Toper 1K enhancements

[Pyment]

I would like to fix 2 of my more annoying inconveniences with my Toper.

In the pic below, you can see there are beans in the sight glass.



this is with 1/2 load. With bigger loads or expanding bean mass traps some beans in here. These have to be picked out after cooling.  I am looking for suggestions on how to avoid this.





I also would like to replace the exhaust fan or motor seen in the upper left with a faster/more powerful one and install a variable control.

I would like to be able to increase the air flow to blow more of the chaff out or slow down the roast when I want to. Also, I would like to slow the air flow when it needs it as well.

[Ringo]

I can offer two ideas.  When I built my shop roaster on the sight glass I took a round file and put a bevel on the bottom of the hole, so there is no ledge for the beans to sit on.  I have never seen a toper so I am just guessing that there is a ledge there.  For getting more air thats a hard one, if you got a motor that turns faster you may be able to get the air you want.  If you spin a fan a little faster you get lots more air unless it flys apart.  To slow the air I put a baffle in the tube feeding the blower.  With blowers you can restrict the air coming to a blow but you do not want to restrict the air leaving a blower.  This could burn out the motor.  I put up a picture of my roaster not hard to put in.  One thing I have to say is my homebuilt drum is the only drum I have ever seen, take anything I say with a grain of salt. 

[Pyment]

Just like you say, I am uncomfortable restricting the air flow leaving the blower, but that is all I can do now.

Your comment about eliminating the "ledge" has me wondering if there is a way to fill in so there isn't a flat area anymore. Epoxy?

[kelppaddy]

If you could pull off the sight glass and take a picture of the inside of it, that would be helpful.

kp

[milowebailey]

Py

I spec'ed out some blowers in a past job once... not an easy thing to do.  If you can borrow/rent a velometer you can measure your airflow... you should also measure noise level of it.

Don't assume a faster motor will necessarily give you more air.  It could create turbulence and actually reduce the air flow and as Ringo said could fly apart... blowers are designed for a certain speed/hp motor. You will need to find out the CFM of your blower and then see if you can find an entire blower with more airflow with the same size output port... but you may trade off noise so make sure you find out how noisy it is.  Typically you will trade cost for quiet.

Blower manufacturers can estimate your blower CFM based on squirrel cage size (diameter and width) and motor speed/horspower (or current draw).  They should also be able to tell you what you need to change to get more airflow.  A damper could adjust it down from the max value (input or output.  Expect to spend up to $200 for a quiet industrial blower with decent CFM.

[Pyment]

thanks. I suppose I need to dismantle and inspect the squirrel cage to make sure there are no build ups that could interfere.

By feel, the area around the sight glass is beveled. Perhaps I could put some sort of screen over it?

[hannanonn]

A pic. of the inside would help. The idea of tapering the edges at the lower part which traps the beans, agrees with me. Just file, you could use a Dremel to just smooth the gradation. 
whats with the group buying of the roasters.

[milowebailey]

A pic. of the inside would help. The idea of tapering the edges at the lower part which traps the beans, agrees with me. Just file, you could use a Dremel to just smooth the gradation. 
whats with the group buying of the roasters.

Hannanonn

You are back!  Where the heck did you go?  You ok?

[mp]

A pic. of the inside would help. The idea of tapering the edges at the lower part which traps the beans, agrees with me. Just file, you could use a Dremel to just smooth the gradation. 
whats with the group buying of the roasters.

Hannanonn

You are back!  Where the heck did you go?  You ok?

+1

Did you elope with that good looking nurse?

 

[hannanonn]

She dumped me for a drunken Himalayan monastery  drummer. He  was 20 years my age and had no incisions in sensitive areas of his young body. All in all I had the toughest 2 years ever . I hope I am over it. Already said hi  in another thread.
Hi again.
 

[mp]

She dumped me for a drunken Himalayan monastery  drummer. He  was 20 years my age and had no incisions in sensitive areas of his young body. All in all I had the toughest 2 years ever . I hope I am over it. Already said hi  in another thread.
Hi again.
 

Yes ... you did ... but I lost track of it.

A big welcome back!

Hope to see around this site frequently.

 

[milowebailey]

Welcome Back!!

[Roasting Realtor]

She dumped me for a drunken Himalayan monastery  drummer. He  was 20 years my age and had no incisions in sensitive areas of his young body. All in all I had the toughest 2 years ever . I hope I am over it. Already said hi  in another thread.
Hi again.
 

Good to see your back.  Sorry to hear about the tough 2 years.  Did they allow conjugal visits???   

[hannanonn]

Hey, It wasnot that bad....very close. Could not lift a thing including the "thing" she ran away with me for.