Can anyone suggest where I can look to purchase a small amount of appropriate material to insulate the heating chamber of a very small roaster? I am modifying a breadmaker to roast coffee.

Thanks.

Hi.

This is what I used for mine

http://www.mcmaster.com/#9323K21

Fiberglass Insulation Paper 1/8" Thick, 16" Width, 10' Length
Temperature Range: -425° to +1200° F
Heat Flow Rate (K-factor): 0.21 Btu/hr. x in./sq. ft. @ 75° F

You could double wrap. There are more options if you search for boiler insulation in this forum.

It is cheap and I have plenty extra

Thanks, Arpi.

I tried at the local hardware store, but don't think that pipe insulation is probably appropriate to the heat so close to an electric element. And the search I tried ('insulation' in the roaster forum) did not find the answer I was looking for. Thanks for the tip. I may PM you about you possibly parting with a couple feet of your "plenty extra".

Thanks!

I just added some insulation to my popcorn pumper roaster.

I used this melamine foam from mcmaster, 86145K21

But, the melamine foam has a temp limit, I think at 400f, so I used this silicone rubber stuff first, 8632K421

Probably overkill, but it is much better insulated now, I can grab it after a roast, and the exterier is just a little warm.

The melamine comes in a big sheet, I am going to insulate my espresso machine with it also.

Randy

Ahh, McMaster, is there anything you can't do? 9356K11 is what I used to line my HG/BM setup. The sheet is 1" thick, and fits snugly between the removable pan and the chassis. Be sure to wear gloves and appropriate protection - it's fiberglass, after all.

0-1000°F, comes in a 2' x 8' sheet. I've got a good amt. extra as well, but will require a sacrifice of some sort . PM me with your info and I'll send some your way.

Willie Mays Hays wrote:Cerrano's looking for some extra power for tonight. He's looking to sacrifice a live chicken. Hey Jake, man, we can't have people puking in the locker room before the game!

Regards,
-s.

-edited to add pics

Mighty kind offer, Sherman, but I think that material is a little too thick for my application.

Inquiring minds want to know - what was your intended application, and were you able to find a solution?

-s.

Sherman,

Thanks for the offer above.

To answer your question: I have modified a bread maker with toggle switches to control the fan and agitation with a timing IC and a potentiometer to adjust the heat off the element. The plan is to top it with a convection oven to provide more heat and air circulation with the goal of roasting one pound batches. With the breadmaker alone at full heat I can roast 8 oz to 220C in 17 minutes with good effect. (Versus 45 minutes to 224C when I tried 20 ounces). Anyway I needed a thin insulation material to wrap the breadmakers heating chamber for heat retention and to protect the circuits while allowing me to replace the hull. This worked well. I hope to complete the project in a few weeks and post pictures with details of the mod.

I have a 4 foot wide role of the ceramic paper 1/8 inch thick.
It has quite a bit higher max temp than the stuff you are looking at, 2000 degrees I think I will have to check again. Lower temp insulation will breakdown over time and let heat through especially fiberglass. Fiberglass has poor high heat performance and longevity.
A picture of what I have is here:
http://coffeewisdom.com/ceramic_paper.htm

If you guys are interested I can sell this stuff by the square foot or in a kit ?
I also have roles of the 8 pound 1 inch thick ceramic insulation 24 inches wide.

Charles Weber

Ceramic paper may be too thin
However ceramic insulation 6mm to 12 mm thick is probably ideal
This type of insulation is normally used in kilns and would exceed your requirements

KK