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Coffee Discussion boards => Hardware & Equipment => Topic started by: Aromajunkie on March 17, 2013, 11:38:55 AM

Title: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: Aromajunkie on March 17, 2013, 11:38:55 AM
After nearly 5 years and several hundred pounds of roasted coffee, my Poppery roaster gave up. The motor will only run at about half speed. It appears the brushes are worn out. This thing has been a workhorse. The brushes could probably be replaced, but they are not designed as such and it would be a challenge.

I've learned alot along the way.  I'll admit to being just a little sentimental when I took it apart and diagnosed the problem.

It is one of two that I alternate when roasting (one cools while the other roasts). I have a few backup units stashed in the garage, but they will need the mods to get up and running. I will probably do that since I've been looking at an Arduino based controller setup, and I think these will work well for small batches.

I've many times considered moving on to something bigger and with more control, but until now I've been satisfied. I did send a note to an acquaintance who has a Behmor sitting in his closet collecting dust. Hopefully a deal can be made there. I roast 2-3 lbs a week, so the volume is hot huge, but that is more than 2 hrs of my time. Something that would do 9 to 12 oz roasts would cut that time in half.

AJ
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: peter on March 17, 2013, 11:43:45 AM
SC/TO.  'nuff said.

I hate to start a roaster-recommendation war.  They're all good, and all have quirks.  Had I been roasting w/ a Gene or Behmor all these years, I'd be partial to that, instead of my trusty SC/TO.  But they are hard to beat, especially since you obviously like tinkering.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: Aromajunkie on March 17, 2013, 12:06:18 PM
I've given the SC/TO a good look. If this used Behmor deal doesn't pan out, that is on the short list.

Yes. I'm a tinkerer.  :) Even the Behmor would be modded. I'm definitely ready to take my attention to profiles to the next level.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: Tex on March 17, 2013, 12:06:28 PM
SC/TO - unless you don't like fussin' with stuff. It will do up to a pound at a time, with lots of profiling possibilities.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: SJM on March 17, 2013, 12:43:18 PM
Having had a popcorn popper/glass chimney gizmo, to an IR2, and then making and losing patience with an UFO/TO???

Behmor absolutely !!!!

I may well not feel that way when I know more than I know now, but I get better roasted coffee out of it than I was ever able to out of its predecessors.  And that's good.   I like it.



Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: RobertL on March 17, 2013, 01:42:19 PM
What is your price range?
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: BozemanEric on March 17, 2013, 08:09:24 PM
If your Behmor deal falls through PM me. I have one sitting in my closet as well.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: mp on March 17, 2013, 08:59:33 PM
If your Behmor deal falls through PM me. I have one sitting in my closet as well.

How come you`re not using yours?

 :)
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: Aromajunkie on March 18, 2013, 04:38:30 AM
What is your price range?

I have artisan dreams on a blue collar budget. A Hottop would be awesome, but a new one is too much of a stretch right now. I'm leaning toward a SC/TO setup for under $100.

Not sure yet what my friend would want for a lightly used Behmor.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: rgrosz78 on March 18, 2013, 06:12:51 AM
If your Behmor deal falls through PM me. I have one sitting in my closet as well.
Yeah, me too - not sure mine is "lightly used" ... stopped using the Behmor when I got my Hottop.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: BozemanEric on March 18, 2013, 06:17:02 AM
If your Behmor deal falls through PM me. I have one sitting in my closet as well.

How come you`re not using yours?

 :)

I bought a Gene a little over six months ago.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: mp on March 18, 2013, 04:53:54 PM
If your Behmor deal falls through PM me. I have one sitting in my closet as well.

How come you`re not using yours?

 :)

I bought a Gene a little over six months ago.

How does the Genie compare to the Behmor?

 :)
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: BozemanEric on March 18, 2013, 05:53:44 PM
I love the fact that I get minimal smoke in my home. As for roasts, I think they are very comparable. Strangely I have found certain beans that I like the Behmor roast better but most I prefer the Gene. I have yet to get an Elida or a Colombia COE #1 out of the Gene that I liked as much as the Behmor. This might just be that I first roasted these beans in the Behmor when I fell in love with them. Possibly, I no longer have the wow factor.

The Behmor has sat since I got the Gene and I do not see myself upgrading until I move to a SF or Sona. The things I really like about the Gene are: very visible beans, temperature control, much easier clean up, much longer cord, and ability to vent. The ability to vent is what sold me and I love it. Keep in mind that I live in a climate that is not to conducive to opening windows six months out of the year.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: mp on March 18, 2013, 06:19:59 PM
I love the fact that I get minimal smoke in my home. As for roasts, I think they are very comparable. Strangely I have found certain beans that I like the Behmor roast better but most I prefer the Gene. I have yet to get an Elida or a Colombia COE #1 out of the Gene that I liked as much as the Behmor. This might just be that I first roasted these beans in the Behmor when I fell in love with them. Possibly, I no longer have the wow factor.

The Behmor has sat since I got the Gene and I do not see myself upgrading until I move to a SF or Sona. The things I really like about the Gene are: very visible beans, temperature control, much easier clean up, much longer cord, and ability to vent. The ability to vent is what sold me and I love it. Keep in mind that I live in a climate that is not to conducive to opening windows six months out of the year.

How many roasts are on the Behmor vs the Genie?

