DIY roaster build

[Bogey]

Hi!

Does anyone here have any designing / building their own roaster?

I started pan roasting green beans about 6 months ago and now I'm hooked on coffee roasting. I like the results I have been getting with my pan roasting method but I think it time to try to experiment with different methods to see if better results can be achieved.

I have a couple of different designs in my head that use a "heat gun" such as the Milwaukee Variable Temp Heat Gun with LCD display (sorry forum wont let me post a link until I have 5 posts)

Is there any reason that a heat gun like this would not work as the heat/air source for a roaster? The heat gun in the link has adjustable temp from 110F to 1150F and is adjustable in 50F increments, does this sound reasonable? To be honest I have no clue what temp I am roasting at when I do it in a pan on the stove.

Thanks for your feedback! :coffeemug:

 

[ensoluna]

This is an Home-Made Air Roaster under $200.00 Tommy from one of my coffee forums friends

sent me this photo with below description & explanation.

"After starting with a digital heat gun/slow feed dog bowl (good setup) I tinkered with a few poppers. Got decent results after some trial/error, but wanted to build something robust with plenty of control/repeatability. Had seen heat gun/sifter setups, but wanted to improve on those designs. I started with a Master Appliance gun with VariTemp. Most guns have high/low or even multiple settings, but this one is infinitely adjustable from ambient temp to 1000 degrees. Also has a very consistent 23cfm flow. Very robust and modular... any part can be replaced. Then I sourced a large/heavy duty sifter. Believe it's an 8 cup model. Easily handles the 200 gram batches I currently do. Added a stainless strainer (hinged) to keep coffee from popcorning out during agitation. All setups similar to this I've seen basically have the sifter sitting over the heat gun with the rest of screen underneath exposed. This led me to believe there could be a hot spot in the center from the gun nozzle and ambient air getting sucked up around it causing an uneven roast. I decided to incorporate a stainless canning funnel to divert the heat evenly from the nozzle to the screen. It's sandwiched between the sifter and wood frame. Then I added a thermometer for heat measurement as close to the bottom center of the screen as possible. Timer is for reference/consistency as well. Last thing was adding the cordless screwdriver to control agitation. I can control temp, air flow and agitation speed."




Probably this model might be to "advanced"??? :+) ha ha ha Even for me, I would love to have one of these for my home. it just looks so awesome!

 

[Bogey]

Very cool ensoluna! That has a lot of common with my design plan, glad to see I'm not the only to think of building their own roaster like this.

Is your friend Tommy happy with the results he gets from that set up?

 

[ensoluna]

Very cool ensoluna! That has a lot of common with my design plan, glad to see I'm not the only to think of building their own roaster like this.

Is your friend Tommy happy with the results he gets from that set up?

As I know, it is working out Super well. I mean.... when I look at the home made roaster, it looks way more expensive than $200 cost home made roaster. Actually the best home made roaster I have seen in years.

Since I am all thumbs, so I won't be able to build anything like that, but I would love to have one of those....

 

[Duffyjr]

I have been researching roasting at home and I came across this one that uses a heat gun and flower sifter. I just don't want to spend a ton of money on a machine I have to use in the garage or outside. This being said I would probably be a fair weather roaster.

Raise your coffee bar: make your own home coffee roaster! - vomitingchicken.com

I could see wanting to hook a drill up to the sifter so my arm wouldn't get so tired

 

[ensoluna]

I have been researching roasting at home and I came across this one that uses a heat gun and flower sifter. I just don't want to spend a ton of money on a machine I have to use in the garage or outside. This being said I would probably be a fair weather roaster.

Raise your coffee bar: make your own home coffee roaster! - vomitingchicken.com

I could see wanting to hook a drill up to the sifter so my arm wouldn't get so tired

Not a bad design, but if I give 9 out 10 for Tommy's home roaster, this one gets about 7!. With "a drill up to the sifter", it will be about 7.7 point out of 10 :+)

 

[Moreshots]

Here is my "Franken-roaster" its good for 6#'s at a time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uECZ_4oBPPg&t=54s

 

[ensoluna]

just watched your video. wow... so, you actually Hand-built this "Frenken-Roaster" by yourself?

 

[Moreshots]

yes
I wanted to buy one but they were $20,000 so I built this one during time off around Christmas 7 years ago for about $2,000. it has a 12" drum and infrared out of a portable grill
it was a lot of fun and learned to weld during the process. I have roasted a lot of coffee on it nearing 2 tons at 5-6 pounds a roast works great and to date no issues
I have added a new steel cyclone and added a 800 com fan old one was maybe 100 and the new is variable speed really helping the airflow thru the roast. also modified the thermocouples to get an accurate reading with a Fluke digital thermometer.
now I have no chaff remaining and can drop the roast within the degree I wanted .
Also added a cooling tray that haps immensely!!!
I will post a new pic of the modified unit
Bill

 

[Moreshots]

here are pics of the new modified roaster.

 

[ensoluna]

wow.... it is absolutely great that you can even build something like that...almost commercial grade roaster by yourself.
I can not even "build" a ham & egg sandwich :+(

Yes, please post some modified unit pics. We all would love to hear more from you.
thanks
Alex from Ensoluna S.A.

 

[Moreshots]

 

[moolikaayurveda]

good research . keep it up

 

[ensoluna]

hi bill. your roaster really looks serious!
I do not think that is only for your home use, right?
do you also roast for others? for sales?

 

[Moreshots]

n o sales just roast for friends and my wife and I love coffee, its really interesting on the same coffee but different roast processes like a longer time to first crack or what the drop temp is can change the flavor . its been a lot of fun.
I did cheat as I found pics of someone in Germany overhauling a probation so copied off this pics and just dozed it

Also could you build a 12 - 15KG unit starting this summer.

you should try it tis a lot of fun