Green Coffee Buying Club
Coffee Discussion boards => Hardware & Equipment => Topic started by: John F on June 19, 2008, 05:17:52 PM
-
Unlike you lucky dogs who post your thrift store scores, like a bad a$$ machine for $4 or whatever I don't have any thrift stores in my area that have anything but old clothes in them. :-\
I've decided I want to goof around with a SC/TO set up to see what I can do with it. Before I buy a Sunpentown replacement top and just build one I figured I'd see if there are any GCBC deals to be had.
Some of you Behmore guys must have SC/TO set ups that are just collecting dust now that you want to give me a deal on...... ;)
John F
-
Define Deal ???????
-
Unlike you lucky dogs who post your thrift store scores, like a bad a$$ machine for $4 or whatever I don't have any thrift stores in my area that have anything but old clothes in them. :-\
I've decided I want to goof around with a SC/TO set up to see what I can do with it. Before I buy a Sunpentown replacement top and just build one I figured I'd see if there are any GCBC deals to be had.
Some of you Behmore guys must have SC/TO set ups that are just collecting dust now that you want to give me a deal on...... ;)
John F
John, I cleaned up my study and think I can help you out, Thrift Store junkie I am...
I'll PM you the specs on the SC's I have (some new, some old, I like the older models - built to last) and the TOs (I only have 3; currently using 1).
Woody
-
John, I cleaned up my study and think I can help you out, Thrift Store junkie I am...
Cool, PM sent sweeeet...that was under 12min. ;D ;D
-
I guess it pays to hang with packrats. Nice of you to help, Wood-man. And congrats to JohnF for delving into the absolute best way to roast coffee.
Don't nobody take that bait. Even tho' I believe it, I'm just funnin' with ya.
-
I've decided I want to goof around with a SC/TO set up to see what I can do with it.
John F
Please excuse my ignorance but what is a SC/TO set up?
???
-
I've decided I want to goof around with a SC/TO set up to see what I can do with it.
John F
Please excuse my ignorance but what is a SC/TO set up?
???
There is no excuse.
SC/TO is another way of saying SC/GG.
-
I've decided I want to goof around with a SC/TO set up to see what I can do with it.
John F
Please excuse my ignorance but what is a SC/TO set up?
???
There is no excuse.
SC/TO is another way of saying SC/GG.
Thank you Peter ... why didn't I know that ... it is now as clear as thick mud.
:(
-
That was pretty damn funny Peter! It's an acronym for Stir Crazy/Turbo Oven (or Stir Crazy/Galloping Gourmet). It's basically the base of a large popcorn popper paired with the top of a convection oven, or a home-made (and pretty darn good) way to roast larger quantities of coffee. ;)
http://www.uroastem.com/cooling-pan.html#roaster (http://www.uroastem.com/cooling-pan.html#roaster)
http://www.fullofflavor.net/Stir%20Crazy/ (http://www.fullofflavor.net/Stir%20Crazy/)
-
Goggle is your friend...
Results from Search with "sc/to coffee" (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=sc%2Fto+coffee&btnG=Search)
-
Goggle is your friend...
Results from Search with "sc/to coffee" ([url]http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=sc%2Fto+coffee&btnG=Search[/url])
But why google ( which is a Fantastic tool), when we, the GCBC, have such a great network of informative and pleasant friends/roasters.
Thanks Javaman, I was wondering the same thing too and believed I knew what they were discussing, but the links were great.
-
Goggle is your friend...
Results from Search with "sc/to coffee" ([url]http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=sc%2Fto+coffee&btnG=Search[/url])
But why google ( which is a Fantastic tool), when we, the GCBC, have such a great network of informative and pleasant friends/roasters.
Why google? Why search the GCBC site before asking?
Because it's the courteous thing to do. Why ask others to engage their brain if I'm not willing to engage my own and do my own research?
I suppose there's the valid reason of publicly asking something that's been covered in depth, since others still in the dark might be reading the thread and multiple light bulbs can go on at once.
However, some members seem to just post and post and post, much of it meaningless drivel. I know we're built on the premise of splitting bags and having fun doing it, and if you know me you know I like having fun in my posts. But when someone appears to have enough time to post all day long with little content in their posts, it would seem reasonable to ask them to do a search. This forum is very good-natured and pleasant, and is a welcome relief to the other forums I read where there are checks and balances because members aren't afraid to call someone out. But the other side of the coin is people stop asking themselves, "Is this post necessary?"
For example, there are way too many posts made in threads which should be handled via PM's. It's just good netiquette to keep the threads open for things that need to be publicly dealt with. "I got my box of beans today, and am roasting tonight." Yeah, so? "Can you add 5lbs. of the ___ instead of the ___?" Do all 1,000 members need to read this?
We should have fun. We do have fun. It can be more fun, with a little common sense and housekeeping.
<rant mode off>
-
I got your message Peter, I'll be reading it tonight!!
Can't wait
-Stubbie
-
Goggle is your friend...
Results from Search with "sc/to coffee" ([url]http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=sc%2Fto+coffee&btnG=Search[/url])
But why google ( which is a Fantastic tool), when we, the GCBC, have such a great network of informative and pleasant friends/roasters.
Why google? Why search the GCBC site before asking?
Because it's the courteous thing to do. Why ask others to engage their brain if I'm not willing to engage my own and do my own research?
I suppose there's the valid reason of publicly asking something that's been covered in depth, since others still in the dark might be reading the thread and multiple light bulbs can go on at once.
However, some members seem to just post and post and post, much of it meaningless drivel. I know we're built on the premise of splitting bags and having fun doing it, and if you know me you know I like having fun in my posts. But when someone appears to have enough time to post all day long with little content in their posts, it would seem reasonable to ask them to do a search. This forum is very good-natured and pleasant, and is a welcome relief to the other forums I read where there are checks and balances because members aren't afraid to call someone out. But the other side of the coin is people stop asking themselves, "Is this post necessary?"
For example, there are way too many posts made in threads which should be handled via PM's. It's just good netiquette to keep the threads open for things that need to be publicly dealt with. "I got my box of beans today, and am roasting tonight." Yeah, so? "Can you add 5lbs. of the ___ instead of the ___?" Do all 1,000 members need to read this?
We should have fun. We do have fun. It can be more fun, with a little common sense and housekeeping.
