Thinking about a new roaster... Suggestions?

[Ron_L]

I really like my RK drum. The capacity is good (I typically roast 2-3 lb batches) and I'm used to it and can produce great results. But, I have to roast outside, and that's a problem when the weather doesn't cooperate.  So, i'm looking for something with similar capacity (bigger is good, too, but not much smaller) that I can use in the garage.  What's out there that fits that bill?  Can I use a shop roaster in the garage (assuming proper ventilation)?  I really don't have that kind of money right now, but if that's the best choice, i can start saving my allowance :-D.

As an alternative, I can put up a bench in the basement and vent out a window, but my wife really doesn't like the roasting smells, so she may object to that.

So, gang... What suggestions do you have?  Assume no hard budget right now, but the lower the cost, the better.

[Tex]

I'm going to the Sears scratch & dent center after Xmas to get an outside venting range hood. I'll mount this on an exterior wall in the garage, build a sturdy workbench below it, wire it so I can run up to 3 UFO/CO roaster at the same time, and voila!, I have 9 - 12 lb per hour roast capacity.

Is that enough for your needs?

[peter]

I'm going to the Sears scratch & dent center after Xmas to get an outside venting range hood. I'll mount this on an exterior wall in the garage, build a sturdy workbench below it, wire it so I can run up to 3 UFO/CO roaster at the same time, and voila!, I have 9 - 12 lb per hour roast capacity.

Is that enough for your needs?

This I would HAVE to see.  If you get that up and running, I will fly to TX to watch.

I run two SC/TO's and it's already like a one-armed paper-hanger.  Three of them (operated by some old guy  ) would be worth the plane ticket.  Also, I typically roast 14oz. batches, and net just over 4#/hr.  Will your roasters net you a lb. per roast?



Ron_L, Jeffo roasts with his RK in his garage with no apparent ill effects.  I know he keeps his garage door open for smoke abatement, but don't see why you couldn't do the same.


And not to hijack the thread too far, but I'm wondering what sort of mods would have to be done to a grill to use natural gas and do so cleanly enough so that it could be used in a basement.  If I could use say an Ambex, then why couldn't a gas grill be properly set up to allow indoor roasting as well?

[Ron_L]

I'm going to the Sears scratch & dent center after Xmas to get an outside venting range hood. I'll mount this on an exterior wall in the garage, build a sturdy workbench below it, wire it so I can run up to 3 UFO/CO roaster at the same time, and voila!, I have 9 - 12 lb per hour roast capacity.

Is that enough for your needs?

Yeah, that's in the range.  How do you handle the chaff and cooling?  I have an SC/TO setup that I used to use in the garage but the chaff got to be a mess.  I guess one nice thing about roasting outside is the chaff becomes mulch  

[Ron_L]

Ron_L, Jeffo roasts with his RK in his garage with no apparent ill effects.  I know he keeps his garage door open for smoke abatement, but don't see why you couldn't do the same.

Ventilation with the door open would be fine, but the chaff becomes an issue.  When i am outside I use a homemade frame of 1x3s with window screen and set that on top of a box fan.  It cools great, but the chaff is everywhere (hence the mulch comment above). If I tried that in the garage I'd be in big trouble

And not to hijack the thread too far, but I'm wondering what sort of mods would have to be done to a grill to use natural gas and do so cleanly enough so that it could be used in a basement.  If I could use say an Ambex, then why couldn't a gas grill be properly set up to allow indoor roasting as well?

I don't think it is a hijack.  It's a good question.  I think one difference is that the exhaust from the Ambex would be going to the outside via the exhaust hose (at least the setups I've seen on line). With the grill, you would need a pretty big hood to pull any fumes and roasting smoke out of the basement.

[Tex]

I'm going to the Sears scratch & dent center after Xmas to get an outside venting range hood. I'll mount this on an exterior wall in the garage, build a sturdy workbench below it, wire it so I can run up to 3 UFO/CO roaster at the same time, and voila!, I have 9 - 12 lb per hour roast capacity.

Is that enough for your needs?

This I would HAVE to see.  If you get that up and running, I will fly to TX to watch.

I run two SC/TO's and it's already like a one-armed paper-hanger.  Three of them (operated by some old guy  ) would be worth the plane ticket.  Also, I typically roast 14oz. batches, and net just over 4#/hr.  Will your roasters net you a lb. per roast?



Ron_L, Jeffo roasts with his RK in his garage with no apparent ill effects.  I know he keeps his garage door open for smoke abatement, but don't see why you couldn't do the same.


