SC/TO Profiles / Q&A / Tips & Tricks

[headchange4u]

Perhaps some way of venting the heat?

I'm thinking a stationary spacer ring with multiple holes. Outside that ring would secondary spacer with corresponding holes and has the ability to rotate. When you needed to slow the roast down all you would need to do is rotate the outer ring until the holes line up, giving the heat a way to escape. Also, with a system like that, the holes could be fully open or partially open to adjust the amount of venting.

[SusanJoM]

Tex:  I think I want to keep the potential for roasting larger amounts, so I'm not gonna mess with the overall diameter.  And, given that the spacer was the part that pushed me over the edge when I was putting my roaster together, trying to make another one would be out of the question.....

So, I will tackle the probe issue next;  see if I can find a way to stabilize it.  I remember now that I asked for advice on how to do that a while back and then.....ignored it all and went on my merry way without figuring it out.  Oops....Guess I'll go back and see what my options are.  I think I am using the probe that you (Peter) recommended.

One more question:  do you have the lower heater on or off?  Per BW's suggestions when I first turned the thing on, I have been pre-heating the roaster with both heaters on, and.....to date have been leaving them both on....well, except that I've had a couple of mishaps.  With the Supentown oven, when I lift the top to put the beans into the pre-heated roaster, the handle lift turns to bleeping heater off.  A couple of times now I haven't realized that the heat hasn't gone back on.....A A R G H....nerves.....

It will definitely help to stabilize that probe.  Currently I'm trying to do too many things, and more than a half at a time is a lot for me. (Like the line in the Jimmy Dale Gilmore song:  "I can't count to one without thinking twice...."

Thanks for the help.
Susan

[SusanJoM]

Perhaps some way of venting the heat?

I'm thinking a stationary spacer ring with multiple holes. Outside that ring would secondary spacer with corresponding holes and has the ability to rotate. When you needed to slow the roast down all you would need to do is rotate the outer ring until the holes line up, giving the heat a way to escape. Also, with a system like that, the holes could be fully open or partially open to adjust the amount of venting.

My set up wouldn't accomodate that since the spacer is (or was) foil-taped to the body of the UFO.  (The foil tape gave up this time when I turned it over to dump beans, so it will need a new taping before I roast again). 

AND, that spacer gets oily, so I don't know that you would be able to get one to move around inside or outside the other....

Susan

[SusanJoM]

The best way to slow down a roast for small batches is to:
1)  Reduce the TO heat output/temperature setting -and-
2)  Increase the exhaust opening

Okay, #1 isn't a problem. 
#2 is somewhat problematic;  would simply lifting the top (and not forgetting to put the handle back down) for a second or so be worth a try?
Susan

[Tex]

That will address the issue of stirring a small batch by concentrating the beans into a smaller space, but not the real reason Susan's having the problem of roasts getting away from her.

Yeah, I started out roasting everything at max power until I discovered the little dial thingy that turns down the heat. It was only just before I got the Sonofresco that I figured out that a slower progression to final temps brought out some very interesting bean characteristics.

[Tex]

Tex:  I think I want to keep the potential for roasting larger amounts, so I'm not gonna mess with the overall diameter.  And, given that the spacer was the part that pushed me over the edge when I was putting my roaster together, trying to make another one would be out of the question.....

So, I will tackle the probe issue next;  see if I can find a way to stabilize it.  I remember now that I asked for advice on how to do that a while back and then.....ignored it all and went on my merry way without figuring it out.  Oops....Guess I'll go back and see what my options are.  I think I am using the probe that you (Peter) recommended.

One more question:  do you have the lower heater on or off?  Per BW's suggestions when I first turned the thing on, I have been pre-heating the roaster with both heaters on, and.....to date have been leaving them both on....well, except that I've had a couple of mishaps.  With the Supentown oven, when I lift the top to put the beans into the pre-heated roaster, the handle lift turns to bleeping heater off.  A couple of times now I haven't realized that the heat hasn't gone back on.....A A R G H....nerves.....

It will definitely help to stabilize that probe.  Currently I'm trying to do too many things, and more than a half at a time is a lot for me. (Like the line in the Jimmy Dale Gilmore song:  "I can't count to one without thinking twice...."