<rant mode off>
Bwahahaa, hey Peter, what's netiquette? Is there somewhere I could find out about that? And while I'm asking, what are threads???
-
Bwahahaa, hey Peter, what's netiquette? Is there somewhere I could find out about that? And while I'm asking, what are threads???
Come on dude threads...threads are like clothes man. :icon_rr:
-
Bwahahaa, hey Peter, what's netiquette? Is there somewhere I could find out about that? And while I'm asking, what are threads???
Come on dude threads...threads are like clothes man. :icon_rr:
Yeah, groovy baby... I expect this thread to be thread-bare in a while. ;-)
-
Peter, what is this, 1998? It's a postmodern internet now. (I'm not sure what postmodern is. I think it means the future.)
-
This last bit of thread reminded me of a damn funny site: http://justfuckinggoogleit.com/ (http://justfuckinggoogleit.com/)
-
Well, I certainly stepped in someone's horse apples, especially since it wasn't even my question.
Peter, I actually had searched it on the GCBC and why I had some knowledge of it, but never came across the literal translation of the acronym. Actually, hadn't thought of Googling it ( it being an acronym), which I admited in my post is a great tool.
Just thought this a great site for getting answers for my coffee roasting with generally usually a very congenial and helpfull crowd. I'll just try to keep my dumb questions to a minimum now since you say so!
Was it OK that I thanked javaman for the links?? I just want to be correct on my netiquette.
-
This isn't going into 'debate mode' gsc76. Don't flatter yourself that any of my post was directed at you.
The best forums are the ones that can strike a healthy balance between people doing some of their own homework, overly-repeated subjects, causing members to answer the same questions over an over. When that happens, questions get answered even less. Common sense is all we're asking for.
It was swell of the javaman to provide the links. Don't get sarcastic, of course it was OK to thank him. My question is why was it laid on him to find and copy the links? Wouldn't it have been more helpful for the one with the question to apply the effort, and post something like, "Hey I was wondering what SC/TO stands for, so I did some googling, and for those others who were perhaps wondering the same thing, here's a couple links I found."?
Common sense in the posts, and using the PM system. Is that a lot to ask?
-
This isn't going into 'debate mode' gsc76. Don't flatter yourself that any of my post was directed at you.
The best forums are the ones that can strike a healthy balance between people doing some of their own homework, overly-repeated subjects, causing members to answer the same questions over an over. When that happens, questions get answered even less. Common sense is all we're asking for.
It was swell of the javaman to provide the links. Don't get sarcastic, of course it was OK to thank him. My question is why was it laid on him to find and copy the links? Wouldn't it have been more helpful for the one with the question to apply the effort, and post something like, "Hey I was wondering what SC/TO stands for, so I did some googling, and for those others who were perhaps wondering the same thing, here's a couple links I found."?
Common sense in the posts, and using the PM system. Is that a lot to ask?
Sorry, but the fact that you quoted my post in your rant did indicate to me that your rant was directed at moi.
Otherwise, I generally agree with your remaining comments without the attitude.
My post was a feeble attempt to be complimentry to the GCBC in general and the Javaman in particular.
-
After the "just google it" ruckus I decided to try a CGBC search just to see what would happen and it turned up an old BW post that I'm reposting here. ;)
Once I get the roaster from Finer Grind I might move this topic to the equipment discussion forum and see how mods and initial test go etc..etc.. but I found this post useful to the discussion:
My personal recommendation is to use a West Bend Stir Crazy and a Sunpentown SO-2000 Turbo Oven (dial version, not the digital). You can get the Stir Crazy new at Target for $30, or it's pretty likely that you can find one at a Thrift Store if you have a couple of those nearby. Newegg.com has the Sunpentown Turbo Oven for about $50 usually with $10 shipping, and it comes with the best casserole bowl you'll ever find... Take a 2"x1/8"x36" aluminum bar, available at Home Depot for about $6 and bend it into a ring by wrapping it around a 5 gallon bucket.
There are some websites discussing SC/TO:
[url]http://biobug.org/coffee/turbo-crazy/[/url] ([url]http://biobug.org/coffee/turbo-crazy/[/url]) <--my fave
[url]http://homeroast.pbwiki.com/SCTO[/url] ([url]http://homeroast.pbwiki.com/SCTO[/url])
[url]http://www.toomuchcoffee.com/phpbb2_index2328.html[/url] ([url]http://www.toomuchcoffee.com/phpbb2_index2328.html[/url])
If you never crank the thing up full blast, you don't need to worry about the stir bar clamp mods, although adding thickness to the stir bar as shown is a good thing for better agitation. You can use JB weld to fix the clamp rather than the copper cap, as well, if you wind up melting the thing off - I did this on my first couple of Stir Crazies, but now I use slower ramps and never turn the oven dial past about 440, so it doesn't get hot enough to melt any of that stuff. Knocking out four 20oz batches in an hour really rocks, and you don't have to worry about running out of propane.
The 3rd link is dead so I'm going to pimp Peter....(Mr. Googles) ;D website cuz it's good!
http://peter4jc.googlepages.com/
John F
-
Some follow up:
I got the set up in the mail yesterday (Thanks Finer Grind) 8)
But I had to work late and didn't have time to do anything with it. I managed to steal some time out this afternoon to do my initial mods thanks to Peter and BW for the PM's. Peter sort of prompted me to try this out and BW gave me ideas to start with so here is what I've started with.
An Aluminum spacer with a slot.
A metal wing nut with some washers.
A copper cap that I'm going to stuff some tin foil in.
Some 1/4" copper sleeves on the stir arms (nothing flatted yet they are just slid on).
Fist test run should be any second now. ;D
-
John, some thoughts for ya...
Leaving a slot in the spacer will insure that chaff has a way out. But unless you have a way to close it, heat will find a way out too. I suggest overlapping the ends. The tension will keep it shut, and you can then prop it open during the periods in the roast when chaff is an issue, or when you choose to let some heat out.
The stirring arm mods will help for large batches. But the same problem will remain as the stock arms have for small batches; the mass of the beans is too small to cascade over the arms, and simply ride around in clumps in front of the arms, giving the "angel's wings" effect.
Keep the posts on your progress coming.
-
Leaving a slot in the spacer will insure that chaff has a way out. But unless you have a way to close it, heat will find a way out too. I suggest overlapping the ends.
