RK Drum

[BoldJava]

My old grill died and replacing the rusted burner would be throwing good money after bad.  Time to buy, with the future in mind (RK Drum down the road at some point).

Questions (RK site down, though Shane did have it active in past month)

1)  Off brands with 42K BTUs at less than $200 (Aussie, Grill Pro, etc).  Mistake?  Stick with Weber?  What other are good labels out there?
2)  RK Site is down.  42K and up about right for doing 4 lbs?
3)  Can the grill be used for dual purposes, BBQ and coffee roasting?
4)  Look for one with rotisserie or go with heavy duty RK rotisserie?  How many oom-pa-pa's should the motor have?   (OK, I was a business major.)  Might jump in on the promotional that Tom arranged with Shane, 15% off.

What else should I be aware of as I begin this shopping expedition?

B|Java

PS:  You will note a lessening of the zingers at my 86th Street budd.  I think I will need his mechanical abilities at some point in this effort so it will be a 3 month "be kind to curmudgeon" effort. 

Three months is a very long time...

[Jeffo]

It's good you're going for 42 and not 36. 36 isn't enough for me to do 3lb. net unless it's summer and I don't mind getting to 1st in 16:00. Although the two times I did that the coffee tasted fantastic. With insulation it may be a different story. Insulation on 42 may make it difficult to control in the summer with small batches.

I'm not sure what the heavy duty RK rotisserie is but the ones that come with the grill always seem to be bent or get bent just enough to clunk from my experience and reading from others.

I got help in assembling it and was very grateful. Some greens for barter should do it.

[peter]

I got help in assembling it and was very grateful. Some greens for barter should do it.

Helping with your assembly was my pleasure.  I would certainly extend the same to B|orton, just to shed some of his wrongfully alleged curmudgeon label.  And that would be my main reason to suggest going with the RK setup; it should simply bolt together and not need 'customization'.

The main issue with rotisseries included with grills is their too-slow speed.  They're generally 6rpm, you want 50-60.

Users of the BBQ for roasting will have to chime in on using it for grilling and roasting.  I hear it works, but don't know anyone who does it.



You can, and still should, send zingers this way.  It's the only way I know you care. 

[Jeffo]

When he said rotisserie for some reason I thought he meant the rod. Most definitely you need the RK motor. And if you can get one of those rods that Charly speaks of that would be good too.

[Charly]

 I had a friendly machinist help me get my RK drum unit set up to my grill. He still gets free coffee when he wants it, years later-I'll need his help again soon when I get a new grill. I think that using the same grill for cooking, a couple of times a week, as well as roasting every day between 2 and 8 hours wore out the grill a little faster than if it was dedicated to coffee, meat drippings clog the gas vents faster than coffee ash, but forgetting to turn the gas off just a couple of times in 5 years caused warping of the grill body when it got super hot. Lucky I didn't burn my house down.
 The RK motor I got still runs great and it's always been out on my porch in minus 40 to plus 105 degree weather, constant chaff storms, snow and rain when the wind can blow it under the porch roof, high heat when I left the burners going after roasting...tough motor! Attaching the motor to the grill is easy but then what? I have 1/2"  round stainless steel rods pounded into each end of the drum (they don't bend and wobble) and a "spider" connector to the motor rod and on the other end the really tricky part was how to hold up the other rod without it squealing and eating it's way through whatever it sits on as it spins. Some people found bearings that can sit on the grill body and handle the heat. I had graphite saddles made to sit in little steel boxes bolted onto each side of the grill for  supporting the steel rods.
 I still haven't got around to insulating the grill for winter roasting and I just pre heat the grill a lot, and place the empty drum on top until it's pre heated before filling and roasting.  With insulation I'll want a forced air modification something like Ed Needham's for roasting the delicate beans like dp ethiopians which have me opening the grill lid when 1st crack starts now, without any insulation (never need to do that with most other greens).
 I think that my grill is a 42K BTU.

[ButtWhiskers]

If you buy ceramic insulation you can get by with as little as 30k BTU.  Off the shelf, BBQ grills are incredibly inefficient at holding in the heat.   I have the old-school 5lb RK drum, and used a well-insulated cheapy 30 or 32k CharGrill for a long time.  I think the ratio of BTU to volume is another thing that many folks don't consider:  if you have 42k BTU and a 700 square inch grill cross-section that is 60 BTU per sq in., if you have 30k BTU and 400 sq in grill cross section that is 75 BTU per square inch, which actually gets you 25% more heat directed to where it belongs.  I think that the total volume of the grill cavity and the area encompassed by the burner 'footprint' shoulc be matched to the size of your drum.  If you don't have decent insulation, and half of the burner flames are nowhere near your drum, you are just wasting propane.

[BoldJava]

Thanks all.  I did some comparison shopping and grabbed a Kenmore (Char Broil manufactured), 50K.  Last year's model, clearance $325 at Sears.

Time to read up on ceramic insulation that BW suggests and look at RK site.  The Czarina has already suggested an RK drum just so that I may take the lead back from Peter and his toy collection.

B|Java

[BoldJava]

OK Wild Bill, which one.  You know I don't know squat about things that go 'whirrrrrrr.'

http://www.sciplus.com/

I don't need a science project unless you are coming up to help with it <grins>.

B|Java

[Jeffo]

50K with insulation wow. You'll be able to do 4 lbs in 5 1/2 minutes.

I might like to see the insulation when it's done.

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

OK Wild Bill, which one.  You know I don't know squat about things that go 'whirrrrrrr.'

http://www.sciplus.com/

I don't need a science project unless you are coming up to help with it <grins>.

B|Java

the one I have looks like this one but it is 110vac and ~~60rpm the fan blade goes fast and the shaft on the other side is slow... the local store may have others that the web does not... or it is the nature of surplus and they are out at this time...

I will find the one I have for more details... I think it is very similar to ones I have seen for the BBQ roasters...

[peter]

Never one to tell a flying goat what to do, I would strongly suggest buying the RK motor/bracket thingie.  If you try piecing things together with a separate motor, you'll be well into retirement before the thing roasts any coffee.  Unless you have buddies with machining/fabrication skills and have the patience to boot, I don't see it in the cards.

Just my two cents, but I like you Mr. Borton, and don't want to see you sacrifice what little sanity you have left.

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

peter may be on to something their... I since you are looking to roast some coffee; as am I, however I am enjoying the build as much as the coffee

(When is the next open sky roast off?? I better get back to my total solar roaster build)

[BoldJava]

peter is probably on something... I since you are looking to roast some coffee; as am I, however I am enjoying the build as much as the coffee

Enjoy the build?  Enjoy the build?

We had to take two years of "Industrial Shop," grades 7th and 8th.  I hated it.  

B|Java

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

peter is probably on something... I since you are looking to roast some coffee; as am I, however I am enjoying the build as much as the coffee

Enjoy the build?  Enjoy the build?

We had to take two years of "Industrial Shop," grades 7th and 8th.  I hated it.  

B|Java

in that case order the kit and you will be a very happy roaster..

[BoldJava]

Are you folks using any insulation?  I bought some 2300?F ceramic fiber insulation sheeting from McMaster-Carr to fully insulate the roasting chamber.  I'm looking forward to attempting sub-zero roasts in the wind...   

Greg, which sheeting did you use?  How did you get the sheeting to adhere to the roaster top? 
http://www.mcmaster.com/#ceramic-insulation/=36ohao

B|Java