Thanks for the help.
Susan

My first prototype for this was an 8" dia. x 4" tall fruit cake tin from Corsicana, TX. Toss the fruit cake & keep the tin!

[Tex]

...

One more question:  do you have the lower heater on or off?  Per BW's suggestions when I first turned the thing on, I have been pre-heating the roaster with both heaters on, and.....to date have been leaving them both on....well, except that I've had a couple of mishaps.  With the Supentown oven, when I lift the top to put the beans into the pre-heated roaster, the handle lift turns to bleeping heater off.  A couple of times now I haven't realized that the heat hasn't gone back on.....A A R G H....nerves....
...

I've never used the bottom heater. As for that handle - I'd put a big flashing light in the circuit so I'd remember to drop the handle - or whatever you need to remind you? I've never done that but I can see how it could happen.

[Tex]

The best way to slow down a roast for small batches is to:
1)  Reduce the TO heat output/temperature setting -and-
2)  Increase the exhaust opening

With a UFO, you should be fine area-wise with your setup as the diameter is smaller than a StirCrazy.  If you had a StirCrazy you might want to reduce the roasting area as Peter suggested. 

Or, you could use this as the base unit, since they're so much cooler than the originals.

[ButtWhiskers]

The lower heater is a good thing early in the roast as it gets the beans up to ~300 quickly, which is desirable.  You might shut it off at 3 minutes or so to reduce the heat that it adds, although that is not very much - these things only heat to about 350 or so.

If you remove some of the tape near the exhaust port, it will increase the venting somewhat.  Another solution is adding closable vents like Peter uses, that you can prop open with a small piece of wood.

Start with reducing the turbo oven output, though.  That might be enough.

[SusanJoM]

The lower heater is a good thing early in the roast as it gets the beans up to ~300 quickly, which is desirable.  You might shut it off at 3 minutes or so to reduce the heat that it adds, although that is not very much - these things only heat to about 350 or so.

Okay I can handle that.

If you remove some of the tape near the exhaust port, it will increase the venting somewhat. 

That too.

Another solution is adding closable vents like Peter uses, that you can prop open with a small piece of wood.

This seems like I would end up pushing the whole thing onto the floor.  Somehow it seems like I would like a workbench that I could stand at and that would have a support for the roaster  -- either a hole in the table or some blocks to hold it steady.  As mine is right now  -- freestanding  -- putting any pressure at all on any part of it would knock the whole thing kollywhompas....(don't look it up).:-))

Start with reducing the turbo oven output, though.  That might be enough.

Roger that.  I'm gonna head off to the hardware store to see about some hex nuts for weighing down the probe.  After that I will get back to messin' with the temp controls.

Thanks all....
Susan

[peter]

I ran into the same problem with the switch on the handle; don't like turning it off every time I lift the top off to have a peak, and then forgetting to put the handle into its on position. 

I solved that by forming a little "D" handle out of coathanger wire, with little loop-hooks.  It fits on top of the TO and snaps into place with the loop-hooks grasping the vent slots.  This is now how I lift the TO when I don't want to turn it off.  You could also take the TO apart and take that switch out of the circuit.

Don't give up!

[SusanJoM]

Don't give up!

Nah, not yet at least...
I found this bit in my debris/left over/never put away pile.
Seems to be a length of silicone tubing and a connector.
I'm thinking it may hold the probe just above the arms...

We will see.

[Tex]

Don't give up!

Nah, not yet at least...
I found this bit in my debris/left over/never put away pile.
Seems to be a length of silicone tubing and a connector.
I'm thinking it may hold the probe just above the arms...

We will see.

The PTFE (Teflon) filled tubing used in Gaggia's has a max temp rating of 200°F.

[SusanJoM]

The PTFE (Teflon) filled tubing used in Gaggia's has a max temp rating of 200°F.

Ooops...
Guess that wasn't gonna be a good idea.
Thanks for keeping me safe....
Back to the drawing board....

Susan

[Tex]

...
Back to the drawing board....

Susan

Copper tubing to hold the probe & a compression fitting to hold the tubing in place?