Chuky is here

Roasters and roasting

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Re: Chuky is here

Postby icke » Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:51 pm

What's your charge weight? if it's going a tad fast, perhaps just increase the bean mass a bit? i use 430g per batch and never feel that it would run away like it did for you in roast no. 2.

How do you pre-heat the roaster? i give it plenty of time there. i leave the gas stove on as low heat as possible, the drum spinning and the exhaust closed for about 20 minutes. It then has reached about 200C at which i turn on the heat as high as possible.

during the roast i keep the exhaust always open and actually have the fan running from the turning point on at fairly high to 100% all the way to the end. i used to be much more careful with the fan but that got me a lot of 'body' (bitterness) in the cup. At least for my taste ist was way to bitter... now that i keep the fan extracting all the time i don't see that anymore. However, the more chaff accumulates in the sieve, the less efficient the exhaust fan will be anyway i guess...

It's still to bloody hot here to enjoy roasting though...
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Re: Chuky is here

Postby motoman » Tue Aug 11, 2015 6:45 am

Thanks for that mate, I have been working on 300 and 330 gram loads and although mostly good, I can se how a 450g load will give me a slower rise and better control. I see the point in a longer heating up time, when the beans are added the temperature drops alarmingly so a hotter drum will retain more heat during this period and the bigger load ensure it will not rise too fast.

I look forward to my next roast with more confidence.
La Valentina Levetta
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Re: Chuky is here

Postby icke » Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:09 am

i'd like to believe that the slow and long drawn out warmup helps to stabilise the entire roasters temperature instead of just the drum. when applying a lot of heat to get it up to temp quickly, i think it's not evenly warmed up really. i do see a drop of perhaps 120C - 130C after loading the beans too. turning point is reached after about 90 seconds which i believe is pretty normal and acceptable.

450g i find it a bit too much already as i then see more beans being stuck in the elbow of the charge/exhaust pipe.
i use a long steel skewer to push the beans down into the drum about 3 - 5 times per roast as beans that sit in there during the entire roast will remain rather pale and burn if double roasted in case they get not flushed out between roasts.
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Re: Chuky is here

Postby motoman » Thu Aug 13, 2015 10:45 am

Thanks again Olaf, I also use a skewer to get as many beans in to the drum ASAP. I only turn on the extractor fan after doing this, now that I am not alone in seeing the sudden drop in temperature as the beans are added, I am less worried and do not try to use too much heat to speed up the rise in heat.

Icke's logical approach to roasting is very refreshing after the almost obsessive second by second attention to detail of the process by others (not from here). I do appreciate the use of a computer and software as aids but I prefer to judge my roast by my senses and learning experience. I do cherry pick the advice I receive with gratitude from all I receive, as with the Behmor before I will eventually find the roast that suits my taste and style. I have stopped pouring over the reviews and methods of the outlying Colonies (they also drive on the wrong side), I will carry on burning my fingers less and less until I get it right.
La Valentina Levetta
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Mokka, Vietnamese Press and other pots(unseen since I fell in love with La Valentina)
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Re: Chuky is here

Postby icke » Sat Aug 15, 2015 10:17 pm

quick question re your exhaust pipe setup there: would there be enough space to place a 2nd fan in between the chaff collecting fan and the roaster?

thanks,
olaf
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Re: Chuky is here

Postby motoman » Mon Aug 17, 2015 7:58 am

I am already using two fans, one for cooling, one for chaff extraction. I cannot see any way to insert another fan in line with the exhaust tube. As I am still working on getting the roast time, weight and heat distribution right, I have enough to do without added elements to distract me. Give me a couple of months to get comfortable with the present setup, I can then afford to experiment with further refinements and ideas.
La Valentina Levetta
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Huky 500T
Bodum s/s Press Pot(Covered in dust)
Mokka, Vietnamese Press and other pots(unseen since I fell in love with La Valentina)
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Re: Chuky is here

Postby icke » Mon Aug 17, 2015 2:07 pm

sorry, i wasn't clear enough. i didn't mean to use a 3rd fan but rather to place the 2nd fan that in your case you're using for cooling between the roaster and chaff collector so that you might be able to dump the roasted beans right into it, close the bean exit door and re-load another batch. hope that's a bit clearer?

thanks!
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Re: Chuky is here

Postby motoman » Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:44 pm

that is what I do already, I place the fan under the exit door, dump, and they cool in less than a minute. I do not start a second roast until I have made sure that everything from the first roast is cleared from the outlet tubing and have got rid of the remaining chaff in the first batch.

I plan a 450g roast later today and will report how I get on with the bigger load.
La Valentina Levetta
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Huky 500T
Bodum s/s Press Pot(Covered in dust)
Mokka, Vietnamese Press and other pots(unseen since I fell in love with La Valentina)
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Re: Chuky is here

Postby motoman » Wed Sep 16, 2015 9:38 am

I am now getting very familiar with the gas fired operation and timing with the Huky 500. My latest roasts are looking good and still completed without computer and profile input. I do use the plug in K type thermometer to ensure I keep the temperatures within range and the timing from start to finish between 9 or 10 minutes. Lacking the technical expertise of our resident genius pool, I pay close attention to the temperature, colour and amazing loud cracks during the roast. The dump is fast and cooling faster, I have settled on a 450 Gram load as this allows a slower and more controllable roast.
I am still working on the problem of unroasted beans that get trapped in the pipework, a slight tilt back and blowing down the input tube before I switch the extractor fan on helps. The loss of a few beans is more of a challenge than a problem, I just think that these beans having travelled around the world deserve more than ending in the bin.

To the expert logger, bloggers and bean floggers here I offer my respect and gratitude, to the Earthbound peons like myself I offer hope and encouragement for their future in whatever method they use to get a decent cup of the brown stuff.
La Valentina Levetta
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Huky 500T
Bodum s/s Press Pot(Covered in dust)
Mokka, Vietnamese Press and other pots(unseen since I fell in love with La Valentina)
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Re: Chuky is here

Postby icke » Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:56 am

motoman wrote:I am still working on the problem of unroasted beans that get trapped in the pipework, a slight tilt back and blowing down the input tube before I switch the extractor fan on helps. The loss of a few beans is more of a challenge than a problem, I just think that these beans having travelled around the world deserve more than ending in the bin.


I use a metal bbq skewer to push the beans back into the drum that are trapped in the pipes elbow there. I repeat this every 2 or 3 minutes so that no bean is lacking agitation for an extended period. in the end i usually push what's left in there after dumping them into the cooling tray and more often than not what's trapped there that late in the roast is looking just fine.

i like gas a lot. there still is some inertia when it comes to changing heat input settings but not as much as with an electric element.

cheers,
o
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Re: Chuky is here

Postby Ciaraof » Sat Feb 27, 2016 11:55 am

Hi there
I am new to this forum and new to roasting. I am about to take the BootCamp online coffee course and following their advice on using the Huky as a great machine to learn to roast - I was wondering whether you would share the spec of your order to Mr Li ? Was there any modifications you had to make being in the UK - the plug for example or any adapt or for the gas cylinder. Is there anything you would change about the spec you sent now you have gained some roasting experience. I'm not the most DIY savvy girl in town and I don't like messing with electrics and gas too much but I cn handle the basics but like to be prepared - any tips most welcome.
It looks so beautiful in your pics.
Do you ever roast inside with funnel out window. ?
Thanks so much
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