OldNuc wrote:i stand corrected .

It happens

This is a common problem with tubing connections as there is a huge amount of different connection devices that go by similar names that are not in the least bit similar. The issue with gas is it leaks easily and the copper tubing compression sleeves rely on both ends of the sleeve making complete contact with the tube exterior. Most commercial copper tubing is not made to close enough mechanical tolerances for this type of a connector to be reliable long term. The high pressure fittings and sleeves do make complete gas tight seals and will pass helium leak test at rated pressure.

Now that I'm getting control of the new roaster, I'm finding that coffees roasted on both my air and drum roasters, using the same profiles, taste very similar. I'm sure when I have the time, and really sit down and A-b them, I'm find some subtle differences, but they do not stick out.

OldNuc wrote:This is a common problem with tubing connections as there is a huge amount of different connection devices that go by similar names that are not in the least bit similar. The issue with gas is it leaks easily and the copper tubing compression sleeves rely on both ends of the sleeve making complete contact with the tube exterior. Most commercial copper tubing is not made to close enough mechanical tolerances for this type of a connector to be reliable long term. The high pressure fittings and sleeves do make complete gas tight seals and will pass helium leak test at rated pressure.

And it certainly wouldn't make sense in my application where there would be constant stress on the connection from the valve.

I might just go with black pipe for the structural rigidity.

Black pipe and rectoseal #5 instead of teflon tape works. Rectorseal #5 is at the big box store.

Hi Alan,
I can offer you words based on the experience of restoring a basket case Diedrich IR-3 from this.....

To this.....

Control system

One thing I'm terribly disappointed with on this roaster is the lack of capacity. I thought I would be able to roast at least 8 or 9 pounds on a 5kg roaster, but I can barely do 6#. Supposedly I have 75K BTUs to work with, which is typical of 5 and 6kg roasters, but I cannot hit 1C in under 8 minutes with 6# of coffee. If I want to do a 10 minute roast I would have to charge <5#. Is that typical of drum roasters? FWIW, I did play around with the air, and I'm using 50% damper which seems to give me the best heat transfer rate.

Should I be searching for a burner problem?