I think my aluminum is too stiff to overlap and push the end in like your set up. That's what I intended to do but it's too springy. I'm going to make some kind of door for it right now and run a test batch in about 15 min.
For the arms I'll see how they do today and adjust accordingly.
Roast notes in a bit.... 8)
John F
-
You may just have to beat that aluminium into submission. It's not easy, I worked mine around a 4" post in my basement 'til it was almost exactly the diameter of the SC. Before that, I tried a hinge that would open and close. Remember, those things get durned hot. And if you can orient the door, or hinge so that its hinge is vertical and then open it toward the inside, it'll help catch the circulating chaff. That's if you check the direction of the air from the TO.
Good ruck, glasshoppa...
-
Leaving a slot in the spacer will insure that chaff has a way out. But unless you have a way to close it, heat will find a way out too. I suggest overlapping the ends.
I think my aluminum is too stiff to overlap and push the end in like your set up. That's what I intended to do but it's too springy. I'm going to make some kind of door for it right now and run a test batch in about 15 min.
For the arms I'll see how they do today and adjust accordingly.
Roast notes in a bit.... 8)
John F
I must agree, that is an awful large hole. You can probably get by with a little sliding door for temporaries, though.
If you have access to glass wool, use that instead of aluminum foil inside the cap. Copper and aluminum transfer heat very efficiently. You are trying to insulate the drive shaft from heat.
You may just have to beat that aluminium into submission. It's not easy, I worked mine around a 4" post in my basement 'til it was almost exactly the diameter of the SC. Before that, I tried a hinge that would open and close. Remember, those things get durned hot. And if you can orient the door, or hinge so that its hinge is vertical and then open it toward the inside, it'll help catch the circulating chaff. That's if you check the direction of the air from the TO.
Good ruck, glasshoppa...
Hear, hear! Use your espresso fu to have your way with the aluminum!
-
Here is how it went down.
The slot is not as big as it looks in the pic and my desire to do a roast NOW beat my wanting to build a door and roast later so I went with it open full time.
I put it all systems go with a 12oz batch set the temp at 400, hit the power, timer, temp probe....GO.
I saw first evidence that things were happening at 5 min.
Hit 300 degrees measured with probe riding on top of and inside bean mass at 4:12.
Hit first crack at 10:40
At 14:40 I didn't see any evidence that second crack was imminent so I bumped the temp to 450.
Hit second crack at 16:59 and concluded roast a few snaps in.
Pretty cool for a first run and I actually like this 12oz batch size a lot as it just about fills a mason jar. 8)
Now I'm going to look for glass wool.
John F
-
Here is how it went down.
The slot is not as big as it looks in the pic and my desire to do a roast NOW beat my wanting to build a door and roast later so I went with it open full time.
I put it all systems go with a 12oz batch set the temp at 400, hit the power, timer, temp probe....GO.
I saw first evidence that things were happening at 5 min.
Hit 300 degrees measured with probe riding on top of and inside bean mass at 4:12.
Hit first crack at 10:40
At 14:40 I didn't see any evidence that second crack was imminent so I bumped the temp to 450.
Hit second crack at 16:59 and concluded roast a few snaps in.
Pretty cool for a first run and I actually like this 12oz batch size a lot as it just about fills a mason jar. 8)
Now I'm going to look for glass wool.
John F
Cool - it works! Thrift store stuff has not been rigorously tested. :angel:
-
Cool - it works! Thrift store stuff has not been rigorously tested. :angel:
It worked for sure!
I don't know what a profile like 11min to first crack and 17min to second will give me in the cup from this type or roaster.......yet. ;)
It looked to have plenty of power and the SC took the mods on the stirring arms and bolt/cap without a hitch. With the 12oz batch the beans were flowing up and over the arms getting plenty of agitation and I didn't have any reason to worry about them. I could hear the cracks just fine, the probe rode right inside the bean mass, and roast visibility was excellent.
The GG is whisper quite and the handle on/off feature is pretty cool.
It rocked right on out.
Thanks again FG.
John F
-
This was my first timing hearing about the SC/TO roaster. This is totally awesome. I will definitely be checking out the thrift store and flea markets for some deals on those units.
-
If I=U I would try to cut your vent space in half and/or start out maybe 25? hotter on your dial for your next batch.
Zounds like you got it down, bud!
Thrift stores rule, I just got another Poppery I for $3.50! ;D
-
If I=U I would try to cut your vent space in half and/or start out maybe 25? hotter on your dial for your next batch.
Yeah, 425 for the next batch is on the agenda.
On the slot I was thinking of poppers and Jabez Burnes and they have tons more open space than this vent. Can it really be that big of a deal?
I'm going to post a pic with the probe in it so you can get a better perspective of the actual size but don't laugh at my hatchet cut, I have not had time to take the dremel to it for that polished look yet. ;D
-
On the slot I was thinking of poppers and Jabez Burnes and they have tons more open space than this vent. Can it really be that big of a deal?
Poppers and Jabez-Burns roasters are engineered to have an open end while operating. A turbo oven is designed to be a closed system (lid on a casserole bowl) with little/no venting. But whatever works...
-
This guy has holes out the wazoo. ;D
http://biobug.org/coffee/turbo-crazy/
-
This guy has holes out the wazoo. ;D
[url]http://biobug.org/coffee/turbo-crazy/[/url]
Okay, I understand... Power is cheap in Texas, and it doesn't matter how much heat is lost... ;)
It would guess that an oven might last longer if it didn't have to work so hard...
-
It would guess that an oven might last longer if it didn't have to work so hard...
:o
I figured out how Peter did that closing hatch and I'm getting another aluminum strip tomorrow.
-
All you'll need is a slot in the spacer for the probe. Dremel on Garth.
Your roast visibility will go south after a few more roasts. For a while, I used a spray on oven cleaner and a straight razor blade to clean the roastium off the glass. Then it dawned on me that Zen roasting is the way, and no longer needed to use my eyes to see the beans.
Instead of lifting the GG with its stock handle during a roast, I'd suggest bending a "D" handle that will hook into the slots on either side of the GG's top, maybe out of clothes hanger wire. That way you can lift the top for whatever reason -inspect your babies, move the temp probe, etc.- without turning off the GG.
Welcome to the party...
-
Your roast visibility will go south after a few more roasts.
