I've enjoyed reading the various modifications folks have done over the years, to their P1. I've done quite a few modifications to mine also, as well as some Wearever Pumpers which are similar.

But I've yet to find (searching here and other web sites) specific suggestions as to good ways to insulate these poppers. I'd be interested in hearing how you attached the insulation, whether you retained the original cover/housing, etc. Also, which material did you use?

I am considering trying this paper that others here are using for drum roasters.

Thank you,

William

Check you my reply in this thread
Need a thin insulating material for a roaster

I cut up pieces of the silicone, and glued it the the top of my Pumper with high temp RTV. The other stuff, I cut up pieces, and put them in the top plastic body piece of the pumper, and they are held in by pressure.

The stuff offered on the bottom of the page looks good, if the price is right.

I stayed away from fibreglass because of health concerns

Randy

As these poppers usually roast too quickly, why would you want to insulate them?

Randy- I had read about your mod, thank you for the additional details and explanation.

My P1 has been modified to allow separate control of the heat and fan. So it is a pretty good sample roaster, but I'd like to add insulation so I can further improve it.

One thing I forgot to mention, I use a soup can for the chimney, and I wrapped the can with a layer of Melamine foam, held on with tie wraps.

My reason for insulating was to try to create a roasting environment with a more consistent temperature in the chamber. The less heat loss in the chamber, the more consistent the temp in the chamber will be, and you should get a more even roast, at least that was my reasoning for adding insulation.

As long as you can control the heat, you don't have to worry about going too fast.

One other benefit to insulation. I can grab the soup can, or my pumper right after I finish the roast, to dump the beans, and I don't have to worry about anything being too hot, and burning myself. The pumper is warm, but not even close to being hot.

Randy

sweaner wrote:As these poppers usually roast too quickly, why would you want to insulate them?

If you can control the heat, insulated air roasters operate at a lower environmental temperatures for the same roast speed, since more heat is going to the bean, less out of the roast chamber. This makes for higher quality roasts.

If you can't control the heat, it is a rather bad idea

another_jim wrote:If you can control the heat, insulated air roasters operate at a lower environmental temperatures for the same roast speed, since more heat is going to the bean, less out of the roast chamber. This makes for higher quality roasts.

Yes, this is what I should have mentioned as my goal. My ET is going up to around 480 near the end of the roast, so I am hoping insulation will bring this down.

Jim, would you care to describe your insulation method? If not, that is OK.

William

I use a mineral wool tube from McMaster Carr. My P1 is modified to use an extended Freshroast glass roast chamber, and the tube slides over it. I use the removable chamber so I can switch it to a cooling blower at the end of the roast and start a new roast right away.

another_jim wrote:I use a mineral wool tube from McMaster Carr. My P1 is modified to use an extended Freshroast glass roast chamber, and the tube slides over it. I use the removable chamber so I can switch it to a cooling blower at the end of the roast and start a new roast right away.

Thank you for the details. Your setup sounds ideal! I had somehow missed hearing about using a Freshroast glass tube. A little googling shows me there is/was some taller tubes available for the Freshroast. I'll look for one. I recently found one of those glass baking tubes, but it is the large one that doesn't match the P1 diameter very well. At the moment, I use a glass lantern globe, but it would not lend itself to insulation very well.

William

A regular freshroast chamber also works -- use a campbell's condensed soup can as an extender (after carefully disposing of the contents). You will need to remove the existing roast chamber, the case, and the botom plate if you do this.

Also, make sure the FR base fits into the P1 with some play, use a file if needed, otherwise it will seize as everything gets hot, and you won't be able to remove the chamber until it's cooled off again.