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I have built 4 generations of electrically actuated coffee roasters...
Vacuum-Cleaner-Heat-Gun-PVC-Pipe-Bypass-Valve-Stainless-Tumbler Air Roaster
Spring Shaft Drive
Corn Popper Pulley
Cast Iron Direct Drive
These manual methods of roasting are perfectly legit, too:
Hand Stir
Toaster Oven
Convection Oven
Vacuum-Cleaner-Heat-Gun-PVC-Pipe-Bypass-Valve-Stainless-Tumbler Air Roaster
Vacuum-Cleaner-Heat-Gun-PVC-Pipe-Bypass-Valve-Stainless-Tumbler Air Roaster
Some folks use Hot Air Popcorn Poppers, but I wanted the ability to dial in the heat and air flow settings.
The Build
Literally from parts around my garage, I assembled this roaster in less than an hour. The hardest part was drilling the holes in the bottom of the stainless steel coffee tumbler.
Air roasting has several advantages:
Even roasting: beans are constantly on the move
Clean beans: the loose, thin skins are blown out automatically. (This also makes a mess around the roaster, so roasting outdoors is preferred.)
Fast - once the settings are correct
Spring Shaft Drive
Spring Shaft Drive
This roaster started life as a hand-cranked food mill. I got tired of turning the handle, so I connected a gear motor via a flexible shaft - a spring from a storm door. This prevents the motor from overheating. To keep the heat in the beans, I cut up a steel plate to fit on top.
Corn Popper Pulley
Corn Popper Pulley
To make bigger batches, I bought a hand-stir stovetop corn popper and replaced the handle with a pulley. The gear motor spins at 15 RPM. The pulley keeps the motor away from heat, and the stainless steel mounting plate also acts as a heat shield.
Cast Iron Direct Drive
Cast Iron Direct Drive
The best version! I purchased a deep cast iron pan and fitted and screwed a stainless steel plate on top to mount the motor. I used the same 15 RPM motor to drive a paddle that I made from bent up stainless rod. I found that too many beans were passing between the bends, so I added a bit of stainless cable. I have been using this version for years and cannot believe it is still working. The motor is definitely getting hot, but it has never overheated. Clearly metal gears are required for this application.
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