 :)
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: BozemanEric on March 18, 2013, 06:30:31 PM
Probably right around 100 to 120 each.  I have 88 logged on the Gene and 86 logged on the Behmor.  I do not log all my roasts. 
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: Aromajunkie on March 18, 2013, 07:22:31 PM
Well, my line on the "lightly used" Behmore didn't pan out. I decided to go the SC/TO route. Thanks for the offer Eric, but after watching a few videos on the Behmor, I was not comfortable with the level of user control of the roast. I have a Galloping Gourmet TO on the way (Ebay find), and a local store has a sale on SC's. I'm a sucker for a project like this (my garage looks like the Island for Misfit Toys).

AJ
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: mp on March 18, 2013, 07:54:00 PM
Probably right around 100 to 120 each.  I have 88 logged on the Gene and 86 logged on the Behmor.  I do not log all my roasts.

So you have equal experience on either roaster.

You like the Genie because it is more controllable.

Correct?

 :)
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: peter on March 18, 2013, 07:57:27 PM
Probably right around 100 to 120 each.  I have 88 logged on the Gene and 86 logged on the Behmor.  I do not log all my roasts.

So you have equal experience on either roaster.

You like the Genie because it is more controllable.

Correct?

 :)

Look at mp....   doing his best to start a roaster war.   ;D
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: mp on March 18, 2013, 07:57:33 PM
Well, my line on the "lightly used" Behmore didn't pan out. I decided to go the SC/TO route. Thanks for the offer Eric, but after watching a few videos on the Behmor, I was not comfortable with the level of user control of the roast. I have a Galloping Gourmet TO on the way (Ebay find), and a local store has a sale on SC's. I'm a sucker for a project like this (my garage looks like the Island for Misfit Toys).

AJ

That's great!

Glad to hear that you've chosen your next preferred method of roasting.

There are a lot of home roasters in this SC/TO club.

Enjoy!

 :)
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: mp on March 18, 2013, 07:59:18 PM
Probably right around 100 to 120 each.  I have 88 logged on the Gene and 86 logged on the Behmor.  I do not log all my roasts.

So you have equal experience on either roaster.

You like the Genie because it is more controllable.

Correct?

 :)

Look at mp....   doing his best to start a roaster war.   ;D

Actually Peter ... just trying to get everyone's take on the different options they've tried. There are lots of weapons ... just wanted to know the difference between all the choices.

 :)
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: BozemanEric on March 18, 2013, 08:08:59 PM
The controllability is one of many factors I like better about the Gene. The biggest reason is the smoke venting. We are very health conscious and never liked the smoke in the house. The Behmor is a great unit though that I got some really good roasts out of.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: BozemanEric on March 18, 2013, 08:40:22 PM
When I first got the Gene I thought that the roast were a little brighter and cleaner but it is hard to say because I went from exclusively roasting on the Behmor to exclusively roasting on the Gene.  I bought the Gene right when it started to get cold this past year so I have not used to Behmor since. I had every intention of doing some side-by-side roasts when the weather changes if I still have the Behmor at that time.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: Tex on March 18, 2013, 08:45:24 PM
Probably right around 100 to 120 each.  I have 88 logged on the Gene and 86 logged on the Behmor.  I do not log all my roasts.

So you have equal experience on either roaster.

You like the Genie because it is more controllable.

Correct?

 :)

Look at mp....   doing his best to start a roaster war.   ;D

Reminds me of my bleepin' nephew; the kid could engage on all sides of an argument. He didn't care who was right or wrong, who got hurt, nothing mattered as long as he was arguing - about anything!
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: mp on March 18, 2013, 08:48:30 PM
Probably right around 100 to 120 each.  I have 88 logged on the Gene and 86 logged on the Behmor.  I do not log all my roasts.

So you have equal experience on either roaster.

You like the Genie because it is more controllable.

Correct?

 :)

Look at mp....   doing his best to start a roaster war.   ;D

Reminds me of my bleepin' nephew; the kid could engage on all sides of an argument. He didn't care who was right or wrong, who got hurt, nothing mattered as long as he was arguing - about anything!

Sheesh ... I was not arguing. I don't have any experience with either the Behmor or Genie to be able to argue the merits of either one.

Was merely acquiring information.

 ::)
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: Tex on March 18, 2013, 08:58:27 PM

Sheesh ... I was not arguing. I don't have any experience with either the Behmor or Genie to be able to argue the merits of either one.

Was merely acquiring information.

 ::)


Now you go on Mikey, argue all you want if it makes you happy. When we get tired of the yipping & yapping, we'll just draw straws to see who gets to take you out to the woodshed.
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: mp on March 18, 2013, 09:06:03 PM

Sheesh ... I was not arguing. I don't have any experience with either the Behmor or Genie to be able to argue the merits of either one.

Was merely acquiring information.

 ::)


Now you go on Mikey, argue all you want if it makes you happy. When we get tired of the yipping & yapping, we'll just draw straws to see who gets to take you out to the woodshed.

Is that where you roast with the Behmor?

 ???
Title: Re: Last gasps of my first roaster
Post by: Mass. Wine Guy on March 23, 2013, 10:09:03 AM
Five years sounds great for a Poppery. I just bought one off of eBay and plan to start roasting my own beans a.s.a.p.