I guess I'll enjoy it while it lasts but after about a mini C of roasts in the drum if it goes, it goes.
I'm thinking about making the next spacer cut to exact size (no overlap) and leave the seam just thick enough for the probe but be able to push it open from either side. I didn't realize you were screwing through the SC and into the spacer but now I see how it works. ;)
John F
-
My primary riser overlaps about 2" with about 5/16" gap held open with 4 machine screws with bushings. It guides the chaff right out, and the riser is taped to the SC with metal tape. I used to use RTV, but it is easier to swap things around this way.
Seeing through the glass is overrated. It will just distract you. Tune in your nose - that matters more than your eyes with TurboCrazy.
-
John F,
Here?s my chaff collection pipe rig for my UFO/TO.
You can direct it any way you want it without letting too much heat out as well.
I find that if I place a wire mesh inside the end of the pipe that it collects chaff better but for the most part all the chaff really just gets collected in side the elbow pipe and this also minimize how much heat is allowed to escape.
In the winter time it?s very useful also b/c it allows me to extend the pipe out thru the window.
Enjoy your new toy, it looks great.
Michael.
BTW...Here is the link to my Ufo Project .http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuban/sets/72157601327261037/
-
UFO/TO with temp probe
Michael
-
John F,
Here?s my chaff collection pipe rig for my UFO/TO...
Michael, if you are roasting inside, how much smoke are you getting and how are you dealing with it?
B|Java
-
John F,
Here?s my chaff collection pipe rig for my UFO/TO.
Oh man, you spent some time on yours and made it look nice.
I tore mine out of the boxes, did some quick mods and was roasting in about 10-15 min. :-[
I'm about to order a Sunpentown top to experiment with hopefully I will have more patience and do a cleaner job with it.
John F
-
Dave,
I roast inside my garage were I have placed a window fan (2 small fan) directed to exhaust the air out. (Fan direction can be change, in/out)
With the Beemer, I just place the beemer in front of the fan direct to take the air out and then a short time after the cooling cycle starts, I change it to blow the cool air inside so that the beemer can cool faster while in cycle mode.
With the UFO/TO ??.I only direct the air to go out and sometimes I also do place the chaff pipe out the window thru a cardboard hole I?ve cut out and also placed in the window.
One of the main ways that I know were I am in a roast is by smell so the smoke is very important to me. The fan trick is very useful in this way without smoking up my garage.
My garage doesn?t smoke up with the fan taking the air out. But my neighbors always now when I?m roasting coffee. ;D
I hope this answer your question senor.
Enjoy
Michael
-
kuban111,
That's a very sweet looking setup you got there. Nice work.
I'm gonna build me one of these as soon as I can locate the parts.
-
Thanks guys, I can?t take all the credit for the idea I saw something similar on the roaster CG site. I?m all over that UFO/TO thread. :-[
BTW
I?m about to do a roaster comparison between the beemer and the ufo/to next week.
The wife will be out of town (Mexico City) and it time to get all out geek with the roasters.
2 coffees I?m roasting will be the O korate Sidamo and the mysore nuggets I got from this club.
That I have to say ?..is some of the best stuff I?ve gotten to roast for a very long time.
So yeah, I?m a lifer here!!!!
:)
-
Michael,
The pic with your temp probe inserted; does the tip of the temp probe dangle in space, or is it submersed in the beans?
-
2 coffees I?m roasting will be the O korate Sidamo and the mysore nuggets I got from this club.
I'm going to toss out the suggestion that you include a coffee you know fairly well.
I don't know what everybody else is getting from it but that Korate is a really dynamic and complex cup from what I've tasted so far and it might be asking a lot to figure you have it dialed in enough to do a head to head roaster challenge like that with it. I see how it would be easy to get 2 very different roasts with this bean.
Of course just because the bean is still too new to me, that doesn't mean it is to you so I'm just tossing the idea out there.... ;)
John F
-
John F,
That's really a great suggestion, you?re right those 2 beans are new to me too.
I think I'll roast a Mexican or PNG or maybe my old faithful Brazil Cerrado DP for the actual test.
Hell, I still got 20 lbs left from the 80.
Thanks again John for looking out?.Never been too afraid to learn from other?s better ideas.
Michael.
-
Michael,
The pic with your temp probe inserted; does the tip of the temp probe dangle in space, or is it submersed in the beans?
Michael... ^^^
-
Pete,
I?m so sorry I thought I had written a response to your question on my last post, but I didn?t.
Yes the probe works both ways. I start of a roast by trying to get an air temp ref inside. Then a place it down touching the beans to get a bean mass temperature.
I have a TC that I?ve been thinking of placing inside to get a better bean mass ref.
Drilling a hole from the bottom up, so that it may stick out from the floor and having a better connection with the beans.
Maybe a can get to this next week as well?free time?
Michael.
-
Michael,
I think you and I have the exact same thermometer. Where'd you buy yours?
I tried the "bottom up" placement technique with a different thermocouple, and wasn't too thrilled. Then I tried coming in from the side, and same thing. Both of those attempts are very dependent on stirring arm configuration.
My last position works well for me. If you put the hole in your spacer as low as possible, so that the probe has a very shallow angle of insertion into the bean mass, it will be covered well enough so that your readings will be more beans and less air.
... just my 2 cents.
-
Peter,
Your 2 cents is worth $$$$$$.
You mean you just save me some free time, wow thanks.
I got my on line; I forgot who posted the info on it @ the CG site.
It works great even while cooking a thanksgiving turkey.
Michael
-
KUBAN111 WHAT DO YOU HAVE THE SEALS MADE OF PTFE ?
I HAVE NO SEALED UNITS AND HAVE A OVER-LAPPED GAP IN THE SPACER AND HAVE NO PROBLEMS
WITH HEAT EXCEPT SLOW RAMP UP TEMPS
I THINK I WILL TRY THE "SNORKEL CHAFE EJECTION SYSTEM" THAT YOU SHOW AND SEAL THINGS UP ;)
PETER AND YOU HAVE THE thermometer WHERE DID YOU GET IT? WHAT BRAND IS IT?
-
Hola sigr,
The seal came from this tubing http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=USPlastic&category%5Fname=7511&product%5Fid=8415
I have to look at my order to see what size tubing I bought. Just cut the tube to lenth and split in middle.
