Hottop B chaff collection

[Coffeefreak]

As all owners of the Hottop are well aware, chaff collection is a well known weakness. Earlier this year, I communicated with Michael regarding this point and he agreed. At that time, he told me that the factory was working on a modification(?) or attachment(?) and had sent "it" to him for evaluation. This past week, I wrote again to ask if the evaluation was successful and the answer was negative for present models of the Hottop.

However, I told him of a mostly effective workaround that I had discovered. As soon as the beans are dumped into the cooling tray, I gently begin brushing from the center of the tray onto the work surface with an inexpensive 2" brush. This removes "most" of the chaff. If one is too rambunctious, some beans may jump out. Do not be "mother's little helper" and attempt to pick up any of these beans right away with your fingers to return to the cooling tray. Don't ask where I aquired this esoteric knowledge. HTH

[Tex]

I found that a light puff of air, applied indirectly to the beans as they're being stirred, will remove almost all of the loose chaff.

[smico]

I found that a light puff of air, applied indirectly to the beans as they're being stirred, will remove almost all of the loose chaff.

I do the same. This is how my mother used to do it.

[Coffeefreak]

Are you using only lung power for that "light puff of air" or a mechanical source?
Related question: Do you roast on top of the stove as I do, or outside the house where the blown debris can fall where it may without massive clean up afterward?

[Tex]

Just a bit of lung power is all that's needed. I roast on the driveway, under a garage portico - so a bit of blown chaff is no problem. Subsequent to my getting rid of the HT I did have a high-volume exhaust fan installed for my cooktop that let me roast indoors using the UFO/CO.

[peter]

I read somewhere (probably coffeed) that home-roasters have such chaff problems because they mollycoddle their beans and that the normal commercial handling of roasted coffee usually gets rid of the chaff.  I'll dump my beans into my shop-vac powered bean cooler and agitate them with my fingers or I'll shake my Behmor roaster drum after the roast to loosen up the chaff.

I also believe that home-roasters have more chaff problems than commercial roasters because we generally roast lighter; it's my contention that a lighter roast has less expansion, therefore ergo, less chaff is forced off the bean.  I always wanted to use the word ergo.  Now I can cross that off my bucket list.

[expy98]

Yes, the HT collects chaff :-)

it seems at least half of the chaff is in the drum, the other half in the chaff tray and cooling tray.  Then there is the other mystery
half that collects inside the electronics area that requires removing the outer shell. 

but the filter doesn't filter any.  The Gene Cafe chaff collector works brilliantly...

[Tex]

Yes, the HT collects chaff :-)

it seems at least half of the chaff is in the machine, the other half in the chaff tray and cooling tray.  Then there is the other mysteryhalf that collects inside the electronics area that requires removing the outer shell. 

but the filter doesn't filter any...

Yeah, it's always the 3rd half that screws things up, right?

Leonard: For God's sake, Sheldon, do I have to hold up a sarcasm sign every time I open my mouth?
Sheldon (intrigued): You have a sarcasm sign?
 

[expy98]

perhaps this would clarify: 

about 95% of the chaff is in the drum and trays, the other 50% hiding inside the outer shell...

[peter]

ergo, ergot, whatever it takes.   

[John F]

This must be the fourth or fifth time this year I find myself agreeing with Tex.... I am starting to worry. 

I just blow a few lung fulls of air onto the beans and it removes 97.8% of the chaff.

[Tex]

This must be the fourth or fifth time this year I find myself agreeing with Tex.... I am starting to worry. 

I just blow a few lung fulls of air onto the beans and it removes 97.8% of the chaff.

Plenty of time to take counter measures - the year is young yet!

[Coffeefreak]

Another alternative would be for me to inhale over the cooling tray instead of exhaling.
Then, it would feel more like the years that I was living in Los Angeles before I returned to Texas. ;-)