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My drum/bbq roaster updated and completed
kwrcst
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Posted on 03/28/2019 7:07 PM
Hi all.

So this will be a drum roaster that uses a gas grill for a base. It has 3 burners in the grill and can reach 700+ degrees while cooking so I should be good on heat. The first thing I did was take the thermal shield from the lid and cover the grill top. I will weld up a small flue that the drum will sit on and give me enough clearance for a bean drop chute. I?m going to build out a cooler and attach it to the side. Right now I?m perforating the inner drum. That is a pain. Next steps will be to finish the drums. And get them mounted. Then I?ll build the cooler/exhaust system. Lastly, I will install the motor and cut the face for the outer drum for the bean door, sight window, temp probe and traier if I can figure that out. Any suggestions on a motor would be greatly appreciated
kwrcst attached the following images:
innerdrum.jpg grilltop.jpg grill.jpg outerdrum.jpg
Edited by kwrcst on 02/03/2020 12:59 PM
 
kwrcst
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Posted on 04/08/2019 8:48 AM
Update. I have the heat shield installed with the homemade Flue welded in place and the outer drum installed. I have also completed the inner drum to shaft instal. I need to figure vane config but I will wait until I get the motor and confirm the turning direction. My luck I will install the vanes backwards. I think I will use a thicker steel plate for the from rather than the stainless lid that came with the pot. this will allow me to add the drop door, intake tube and trier easier. This thin metal is a killer to weld. Yes, My welds are horrible but they hold. That's good enough for now.
I can get the inner chamber up to 500 deg without a front panel attached so I think I can get another 50175 out of it with it sealed up. Not that I will need 600+ degrees. Anyway, just a quick update. If you have a suggestion for a motor, I would appreciate it.
kwrcst attached the following images:
inside_drum.jpg img_4280.jpg img_4281.jpg
 
kwrcst
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Posted on 08/05/2019 8:59 PM
update. It may look like Frankenstein but I think it will work. The motor is on the way
kwrcst attached the following images:
img-5104.jpg img-5103.jpg img-5102.jpg 58674614690-3da4b3bb-7895-4f20-8d9d-47dbd1872ddd.jpg 58674613611-37cdefdc-c3c2-4442-ab76-45bdf0e3339f.jpg
 
allenb
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Posted on 08/06/2019 4:34 PM
Hey,

If it tumbles the beans and evenly distributes the heat and heat is easily controllable with temperature feedback, any perceived lack of beauty will quickly be forgotten while you are cupping and savoring that dynamite roast done a couple of days earlier in the week!

pouring
1/2 lb and 1 lb drum, Siemens Sirocco fluidbed, presspot, chemex, cajun biggin brewer from the backwoods of Louisiana
 
kwrcst
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Posted on 10/14/2019 12:13 PM
So i'm on like Version 10 now. the inner drum has been the main issue. the original drum was made of a thin steel stock pot and once the inner hardware was installed, it wouldn't run flush to the face. I had everything up and running perfectly and then I ran a test batch of beans into the drum to see how they tumble and discharge. Well, the drum and face separate a small bit at 1 point on the cycle and all the beans discharge out and down into the burner section of the roaster. Scrapped the drum and started over.

Had a friend that has a sheet metal roller so I decided to grab a section of 1/8th " steel and form my own drum. This would have been great if the roller could have actually rolled a "Round" piece of metal. It was just out of round enough that I couldn't compensate with the stirring arms.
To top it off, this friend "Did me a favor" and welded it to the face place before I could explain the design. Now I'm out of a drum and a face plate.

V10: I have a 20lbs propane cylinder. I have drained, purged, flooded and neutralized all hazards inside the tank, split it open to the right size only to find a steel band that is used for a weld support when the tank is assembled. Why can't this just be easy? Now the process is going to be to somehow remove this band, combination of cutting and grinding, and then smoothing out the inside of the tank. I think I can do a few more washes with baking soda and peroxide to neutralize any chemicals that may be leaching to the metal. I will then grind away until I get the inside down to a clean metal look then fill it with wood and newspaper and set it on fire. They make smokers out of these things so I can't see not being able to make a roaster out of one.

I will post up the next round of pics once I get the tank ready for install. Or I will post up a "V11" update if this fails.

K
 
kwrcst
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Posted on 12/30/2019 3:53 PM
Ok. Still going. i Got the dump door installed and a sight glass in. Getting the internal band out wasn?t easy but I won. I filled in the gouges etc with some welding the ground it down to be smooth. It?s not pretty but the internals turn nicely and the beans weren?t catching on anything. I?m filling in some gaps between the face and the drum with metal shins I?m welding in place. I guess even with tape lines I don?t cut straight. Anyway, half the fun is building right? Maybe? Ok. That?s what I will keep telling myself anyway.
 
kwrcst
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Posted on 02/03/2020 12:56 PM
think it's done finally. I just need to connect the temp probes to the phidget and I'm ready to do a test roast. lets hope I don't burn the house down. Don't judge my welding please. It isn't pretty but it holds.
kwrcst attached the following images:
image-03-02-20-12-50-7.jpeg image-03-02-20-12-50-6.jpeg image-03-02-20-12-50-5.jpeg image-03-02-20-12-50-4.jpeg image-03-02-20-12-50-3.jpeg image-03-02-20-12-50-2.jpeg image-03-02-20-12-50-1.jpeg image-03-02-20-12-50.jpeg
 
kwrcst
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Posted on 02/12/2020 11:12 AM
So I am finalizing the temp probe connections as well as waiting for this weather to turn so I can run a test/seasoning roast. I redid the math on the drum volume and I was shooting for 1kg but I think I hit closer to 2kg. The Inside diameter is 12" and it is 8.5" deep. It is actually deeper but the back tapers up so I do not count that as bean mass volume space because nothing will gather or pool there.

I came up with 64.06oz "4lbs" when I use 15 as the divisor to account for vanes and other internals. If I use 20, it takes me down to 48.04oz "3lbs". I guess I will start with 2-2.5 lbs and see how my temp probes read and how the roast goes. Good news is I have 10-12 lbs of seasoning beans ready to go so I can make any adjustments after the first 1-2 roasts.

I am building the trier today and will be redoing the drop chute because it isn't steep enough. I hope it warms up enough this weekend to light this thing off
 
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