Elevators or lifting fins improve bean tumbling and heat distribution throughout the drum.
Loads in excess of 3/4 pound benefit from an insulation blanket made of a flame-retardant material. Insulation works best to help build and maintain heat to the first crack. Thereafter, it can be removed to reduce heat as the second crack approaches.
Below, a 1 pound Meco sample is compared to PopperyI results - both are quite dark at the second crack.
The Meco drumroaster was made with minimal mechanical skills and limited shop or tool resources. Without any special insulation it will handle up to 24-ounce batches in the 14 minute range.
I have used unmodified poppers for roasting for two years and have been pleased with the results for vacpot, drip, press and espresso. I normally roast about one-pound per week. I employed a two-popper rotating system that allows one (WB Poppery or PopperyII) to operate while the second is cooling down. All-in-all the process is noisy, messy, time consuming and a bit frantic. It is, however, effective and very inexpensive.
The negative quality reports on commercially made 1/2 pound capacity roasters have not been inspiring. That is what provoked me to see if the Meco grill could be converted into a desirable system. I have never used a commercial roaster, drum or fluid bed, so I am unable to conclude how the Meco project roaster compares as an alternative. I would guess favorably - but that guess is based on reading consumer reviews about commercial machines.
I conclude the Meco project roaster is a satisfactory, if costly, high-capacity alternative to poppers.
Posts have appeared at alt.coffee noting similar devices can be made with gas grills and electric grills employing inexpensive hand-cranked steel mesh fabric drums. I decided to develop an all stainless drum because I knew it was safe, would last under the stress of extreme heat and humidity changes and, at two-for $29 (one big, for the bathroom and one small for the coffee) was not a grossly expensive item as ready-to-go. My preference was to avoid gas heat, creating a portable device that could be used indoors (with suitable exhaust), on the back porch or in the garage. Unlike larger gas grills, the wattage of the Meco limits it's capacity and the rheostat limits precise temperature control. I expect a gas burning grill could process more beans and possibly afford more responsive temperature control.
I find the stock 2-rpm Meco rotisserie is effective and find no need to alter it. The rotisserie motor runs silently and does not permit beans to burn. I applaud the higher speed hand-cranking faction for their innovation, frugality, practicality and commitment to simplicity. But I'm sticking with the motor. Not much point on installing an optional hand-crank on the Meco, because when the power drops the heat goes off anyhow.
This device is probably worthwhile for those who use more than 1 pound of coffee per week. For someone with an existing, suitably sized gas or electric grill, fashioning only a drum with rotisserie motor (or a hand-crank) may be desirable.
My Bottom Line:
WB PopperyI's are cleaned up and in the cupboard. Meco 9309 and rotisserie motor is a winner. It's effective with one pound loads, dead quiet (cracking sounds are plainly audible), virtually foolproof and not a parts problem if anything ever fails. Ambient temperature does not affect performance negatively. Indoor roasting works fine, but requires a capable exhaust fan.
I'm glad I didn't spend $300 for a drum roaster with lots of
associated reliability gripes.
-30-
Questions or answers? Email Dan Nathan
Special thanks to Ed Needham, who blows lots of smoke at www.homeroaster.com
and to the reams of good stuff at www.coffeegeek.com
and www.sweetmarias.com.