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my HRO "Mutt"!
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| imaroaster |
Posted on 06/19/2012 21:03
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1/4 Pounder
Posts: 129
Joined: 06/19/2012 19:27
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I have been reading everything on this section of the forum and have compiled my our Mutt from the information I have gleaned.
Everything was bought fairly cheap either though eBay or Goodwill. The "Mutt" is made from:
A 3x5 metal file box- $0.99 Goodwill
two relays- free from friend
two switches- 6.99 Radio shack
1500w dimmer for motor- 18.00 eBay
various wire- free from friend
5" dust buster motor- 1.50 Goodwill
4" to 3" PVC reducer- 5.99 hardware store
3" to 2" reducer - 3.99 hardware store
two cocktail shakers 1.99 Clearance Kmart
small piece of 2" exhaust pipe - free
heat element (about 6" removed) - 28.00 harbor freight
stainless sink drain- 15.00 Home Depot
small drain - 1.99 scratch and dent store
threaded rod- free from friend
bake a round- 14.00 eBay
240v plug- 5.00
Can of rubberized bed liner- had laying around
Total of about $105.00
Have roasted 3 batches with this and have found that I get to FC in about 12 minutes (my first batch was 8 minutes). Roasts are very even and I cool in the chamber and I eject the beans with a piece of 1" PVC pipe and blow them out.
I take no credit for anything because everything was stolen from the fine folks here. This is a HRO "Mutt".
I thank you all and my wife hates you all.
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| imaroaster |
Posted on 06/19/2012 21:29
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1/4 Pounder
Posts: 129
Joined: 06/19/2012 19:27
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Just want to correct myself. The heat element is this one http://www.graing...Pid=search from Grainger.
Edit by mod - Made link clickable
Edited by Koffee Kosmo on 06/20/2012 04:09
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| lmclaren |
Posted on 06/20/2012 01:40
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1/4 Pounder
Posts: 156
Joined: 03/19/2011 22:17
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very nice, looks like it would blend right in in the kitchen :) |
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| freshbeans |
Posted on 06/20/2012 07:09
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Super Admin
Reasonable
Posts: 1400
Joined: 03/06/2010 11:10
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Very nice mutt! Sorry about the wife thing. I think she'll come around -Scott |
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| imaroaster |
Posted on 06/20/2012 10:19
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1/4 Pounder
Posts: 129
Joined: 06/19/2012 19:27
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The huge advantage concerning the wife is she has a huge coffee addiction.
The one of the issues I'm having is that the temperature I'm reading in the RC is very high. I'm reading second crack at 500deg. I'm taking the reading about two inches off the bottom and centered between the glass and the edge of center drain. I thought I would be out side of the direct air flow but I must be reading the air not the beans. On my next roast I'll try reading exiting air at the top of the RC. What should this read in comparison to the bean temp?
Also I have a question about the cleaning this thing. With the top of the RC being so narrow it has to be taken apart to clean. This is a pain. Does it need to be cleaned every time. Does the oil left behind go bad? I remember reading someone talking about the oils and chaff sealing up a RC. So is it safe to leave it or clean it?
Thanks
John |
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| ginny |
Posted on 06/20/2012 11:16
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Super Admin
OWNER
Posts: 2762
Joined: 10/24/2005 11:33
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John:
very cool mutt, love the name.
very inventive work.
-g
Ala di Vittoria La Valentina,
Solis 5K, Aero Press, Mazzer Mini, Hot Top 8828 B 2K,
Quest 3, TC4C set up to use...
Sun-swept beaches with a light wind blowing...
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| freshbeans |
Posted on 06/20/2012 12:53
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Super Admin
Reasonable
Posts: 1400
Joined: 03/06/2010 11:10
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On the temp readings; There have been a couple threads on this.
Reading at the exhaust has provided pretty good representation of bean temp. Although it's probably still an atmospheric reading, it does seem more useful than readings taken lower in the chamber.
Cleaning? I never have. If it sat idle for any amount of time, I might consider it.
I've got a patina inside...but that's it. No real 'buildup'.
-Scott |
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| coffeeroastersclub |
Posted on 06/20/2012 13:10
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1/2 Pounder
Posts: 227
Joined: 05/26/2009 21:43
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Is there a way to get the probe end as close to the interior glass wall and about 2 inches above the area where the hot air enters the glass tube? Seems to me that at that area it will be directly out of the hot air path as it enters the tube, be in the area of bean mass, and not be to far up in the tube as to not be in the bean mass.
Len
"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee." ~Abraham Lincoln
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| imaroaster |
Posted on 06/20/2012 19:10
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1/4 Pounder
Posts: 129
Joined: 06/19/2012 19:27
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I have it about that high but about 1 inch from the glass. I was afraid to get too close to the glass thinking that the beans had to pass all the way around the probe. Can I get it too close to the glass? (I know it shouldn't touch it) |
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| freshbeans |
Posted on 06/21/2012 12:51
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Super Admin
Reasonable
Posts: 1400
Joined: 03/06/2010 11:10
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Here's a 'snapshot' of a roast this AM.
Four temp gauges along the height of the RC.
T-1 is the inlet temp from the burner @ 600 (below the plate and bean mass)
T-2 is directly in the lowest section of the bean mass @400
T-3 is directly in the upper-most section of the bean mass @350
T-4 is at the exhaust outlet @300
T-2 seems like it ought to be out of the airstream, measuring bean temp right before the beans re-enter the airstream. ....right?
The disparity between T-2 and T-3 seems to reveal that it's still an atmospheric reading.
T-4 is more representative of actual bean temp.
My guess is that it is all atmospheric readings unless you move on to infrared .
