Green Coffee Buying Club

Coffee Discussion boards => Hardware & Equipment => Topic started by: headchange4u on July 28, 2008, 12:58:49 PM

Title: Plans for a DIY Roaster
Post by: headchange4u on July 28, 2008, 12:58:49 PM
I saw this posted on another site and thought it looked pretty cool. The page has some detailed blueprints available but you have to be a subscriber to see the detailed instruction on constructing the roaster. Looks pretty cool. Here the site:

http://makezine.com/08/coffeeroaster/

Here's a pic of the finished product:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/headchange4u/coffee8.jpg)

Title: Re: Plans for a DIY Roaster
Post by: dfluke on July 28, 2008, 01:39:07 PM
I've seen that before. I thought it was pretty neat, but I haven't tried much with drum roasters and the like, although they appear to be much easier.
I'm looking forward to the day I can say I've successfully created a fluid bed air roaster..but I might have more luck just saving up for one and buying it.
Title: Re: Plans for a DIY Roaster
Post by: bobvilax2000 on July 29, 2008, 02:03:09 PM
Is that thing using direct flame to roast? Wouldn't that make the beans taste like gas?

- -Barrett
Title: Re: Plans for a DIY Roaster
Post by: ButtWhiskers on July 29, 2008, 02:29:00 PM
Is that thing using direct flame to roast? Wouldn't that make the beans taste like gas?

- -Barrett
Not in the least.  The gas is all incinerated, the only output is CO2, CO, water and heat (as compared to the roasting exhaust, which is a very complex matrix full of 'nasty' and odiferous compounds).  Most commercial roasters do use direct flame, although with a bit more metal in between to act as a heat sink / moderator. 
Title: Re: Plans for a DIY Roaster
Post by: John F on July 29, 2008, 02:37:31 PM
The only thing I don't like about this design is that it's going to be an ambient temp driven logistical nightmare to profile your roasts with any repeatability.

I'm sure it works great but I think it would be a lot better to stick this stuff inside of a roast chamber of some sort to give it more stability.

John F
Title: Re: Plans for a DIY Roaster
Post by: ButtWhiskers on July 30, 2008, 10:52:36 AM
This would be a rather inefficient setup, though.  I would suspect that you would burn through a cylinder for every 10-15 batches since there is nothing to contain the heat. 

I roasted some beans using a 1# propane-fueled tabletop Weber with the hose bubbler drum
http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com/index.php?topic=4108.0 (http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com/index.php?topic=4108.0) and decided that I needed serious insulation to keep the fuel costs down.   I do have room to run 3 rechargeable drills with these mini-drums once I get the clamping issue figgered out.  Should work to roast multiple 100-150g samples via flame when I'm finished.