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Another 1.5kg or 3lb drum roaster from scratch
oldgrumpus
Top  #101 Print Post
Posted on 04/07/2020 11:16 AM
New link to progress photos. More will be uploaded soon-ish.

https://goo.gl/ph...Da6K4wfqw5
Clever Coffee Dripper
Grinder: Macap M4
Roaster: Completed drum roaster project photos shown here:
Photos https://goo.gl/ph...Da6K4wfqw5
Videos https://www.youtu...Bd1NrdpSUH
Build thread https://homeroast...post_38189
 
allenb
Top  #102 Print Post
Posted on 04/17/2020 3:51 PM
Hi Ralph,

This will be one fine looking roaster when you're done. We're all looking forward to some photos with some browned beans spilling out of the chute!
1/2 lb and 1 lb drum, Siemens Sirocco fluidbed, presspot, chemex, cajun biggin brewer from the backwoods of Louisiana
 
goat4hooves
Top  #103 Print Post
Posted on 06/04/2020 11:07 PM
Thanks for sharing your progress. Great build. I'm happy to have found this thread. I have been toying with the idea of making a drum roaster.

What is the dimension of the gap between the rotating drum and the face plate on your machine?
 
oldgrumpus
Top  #104 Print Post
Posted on 06/21/2020 8:43 PM

Quote

goat4hooves wrote:
What is the dimension of the gap between the rotating drum and the face plate on your machine?


It's really hard to measure it. So here's how the gap is set:

The main shaft that the drum is fastened-to can be adjusted back and forth. What ultimately holds it in place are set-screws in the bearings on the front and back of the machine. In my case, I turn the drum motor on, and with all the set-screws loose, I use a rawhide mallet to move the shaft forward a tiny bit at-a-time until it scrapes against the front plate. At that point I move it back until it stops scraping and tighten the front bearing set-screws. I leave the set-screws loose on the rear ent. That allows for thermal expansion to move things around without affecting much with regard to the drum gap. Does that help?
Clever Coffee Dripper
Grinder: Macap M4
Roaster: Completed drum roaster project photos shown here:
Photos https://goo.gl/ph...Da6K4wfqw5
Videos https://www.youtu...Bd1NrdpSUH
Build thread https://homeroast...post_38189
 
goat4hooves
Top  #105 Print Post
Posted on 06/26/2020 4:41 PM
Ralph,

That helps out a lot. It is much appreciated. I just didn't know if there was a measured distance that you found worked well for your roaster.
 
oldgrumpus
Top  #106 Print Post
Posted on 07/11/2020 2:03 PM
OK! It's been a really long-haul and I want to thank all of you who helped me along the way. This was a real challenge for me even though I went into this with 30+ years of fabricating experience. I've made lots of mistakes which, of-course, are learning opportunities! :-) I'm calling it "done". In quotes because there are some very minor things left, but it's entirely usable and I'm currently dialing in my roast. I've purchased a 65lb box of a Guatemala bean and I must say it's quite satifying! Here is my roaster. I've been updating the google photo album as-well which can be found here: https://goo.gl/ph...Da6K4wfqw5
oldgrumpus attached the following image:
640x480roaster.jpg
Clever Coffee Dripper
Grinder: Macap M4
Roaster: Completed drum roaster project photos shown here:
Photos https://goo.gl/ph...Da6K4wfqw5
Videos https://www.youtu...Bd1NrdpSUH
Build thread https://homeroast...post_38189
 
oldgrumpus
Top  #107 Print Post
Posted on 07/11/2020 2:25 PM
I also would like to pass on a point-or-two that someone may benefit from. Firstly, do your research diligently and take your time. Don't guess about drum sizes and burner output. Mimic success! If you want to build a roaster of a certain size, see what others are doing and compare to others doing the same thing, or look at commercially available roaster specifications and get as close as you can.

For instance, if your burner is too powerful, you'll have great difficulty throttling down low enough to get the control you need!

I deliberately chose a gas pressure gauge with a maximum reading of 10" WC. This makes it super simple to know what percentage your output is at... 10" = 100%, 9" = 90% and so on. When you develop your roast profile and roasting plan, you'll be easily able to follow a sample plan such as this...

After pre-heating the drum... charge and...
30% from time 0-1:30 seconds
100% from time 1:30-4:40
80% frin time 4:40-6:30
60% from time 6:30-7:50
40% from time 7:50-9:10
20% from time 9:10-9:40
10% to end

You can also see what happens when the burner is sized incorrectly! You'd never be able to use the full range!

Just my musings.... take it for what it's worth! :-)
Edited by oldgrumpus on 07/11/2020 4:25 PM
Clever Coffee Dripper
Grinder: Macap M4
Roaster: Completed drum roaster project photos shown here:
Photos https://goo.gl/ph...Da6K4wfqw5
Videos https://www.youtu...Bd1NrdpSUH
Build thread https://homeroast...post_38189
 
JackH
Top  #108 Print Post
Posted on 07/11/2020 4:32 PM
it's been a long road for you with the roaster and it turned out great!
We appreciate you posting the documentation of your build. I am sure it will help others.
---Jack

KKTO Roaster.
 
allenb
Top  #109 Print Post
Posted on 07/11/2020 6:58 PM
Over the top amazing build!!! I don't know if I want to go see my drum roaster when I need my next batch roasted. It's getting uglier each time you guys build a drop dead gorgeous drum roaster.

How the heck did you get the graphics on your control panel to turn out so professional looking?
1/2 lb and 1 lb drum, Siemens Sirocco fluidbed, presspot, chemex, cajun biggin brewer from the backwoods of Louisiana
 
oldgrumpus
Top  #110 Print Post
Posted on 07/11/2020 8:23 PM

Quote

allenb wrote:
How the heck did you get the graphics on your control panel to turn out so professional looking?


Thanks for the compliments!

Before I retired, I worked in a museum that employed many such graphic panels. So previous knowledge helped. It's not too hard. If you know any basic CAD program or even a word processor... you could lay out the elements and send it to a graphics shop that does this sort of thing. The one I picked has experience with control panels on boats. It can be done by laser onto stainless steel or a laser removing a black layer on the back-side of clear acrylic, which is what they did with mine. They apply white paint where the laser removes the black, so the front side is totally flat and the images cannot be scratched off. They charged me $70 plus postage and handling. I adhered the plastic to a piece of 3/16 aluminum plate.
Clever Coffee Dripper
Grinder: Macap M4
Roaster: Completed drum roaster project photos shown here:
Photos https://goo.gl/ph...Da6K4wfqw5
Videos https://www.youtu...Bd1NrdpSUH
Build thread https://homeroast...post_38189
 
renatoa
Top  #111 Print Post
Posted on 07/12/2020 1:25 AM
Or anodized aluminium, possible in some copy shops here, you just send them the text and a layout suggestion, and they do the design.
 
renatoa
Top  #112 Print Post
Posted on 07/23/2021 9:49 AM
A friend asked me to explain two concepts from the roaster brochure.
Wasn't difficult to explain/describe him the concepts separate, but I had no clue how are they implemented in this roaster, anyone can elaborate more?
Is about the following:
"Roasting Method: Rotating drum with limited fluid bed"
and
"Heating Method: ... thermosiphon heat exchange"
 
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