I have to look at the thermometer manual to see what brand it is, will post the info later.
Michael.
-
This guy is selling 5 foot lengths of what I used to use: http://cgi.ebay.com/5-ft-Masterflex-TYGON-SILICONE-PUMP-TUBING-1-4-0-ship_W0QQitemZ290243359754QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290243359754&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318 (http://cgi.ebay.com/5-ft-Masterflex-TYGON-SILICONE-PUMP-TUBING-1-4-0-ship_W0QQitemZ290243359754QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290243359754&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318). It says it is only rated to 450?F, but that is when pressurized. It is fine up to 480?+...
I'll have to look around, I think that I still have most of a 100' roll somewhere...
-
Not saying Michael is wrong for the using a seal, but don't know that it's necessary. As for air leaks, if there's any kind of exhaust for chaff or smoke, sealing for leaks seems pointless, other than to maybe contain smoke. Some folks use the tubing on the top edge of the spacer to keep the TO from sliding around. After a handful of roasts, the glass will become filmed over and increases the friction so that's not an issue either IMHO.
-
Not saying Michael is wrong for the using a seal, but don't know that it's necessary. As for air leaks, if there's any kind of exhaust for chaff or smoke, sealing for leaks seems pointless, other than to maybe contain smoke. Some folks use the tubing on the top edge of the spacer to keep the TO from sliding around. After a handful of roasts, the glass will become filmed over and increases the friction so that's not an issue either IMHO.
With an exhaust pipe the size of that one, I would deem the sealing the remainder of the leaks 'highly recommended'... The more 'flow-through' that your TurboCrazy system has, the harder the oven has to work to keep the heat up and stable.
-
My roast profiles on this unit runs about 10 to 11 min to 1st c total roast time15 min.
I hear what is said about the heat but I?m not really noticing any mayor heat loss.
I ?m ok with this roasts profile and I would say that my taste buds are ok with it too. :D
The tubing works really good as it was posted before that it helps the TO from not sliding and it does IMHO a great job of sealing in heat. Especially when the tubing expands.
Some clearing up.
You can?t really see from this photo but the inside hole that is cut for the air & chaff to blow out thru to the pipe is not as big as it seems, about the size of a nickel.
I also inserted at the end of the exhaust pipe a drain stopper cap "thing" (Home D), that fits very nicely I may say. This is also the main reason for why I used this size of pipe. It helps more with collecting/controlling the chaff to stay in without letting to much heat out.
In all fairness & to clear things up I would have to add that the pipe is used to contain the chaff as a chaff collection device and not really as a smoke exhaust chimney.
It does look cool I do have to add, especially when I turn on the remote head lights in front of the roaster. ;D & roast at night
Michael
Photos of the chaff pipe collection thing.
-
Made in America...... minimizing heat loss chaff mod. :)
-
Wow! That is pretty slick... I really like that idea. That's worth at least 150 attaboys.
-
I've been on the lookout for the components to build my own SC/TO setup and I may have come across a TO, but it's a digital unit. I read in one of the links provided earlier in this thread that the digital models may not be the best choice for a roaster setup. The TO that has the dials is supposed to be better.
Does anyone use a digital TO or can the comment of the difference(s) between the digital and "anolouge" TO?
-
WOW KUBAN111 THIS THING LOOKS SO GOOD AND NOW I UNDERSTAND THE CHAFE COLLECTOR
I HAVE SOME TYGON TUBING HOPE IT HANDLES THE HEAT
WHAT LIGHT ??? I HAVE NO STINKING LIGHT :icon_scratch:
TEMP GAUGE MINE IS A PROBE I TRIED A COUPLE DIFFERENT PLACEMENTS TONITE AND I AM BACK
TO INSERTING IT IN THE SLOT FOR CHAFE SO AM GOING TO HD TOMORROW TO IMPROVE MY
UFO/TO AND SC/GG GET ELBOW AND DRAIN THING
I NEED HELP LOOKING FOR TEMP GAUGE HELP
-
Sigr,
Turn OFF your caps lock button. It makes it HARD to read, and is more obnoxious even than me telling you to use small letters. :angel:
-
Sigr,
Turn OFF your caps lock button. It makes it HARD to read, and is more obnoxious even than me telling you to use small letters. :angel:
OK no problem :-X
-
Hola all,
Here is the link to the thermometer that I'm using, wow on sale for $9.99
http://www.indoorhealthproducts.com/912.htm
Sigr, let me know if you need any other info.
BTW ...what popper are you using? the bottom part.
-
WHAT LIGHT ??? I HAVE NO STINKING LIGHT :icon_scratch:
HELP
For 4 easy payment of ($9.99) you to can have the custom ?Kuban head light kit.?
It?s ideal for the serious java geek in you.
Now you can roast those green coffee beans at those ungodly hours of the night when you just realize ?YOU HAVE NO COFFEE!!!!!!?. & you just can?t wait.
? Fits any roaster
? Easy to install ( just stick it on and forget it)
? Battery operated
? Life time warranty
Please hurry supply is limited, we have operators on call 24/7 to take orders and answer your calls.
Discounted price is not open to anyone that lives in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, California or out side the U.S.A.
Please send S&H $20.00 per order & payment to wetakeyourmoneyandrun Jersey City NJ USA. 00000.
:P
Be the first one on your block!!!
-
For 4 easy payment of ($9.99) you to can have the custom ?Kuban head light kit.?
It?s ideal for the serious java geek in you.
Now you can roast those green coffee beans at those ungodly hours of the night when you just realize ?YOU HAVE NO COFFEE!!!!!!?. & you just can?t wait.
? Fits any roaster
? Easy to install ( just stick it on and forget it)
? Battery operated
? Life time warranty
Please hurry supply is limited, we have operators on call 24/7 to take orders and answer your calls.
Discounted price is not open to anyone that lives in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, California or out side the U.S.A.
Please send S&H $20.00 per order & payment to wetakeyourmoneyandrun Jersey City NJ USA. 00000.
:P
Be the first one on your block!!!
Post of the Month.
B|Java
-
Thanks for the info on the thermometer, at that price with FREE shipping
I snagged 2. You never know.
Nice looking roaster, I like the idea of the 3" spacer. Will give it a try soon.
Mike
-
Thanks for the info on the thermometer. I'm gonna pick one up.
kuban,
Is that a digital (no dials) TO unit that you are using?
