New status: starting the cyclone

These are the new parts for the weekend:



The hand wheel is very nice (needs a coupler made with a 1/4 11/32 socket as it has a 1/2" ID bore to convert to 1/4" square rod). It allows to manually turn the drum and align the door at the top instead of using the electric motor. It goes on the opposite side of the motor. The metal thermocouple probes are ungrounded (cheap Amazon $8.61) but I also got 2 "Thermocouple Thermometer Temp Panel Meter Display" from ebay ($9.49) with bright LEDs coming from China (free shipping). Don't know yet if the probes will work well but it was worth to try before spending big money in Omega.com. The 2-section stainless pasta pot and the clear vinyl tube are for the "cyclone." The vinyl tube is rated 150F but if it does not work I'll upgrade. Hope the air from the vacuum keeps the tube cool (don't know yet). The angle stainless tube is for the tip (to pick beans from the hot roaster). The stainless push plate is to shield the bearings from the radiation and to keep them cool (needs to be cut). The roaster is coming along very well but a little slow as I only do things on the weekend.

PS: I'll return the vinyl tubing to Home Depot as it may contain toxic chemicals from a quick google search. I am glad I haven't touch it it yet. Silicon is more expensive but it has a very high temp rating and it is non toxic. That will delay things but time is not important.

Food grade silicon tubing (350F)

https://www.brewershardware.com/Reinfor ... 38-OD.html

Cheers

No much to show from this past weekend. I did the shield plates and one thermocouple. Everything runs smooth and it is strong. Hope to get the silicon hose (for the "cyclone") before next weekend so that I do some real roasting and learn more. I thought about what name to give the roaster and came with "FIR roaster" (Far InfraRed roaster).

These are some picks of this weekend.

The cyclone is finished and it works It has tons of power to pull green beans out into the pot and it is very quick to connect/disconnect. Actually, the connection from the vacuum hose cleaner to the cyclone 1" tube metal piece (left) has a gap but it does not matter as the power is there. The glass on top of the pot gets stuck when the vacuum is turn on. Haven't tried roasted beans yet (only green beans). The beans hit the floor and don't get sucked into the vacuum cleaner. I used a 1"3/8" metal hole saw from HomeDepot ($12) and two rubber grommets. The angle piece is the tip that goes inside the hot roaster to extract the roasted beans. The hose is made of silicon (350F). On the picture, the vacuum cleaner attaches to the left and I don't use an adapter even when the vacuum hose ID is larger. I just slip the hose over the tube. A package of 1" grommets (with 1"3/8" hole) was ~$5. All stainless tubes are 1" OD. The pot came with second piece with holes for pasta and I'll use it to cool beans (with a fan) once they have been extracted.



Cheers

Ok. This was my first official roast. The cyclone works really good and everything stays cold. Also, bearings stay very cool after installing the shields. The probes indicate High and Low sensor readings, not ET or BT. I guess it is more like a 500 gram (1 lb) roaster, not a 2 lb based on performance. Probably performance will get better. I think the new hole on top (exhaust) made the performance worse. Tons of smoke inside the kitchen (bad). I need to add more things or take it outside on a cart.

Cheers

Hi.

Haven't done much. I did make a hole to bring hot air with the idea of increasing performance and it seems that the performance went up (shorter time to 1C) but not by a huge amount (~ a couple minutes). I don't know if to make another hole (faster) or leave it like this. Thermocouple temps read higher now. The roaster does make nice even roasts and it is controllable. With the new intake hole, the thermocouple temperature can be easily controlled by covering the exhaust hole (damper). First crack is loud and can last less than 2 minutes (450 grams) and the roasts come out very even (no mix of dark/light beans or surface defects). The only drawback I see is that bean temperature cannot be displayed and the roast has to be guided by high ETs and timing. My guess is that this roaster is somehow better suited for light roasts though it can do dark roasts easily (lots of smoke). It can easily do roast after roast at 450 grams batches.

Cheers

430 grams/2 mins first crack duration/~15 minutes total roast time (with 5 mins pre warming)

New outdoor table in the works (12000 BTU burner). No more smoke or smell inside



table: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007W5Y91C
burner: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C450NME

I had to cut the rectangular hole in the table (very easy with a circular saw and a metal cut off wheel ~ 10 minutes) to install the burner

Cheers

This is a roast from today with new air intake hole (more hot air). I did move the proves a little. Note that they don't reflect BT, only ~ intake and exhaust. Haven't tried the new table and burner yet as I am waiting for a better LP supply line. There is a difference in taste when compared to the Quest roaster (solid drum). The taste is much cleaner but also milder. I think that because there is no contact with a hot surface (drum), there is no "shearing" (or burning) on the surface of the beans, which I personally think it is healthier (no acrylamide). I am still learning how to control the profile and I got the feeling there is lot to learn.

Cheers

450 grams

Nice work! Question; why install the pillow blocks that way? (the omega-shaped cast iron pieces that hold your bearings) You could have simply flipped them over and installed them upside down and shortened the bolts that are holding them to around 1/3 their present length, thereby making the assembly much stiffer. Wouldn't do much to reduce overall size, though.

aloha,
walt

Hi.

There would be a difference of forces on the bearings, tension versus compression. But for this very small load, the bearings should be fine upside down.

Cheers

Arpi, in case no one has said this yet...you're my hero. Bang up job, friend!