And not to hijack the thread too far, but I'm wondering what sort of mods would have to be done to a grill to use natural gas and do so cleanly enough so that it could be used in a basement.  If I could use say an Ambex, then why couldn't a gas grill be properly set up to allow indoor roasting as well?

1) I switched over to the Stir Crazy because it has a lip that I can pop-rivet the riser to. This lets me handle the batches more easily (that and the muleskin welders gloves!).
2) I figure by staggering the start times, the multiple roasters would easier to handle.
3) There may not be enough room under the vent hood for 3 roasters, so the question may be moot.
4) My figures are all based on green weight, not finished weight - I typically do 1 lb batches.
5) You're welcome to drop by any time. You can watch me roast, help me roast, or do the roasting while I watch.

[Tex]

I'm going to the Sears scratch & dent center after Xmas to get an outside venting range hood. I'll mount this on an exterior wall in the garage, build a sturdy workbench below it, wire it so I can run up to 3 UFO/CO roaster at the same time, and voila!, I have 9 - 12 lb per hour roast capacity.

Is that enough for your needs?

Yeah, that's in the range.  How do you handle the chaff and cooling?  I have an SC/TO setup that I used to use in the garage but the chaff got to be a mess.  I guess one nice thing about roasting outside is the chaff becomes mulch  

I built a chaff chute into the riser. It's not perfect, but it catches maybe 95% of the stuff. The cooling is done with a rig I built - I need to work out a chaff collection setup for it too before I use it indoors.

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

I have a whole house attic fan in my clay studio/garage for when the kiln is firing in August.. it will replace the air in the garage very quickly.. when I get done roasting (SC/TO, no vent) I turn on the attic fan for a couple of minutes and the smoke is gone.. smell on the smokes coat tails...   that said, I have been thinking of getting some flex duct to run from my roasting corner to the fan.. not covering the fan just near it so it draws some from the attic space and some from the hood over the roaster.. if you made a fairly big hood you could park the grill under it and roast inside.. (at least out of the wind)  if your garage is heated you will significantly drop the temp in the grage when you turn this idea on..

My bean cooler is a 5 gal bucket mounted on a car cabin blower with a colander on the top of the bucket.. pretty fast cooling.. I have thought about directing that exhaust out side and building a box to direct the roast smoke to the bean cooler during the roast..

[Ringo]

A shop roaster is great in the garage, and you can work in the heat.

[Ron_L]

A shop roaster is great in the garage, and you can work in the heat.

You're assuming that my garage is heated :-D It could be, but it isn't. I'm wondering how a shop roaster like an Ambex would do in a cold garage.

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

A shop roaster is great in the garage, and you can work in the heat.

You're assuming that my garage is heated :-D It could be, but it isn't. I'm wondering how a shop roaster like an Ambex would do in a cold garage.

It would take longer to heat up.. but I think it should work ok once it is all heated up.  I guess it depends on the size of the roaster and the ambient temperature of your garage.. the SC/TO (for instance) would have to fight to stay warm with only a pound of greens.. your grill may need a little thermal mass to keep up with out freezing your propane tank.

[Ron_L]

It would take longer to heat up.. but I think it should work ok once it is all heated up.  I guess it depends on the size of the roaster and the ambient temperature of your garage.. the SC/TO (for instance) would have to fight to stay warm with only a pound of greens.. your grill may need a little thermal mass to keep up with out freezing your propane tank.

Either a 1Kg or a 2Kg.  It would take way to long to save up for anything else  I've used my SC/TO and my Gene in the garage in winter. I try not to roast on the coldest days.  I just preheat for longer and they work fine.

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

we keep our garage about 40 to 50 degrees to keep the clay from freezing.. after the walk from the house it feels pretty warm this time o year.. I don't bother heating up just to roast a batch or two..

[Tex]

It would take longer to heat up.. but I think it should work ok once it is all heated up.  I guess it depends on the size of the roaster and the ambient temperature of your garage.. the SC/TO (for instance) would have to fight to stay warm with only a pound of greens.. your grill may need a little thermal mass to keep up with out freezing your propane tank.

Either a 1Kg or a 2Kg.  It would take way to long to save up for anything else  I've used my SC/TO and my Gene in the garage in winter. I try not to roast on the coldest days.  I just preheat for longer and they work fine.

Yeah, it was a real pain roasting here yesterday. With an ambient temp of ~76°, I'll bet I let my UFO/CO warm up for 5 - 10 seconds. 

[jimec3]

What about the summer? Do you just throw the beans on the driveway and scrape them up in 14 minutes or so?