-
Yep , But I believe they have a new model TO thats better?
-
The advantage of the non-digital Sunpentown top would be that with a dial you can toin it up with one swell foop and not have to keep pushin' the stinkin' button. That, and one less thing to go wrong.
Now the interesting test would be to see which model, the digital or the dial, holds the temps closer to where you set it. Mine will cycle up and down with 10 degree swings, plus it likes to climb up gradually. The climbing up part is ok, since that's usually what I want it to do. The temp swings can be a pain tho'. And it's dependent on batch sizes; bigger batches swing less, as they have more residual heat in the beans, and then when the heat kicks in the bigger size makes it reluctant to rise in temperature.
-
Kuban111 I have been to HD got the pipe thing and the strainer thing
went to wall mart could not find the 3" cake ring thing . Is the cake ring thing 12"dia.or 10"
I also snagged a temp probe from IHP thanks for thread.
I have been using 10" spring form pan for spacer.How do you keep the seal on and together?
Just hope I can make this thing look like a shining beacon from the darkest corner of the garage ;D
without the patented Kuban head lamp :icon_sunny:
-
Roasting on the TO/UFO salton Video
http://flickr.com/photos/kuban/2665414479/in/photostream/
BTW Senor Java......There is also a photo on that set of the window fan.
To place seal tubing on..cut the tube to lenth of ring spacer then cut down the middle of tube.
Michael
-
Bravo Kuban take a bow for the video after looking at the spacer it is the same one I am using
Is the chafe pipe just stuck into the flange so you can remove it?
-
Si senor....
I cut/ dremel out a hole the size of a nickel when I did it...But you can test the waters with that one.
Please take a pic of your roaster when you finish. ;D
Enjoy
Michael.
-
Kuban I will take before and after Pic's just dont know if I can post them That is something I have never done maybe I can find a kid somewhere to do it
-
The advantage of the non-digital Sunpentown top would be that with a dial you can toin it up with on swell foop and not have to keep pushin' the stinkin' button. That, and one less thing to go wrong.
The electronics in the digital Sunpentown are the weakest link in a setup using one. They do not hold up to back-to-back roasting like the analog dials do.
-
Wow Kuban, My Stir Crazy only moves about half that speed. I have one of the early models.
I thought they all moved that slow...I get an even roast though.
Steve
-
Michael's using the Salton UFO, not a SC.
-
Ahhh.
I guess I wasn't really paying attention huh.
Steve
-
Anybody have any experience with the Galloping Gourmet convection ovens? I was reading through alt.coffee and someone mentioned they used a SC with the GG, but there were no details on how the unit performed. I looked at a few on Ebay and they seem to sell quite a bit cheaper than the Suppentown models.
-
I have an older analog Galloping Gourmet I bought at Goodwill for $20 awhile back.
It works great, no complaints.
-Stubbie
-
I have two Galloping Gourmets - one from eBay ($22) and one from a thrift store ($8.50). The eBay one has been used a great deal. The other is in reserve. Having used AromaRoast, Sunpentown, Galloping Gourmet, Flavorwave, and Fujitronic Turbo Ovens I would rate Sunpentown and Galloping Gourmet as the top 2. The AromaRoast lost a bunch of oomph after about 250 roasts. The Flavorwave was always a little gutless. The Fujitronic is identical to the Sunpentown except the dials are a little bit looser. I've got another model (can't think of the name) that is similar to the GG as well.
-
I have two Galloping Gourmets - one from eBay ($22) and one from a thrift store ($8.50). The eBay one has been used a great deal. The other is in reserve. Having used AromaRoast, Sunpentown, Galloping Gourmet, Flavorwave, and Fujitronic Turbo Ovens I would rate Sunpentown and Galloping Gourmet as the top 2.
Would you rate the Sunpentown better than the GG or are they about equal?
-
From looking inside several, I don't see much difference in how they're made. The GG unit I use has 1450W and is a tad quicker to respond than my 1200W Decosonic, but not as much as 20% difference is wattage would suggest. I think most of the older ovens are nothing more than relabeled something-or-others. I haven't used a Sunpentown, since I haven't had to buy new. The only failure I've had in almost 4 years and lots of roasting is one bad thermostat.
If you can find a GG used and can determine that it was used for food and not roasting coffee, chances are it hasn't seen much use. If you're the kind of person that doesn't like waiting and scrounging, the Sunpentown motor, purchased separately is a good move.
-
I have two Galloping Gourmets - one from eBay ($22) and one from a thrift store ($8.50). The eBay one has been used a great deal. The other is in reserve. Having used AromaRoast, Sunpentown, Galloping Gourmet, Flavorwave, and Fujitronic Turbo Ovens I would rate Sunpentown and Galloping Gourmet as the top 2.
Would you rate the Sunpentown better than the GG or are they about equal?
I would say that the GG is built better (more metal, less plastic). The Sunpentown seems to function just as well, though. If I were about to build my first TurboCrazy, I would use the cheaper of the two, or the most readily available. You can buy the top of the Sunpentown as a replacment part for like $45 on their website (used to be $30, which really rocked). [If you are a chef, you will want to buy the whole unit, as the bottom glass bowl is the best dang casserole dish that there ever was. I make macaroni and cheese in these for bereaved families (best comfort food of all) and large gatherings, and somebody always wants to know where I found such a big casserole bowl...]
Whatever you get, if helps to blow it out with compressed air from time-to-time. I have never seen that suggestion anywhere else, but I have found that over time the unit begins to run cooler if this is not done. Dust and chaff will get sucked up inside, and can eventually cause problems.
-
Whatever you get, if helps to blow it out with compressed air from time-to-time. I have never seen that suggestion anywhere else, but I have found that over time the unit begins to run cooler if this is not done. Dust and chaff will get sucked up inside, and can eventually cause problems.
Right you are BW. Mine get blasted out every so often, and I like to run them while blowing them out. It's about time to do them again; thanks for the reminder. :D
-
Senor BW,
Mac & cheese on the TO, OK, now you got my attention!!!! ;D
How about that recipe for the mac & cheese on the TO?
I've never used my TO to cook yet. :-[
Enjoy,
Michael
-
I don't use the TO - I just use the glass bowl that is the bottom half. The top half becomes part of the roaster, the bottom half becomes the biggest borosilicate glass casserole available.
