM
I love this roaster. I love the way everyday objects were incorporated into its design and function ... like the bowl on the bottom. s:2s:2s:2

Of course, it also looks like the above mentioned UFO! GrinGrinGrin

Great work, stereo!
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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