I'm not sure if this helps...but there it is! Good Luck -Scott
freshbeans attached the following image:
Edited by freshbeans on 06/21/2012 12:57
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| oldgearhead |
Posted on 06/21/2012 16:12
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Pounder Plus
Posts: 485
Joined: 02/10/2011 15:16
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When my Bake-a-round gets dim, I just pull an old towel through it.
oldgearhead attached the following image:
"Development of flavor, aroma, and body in the coffee bean is a chemical process which requires absorption of a definite number of heat units per pound of coffee-in the shortest possible time and the lowest possible temperature." - Sivetz
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| imaroaster |
Posted on 06/21/2012 18:32
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1/4 Pounder
Posts: 129
Joined: 06/19/2012 19:27
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I just adjusted my temp probe but also added one on the exhaust and I will watch both on the next roast. Thanks for the input.
OGH I roasted a pound and a half and had to be very careful with the air or else I had beans flying out the top. Is this the Max on your roaster as well? I seem to have plenty of heat and air pressure so the limiting factor is my RC but I only need a little less than a pound a week.
John |
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| oldgearhead |
Posted on 06/22/2012 05:47
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Pounder Plus
Posts: 485
Joined: 02/10/2011 15:16
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imaroaster wrote:
>snip<
OGH I roasted a pound and a half and had to be very careful with the air or else I had beans flying out the top. Is this the Max on your roaster as well? I seem to have plenty of heat and air pressure so the limiting factor is my RC but I only need a little less than a pound a week.
John
My biggest load, so far, is 500 grams, because I believe that to be very near the limit for 1450 watts and under 15 minutes, in my roaster. However, I almost always roast 410 grams because that amount will fit inside a one-quart Mason jar..of course no beans can escape my RC because its 'capped' with a 30 mesh screen...One 'rule of thumb' for an RC is: "the green bean column height should be equal to its diameter"...
oldgearhead attached the following image:
"Development of flavor, aroma, and body in the coffee bean is a chemical process which requires absorption of a definite number of heat units per pound of coffee-in the shortest possible time and the lowest possible temperature." - Sivetz
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| John Despres |
Posted on 06/22/2012 06:25
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Super Admin
Posts: 2083
Joined: 01/09/2008 07:55
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Does RC = Roasting Chamber?
John
Respect the bean.
John Despres
Fresh Roast 8, Gene Cafe, JYTT 1k, Quest M3, Mazzer Mini, Technivorm, various size presses and many more brewers.
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| oldgearhead |
Posted on 06/22/2012 08:21
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Pounder Plus
Posts: 485
Joined: 02/10/2011 15:16
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Yes, for a center-spouting fluid-bed design. I assume a side-spout design could support a taller column...
"Development of flavor, aroma, and body in the coffee bean is a chemical process which requires absorption of a definite number of heat units per pound of coffee-in the shortest possible time and the lowest possible temperature." - Sivetz
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| imaroaster |
Posted on 06/22/2012 08:51
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1/4 Pounder
Posts: 129
Joined: 06/19/2012 19:27
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OGH, I noticed that the spout starts off about centered but it then shifts around during the roast. (it will even move up the edge for a moment). I'm assuming that the change in flow is due to beans changing size and density. If the beans start bouncing I will turn down the blower. Since you have the same bake-a-round is this the nature of the beast?
John |
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| oldgearhead |
Posted on 06/22/2012 09:38
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Pounder Plus
Posts: 485
Joined: 02/10/2011 15:16
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imaroaster wrote:
OGH, I noticed that the spout starts off about centered but it then shifts around during the roast. (it will even move up the edge for a moment). I'm assuming that the change in flow is due to beans changing size and density. If the beans start bouncing I will turn down the blower. Since you have the same bake-a-round is this the nature of the beast?
John
Yes.
"Development of flavor, aroma, and body in the coffee bean is a chemical process which requires absorption of a definite number of heat units per pound of coffee-in the shortest possible time and the lowest possible temperature." - Sivetz
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| imaroaster |
Posted on 06/22/2012 09:48
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1/4 Pounder
Posts: 129
Joined: 06/19/2012 19:27
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Yes
Is this because the chamber is so narrow. Is it harmful or effect the roast to have an inconstant spout? No matter what I'm getting a good mix of the beans, it just isn't pretty all the time.
John |
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| oldgearhead |
Posted on 06/22/2012 12:10
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Pounder Plus
Posts: 485
Joined: 02/10/2011 15:16
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I don't pay much attention to it. I 'turn-down' the blower 3 times during most roasts, at:
T= 3 minutes (during drying stage)
T= 6 minutes (Yellow-brown)
T= 9 minutes (just after FC starts)
I also change the wattage at different times, as follows:
T= 0 min. (1000 watts, 17% recycle)
T= 4 min. (1300 watts, 40% recycle)
T= 8-10 min. (sustained FC) 1150 watts, 17% recycle
"Development of flavor, aroma, and body in the coffee bean is a chemical process which requires absorption of a definite number of heat units per pound of coffee-in the shortest possible time and the lowest possible temperature." - Sivetz
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| imaroaster |
Posted on 06/22/2012 17:05
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1/4 Pounder
Posts: 129
Joined: 06/19/2012 19:27
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I also turn down the blower about 3 times as well. I haven't checked the times on it though. It does seem that I have about 4 adjustments. one after drying as the bounce starts to get out of hand and then I adjust as the heat seems to stall and I turn down the blower to increase the heat (I have no control of the heater)
I already have roasted more than enough coffee for this next week so I'll have to wait , but waiting is hard.
John |
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thanks for joining us.
Marco.....