Screw The Cardiologist Macaroni and Cheese
4 - 16oz packages large elbow macaroni noodles
3- 32oz bricks Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar (black label)
1 cup shredded Peccarino Romano
4 cups 2% milk
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups crushed potato chips or bread crumbs
(Optional: 1 cup real bacon bits)
I boil 4# of large elbow macaroni noodles for about 8 minutes (al dente). This will usually require two vessels...
While boiling I cut 5# of extra sharp black label tillamook cheddar into 3/4" cubes. The remaining 1# gets shredded for the surface. When the noodles are done boiling I put them into a couple of colanders and rinse them with warm water (this is heretical to most Italians and pasta aficionados). I use the 2% milk, the shredded peccorino romano, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, and salt to make the 'gravy'. Use this to coat the noodles in the casserole before mixing in the cheese cubes (and bacon if used). Then cover the surface with the shredded cheese and a layer of bread crumbs or potato chips. Bake at 360? for about 60 to 70 minutes (surface should be browned, not burned, and you will see the golden oil from the cheese boiling in the bottom of part of the bowl). The salt curdles the milk solids into cheese-like solids - this will not work right if you use whole milk. This dish is best if allowed to cool for 30 minutes or so prior to serving, but I can never wait that long.
Caution: ButtWhiskers currently weighs 365# - down from 405# - and you will certainly be heading for obesity, as well, if you eat this way...
-
ButtWhiskers currently weighs 365# - down from 405# -
Props on the 40# drop brother, rock on with it! :icon_rr:
-
I too have lost 40# now weight 205 and my wife wants Mac and Cheese recp. for family reunion
Wondered what I was going to do with the big glass bowl. :icon_scratch:
UFO/TO and SC/GG the GG gets hot quicker the sunpentown works great with my UFO that has heating element.
I have 3 SC's 2 have element disconnected.So I thank you need to leave the elements connected
unless they dont cut off while roasting one SC I had kept heating all the time bought on ebay
Bought new Sunpentown replacement top. Galloping Gourmet thrift store $15 .New UFO
-
ButtWhiskers currently weighs 365# - down from 405# -
Props on the 40# drop brother, rock on with it! :icon_rr:
Thanks John! I just cut out potatoes, white flour, HFCS and refined sugar, and jacked up the protein to about 50% of my caloric intake. This is something that I can live with forever, I believe. My fasting blood sugar is down about 50 points, and I am off all of my meds, too. (I think that they were a large part of the problem - causing a feedback loop) Seems like the excess availability of amino acids (accompanied with lots of vitamins and lecithin) got my neurotransmitters all working the way that they should, so I am not tired/depressed/hungry all the time. The energy has made it easier to be active, which in turn makes me less tired.
[I can actually eat my Macaroni and Cheese, too, as long as I use Dreamfield's Low Glycemic pasta - tastes just like the 'real' thing...]
-
Senor BW,
Great to hear that your health is better.
How are we able or expect to learn with out those that have learned before us?
Enjoy,
Michael
-
Thanks John! I just cut out potatoes, white flour, HFCS and refined sugar, and jacked up the protein to about 50% of my caloric intake. This is something that I can live with forever, I believe. My fasting blood sugar is down about 50 points, and I am off all of my meds, too. (I think that they were a large part of the problem - causing a feedback loop) Seems like the excess availability of amino acids (accompanied with lots of vitamins and lecithin) got my neurotransmitters all working the way that they should, so I am not tired/depressed/hungry all the time. The energy has made it easier to be active, which in turn makes me less tired.
[I can actually eat my Macaroni and Cheese, too, as long as I use Dreamfield's Low Glycemic pasta - tastes just like the 'real' thing...]
Good job BW ... don't let up ... keep going ... you will find that you will accelerate into recovery every ailment which may impede you. It is a vicious cycle the thinner you are the more active you are ... the more active you are the more energy you get ... the more energy you get the more calories you burn ... and so on ... and so on!
As a former diabetes member I can positively tell you that diabetes CAN be beaten through diet and exercise!
Keep it up buddy!
-
Yeeeaaaahhhhh bboooyyyeeeeeeee ;D
I found the first component of my SC/TO system today at a Salvation Army thrift store. A Stir Crazy for $2.50. SCORE. Now I just need to find the convection oven. I hit 6 Goodwills/thrift stores in all. I'm gonna start modding the SC this weekend, getting it ready for the future arrival of a TO
BTW, if anyone has a TO they would like to get rid of please contact me. I would really like to have one of the Galloping Gourmet or the Sunpentown analogue models. FinerGrind is also on the hunt for me a TO unit. Thanks.
-
headchange try http://www.sunpentown.com/paacforov.html/ for a turbo top new replacement
I think they are about $40 I bought one about a year ago
-
headchange try [url]http://www.sunpentown.com/paacforov.html/[/url] for a turbo top new replacement
I think they are about $40 I bought one about a year ago
I checked the site and the replacement tops are $45 plus $13 shipping, and they on offer one shipping method - "Ground". That will probably be my last resort. I have seen the GG go for around $40-50 on Ebay and you get that super cool casserole dish to boot. I'm going to hold out a little while longer and hope a better deal comes along. There are a couple of flea markets I have yet to scrounge through and I'm keeping an eye on Craig's List.
-
BW,
Thanks for the compressed air tip on cleaning, would never have thought of that. The amount of chaff that came out was an eye opener. Potential problem for sure.
For those cleaning with air, remember to blow the air line out to get rid of any condensation that might be in the line, don't need no stinkin water in the TO unit.
Thanks again BW
-
I keep reading conflicting opinions of whether or not to keep the heating element of the SC hooked up. Do you SC/TO users have your SC heating element hooked up or disabled?
I wonder if the direct heat transfer from the SC to the bean would be beneficial or not as compared to the hot air put out by the TO unit. I know the SC by itself gets nowhere hot enough to roast the beans. I am kinda thinking that having the SC heating element on at the start of the roast, to help bring the temp of the beans up slowly, and then engaging the TO heat once the beans have heated up a bit.
I have been thinking about mounting a toggle switch on the SC that would allow me to turn the heating element on and off at will.
-
I keep reading conflicting opinions of whether or not to keep the heating element of the SC hooked up. Do you SC/TO users have your SC heating element hooked up or disabled?
I wonder if the direct heat transfer from the SC to the bean would be beneficial or not as compared to the hot air put out by the TO unit. I know the SC by itself gets nowhere hot enough to roast the beans. I am kinda thinking that having the SC heating element on at the start of the roast, to help bring the temp of the beans up slowly, and then engaging the TO heat once the beans have heated up a bit.
I have been thinking about mounting a toggle switch on the SC that would allow me to turn the heating element on and off at will.
Here's the skinny: If you are roasting large amounts of beans (14-20oz), you want the element connected. If you roast smaller amounts (6-12 oz) you want it off. The best thing to do is to install a light switch so that you can easily turn it on or off.
If you have it on, but roast small amounts of beans, you might get 'tipping', where the tips of the beans get burnt.
If you have it off, but roast large amounts of beans, you will have trouble getting the roast to completion without baking the beans.
IMO, YMMV.
EDIT:
I am kinda thinking that having the SC heating element on at the start of the roast, to help bring the temp of the beans up slowly, and then engaging the TO heat once the beans have heated up a bit.
I haven't actually tried this, but I think the opposite would work better...
BW has roasted well over a ton of coffee by TurboCrazy
-
dito ....to what the man with the whiskers said. ;D
I have it so that I can turn it on or off.
on in the winter. off in the summer.
Michael
-
So are you guys mounting an on/off switch in the housing of the SC or are running the wires to an external switch, like the light switch BW suggested?
-
So are you guys mounting an on/off switch in the housing of the SC or are running the wires to an external switch, like the light switch BW suggested?
The one that I still have that is switched for smaller batches has a standard light switch mounted sideways in the SC housing. I cut a slit for it with a mototool, and had to bend the bracket slightly to fit the curvature. There is plenty of empty space in there for these.
Usually I don't modify them because most of the time I roast 16-18 oz batches, but I have done several of these mods. My first SC basically died - the housing got broken up badly enough over time to where I got sick of trying to prevent heat loss, and the others were given away to people that had more need for the switch than I did.
I wouldn't want the switch to be external, personally, because it would make things more unwieldy when it came time to dump the beans. I am frequently doing this one handed while holding the running turbo oven so that I can immediately start the next batch going. When I'm on a serious roasting binge, I run two TurboCrazies continuously producing 10# an hour.
-
A simple toggle switch, rated for 10A works well too. Drill a hole, mount the switch, and splice into the wire from where the cord connects to the thermostat.
BW, do you ever find the two thermostats acting independently would contradict what you're trying to do with the profile? I am thinking there may be times when you adjust the heat down on the TO to maintain temps, but the SC wants to turn on and add heat. Has that ever been an issue?
A long time ago, I measured the temps that the SC could attain, but forgot what they were. But if the SC can only produce say, 375F, then once the roast gets past that point the SC thermostat may never get cool enough to turn back on. Does that make sense?
-
I read on a couple of sites that the SC reach about 320*.
-
That certainly makes sense - I'm positive the SC gets much hotter than 320?F, though. Most popcorn won't pop below about 340?, and at that temperature it takes a long time to transfer sufficient heat. Most poppers work at 400? to 460?, which is the ideal temperature range to pop popcorn (and coincidentally/luckily also the upper end of the range of where we want to be when roasting coffee!).
A couple of thoughts:
-the more a turbocrazy is loaded, the larger the heatsink there is for the kinetic energy coming out of both devices, and usually there is good ventilation as well. This gives an entirely different cross-sectional heat profile than an empty stircrazy with a (basically) sealed plastic dome.
-heat rises, but the thermocouple in an SC is lower than the heat zone. This could mean that the SC thermostat is set to switch at 320?, but the temperature above is a lot higher.
-when I was running an old SC with big cracks in the casing, I could watch the coils cycle on and off. They were almost always on/glowing until the second crack was reached (~445?F bean temperature). I even thought about using this phenomenon as a timer at one point, but it got too complicated.
-
Maybe it would be good to remove a portion of the SC element so that it could only get so hot, and then take the thermostat out of the loop.
-
When I'm on a serious roasting binge, I run two TurboCrazies continuously producing 10# an hour.
I'm your student OB1 :notworthy:
Michael
-
From looking inside several, I don't see much difference in how they're made. The GG unit I use has 1450W and is a tad quicker to respond than my 1200W Decosonic, but not as much as 20% difference is wattage would suggest. I think most of the older ovens are nothing more than relabeled something-or-others. <snip>
I know that the GG come in different wattages. I was looking at a Decosonic unit the other day and it looks exactly like the GG 1200w unit except for the labels.
-
I use a Decosonic 1200w unit, and seems to keep up fairly well w/ the GG 1400W.
As an aside, for you electronic smarties out there... what does it tell you if the cord from the TO is getting warm, right where it plugs into my 12ga. extension cord? Is it because the juice is being forced from a larger gauge wire into a smaller one?
-
How hot are we talking? A little warm or really hot? A 100ft 12 gauge cord would be rated at 1800 watts, so your extension cord probably isn't the problem. Have you tried plugging it into an outlet directly to see if it still gets hot?
One other thing comes to mind. If a cord has been flexed a lot, the copper wire can become work hardened and brittle and eventually the individual strands of wire start to break. That decreases the current carrying ability of the cord and you start to get more resistance which produces more heat.
-
How hot are we talking? A little warm or really hot? A 100ft 12 gauge cord would be rated at 1800 watts, so your extension cord probably isn't the problem. Have you tried plugging it into an outlet directly to see if it still gets hot?
One other thing comes to mind. If a cord has been flexed a lot, the copper wire can become work hardened and brittle and eventually the individual strands of wire start to break. That decreases the current carrying ability of the cord and you start to get more resistance which produces more heat.
It's hard to quantify warm (since I lent my infra-red thermometer to Pyment :angel:), but it's definitely warm-warm, but not hot. I could run that test directly into an outlet, but that would mean having it run for an hour for no apparent reason; not roasting.
The 12ga. cords are only 50', so they're not the issue. And it's not that the juice is stepping down into a smaller cord?
The age of the cords (both TO's are of the same vintage, and both cords get warm) is something to think about. I would think that the cords flex fairly equally along their entire length, so it seems odd that if this was the culprit they would only be getting warm at the plug.