Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

[ozscott]

A Corretto with one HG has an impressive ability to roast large volumes....compare it to the Hotop for example at opti roast wieght of 250 grams and the Corretto eats it at easily doing 700-800 grams (at least in Qld weather).

I have been pondering whether you could go a super sized version. The container itself and mixing mechanism is no problem - just a large thick stainless high sided container and a motor set up much like the BM, but is there any such animal as the large HG? What about sticking 2 HGs into a well insulated tube and aiming the tube at the bean mass and having one going flat out and the other the subject of manual control, or otherwise have them both going flat out and simply moving them closer in and out from the mass as required.

I am thinking somthing that could easily handle 1.5kg.

Cheers

[Thundergod]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

IIRC two heat guns have been used before on something like Mals large loaf BM.
If you plan to make your own container and stirring mechanism then theres no reason why what youre thinking wont work.
You could try the one flat out one for adjustment method or the both flat out and move for heat control and see which works better.

Heres an idea for the both flat out method: build the unit so that the container can be moved up and down and fix the heat guns in position just to be different.

[ozscott]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

I like that moving the container idea TG - if a box housed all of the drive components and the drum there is no reason why a smooth adjusting mechanism couldnt be sorted out.... Cheers

[doug81]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

cement mixer with 4 heat guns or one of those jet furnaces should do it. Sounds like theres a challenge to build the biggest coretto roaster. Lets see if anyone can break the 5kg mark...

[cksyd]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

cement mixer with 4 heat guns or one of those jet furnaces should do it. Sounds like theres a challenge to build the biggest coretto roaster. Lets see if anyone can break the 5kg mark...

NOW youre talking!!! ;D

Chris

[stuartgrant]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

Hmmm. Interesting.

For some reason I get very protective of the Corretto (as a style of roaster) whenever the espresserati turn up their noses at it... "cant possibly produce a REALLY good roast in something not purpose-built for roasting..." etc.

On the other hand, Im getting a gut-feeling that Corretto technology might not be the best option when going for larger batches. We comfortably roast 1kg in ours, but when we pushed it to 1.3kg (~105% capacity ), there was a lot of scorching and tipping. I guess with 2 heat guns this problem would probably be resolved, but Im still not sure... Perhaps someone else could explain why...?

When we upsize our roaster I suspect it will be along the lines of a BBQ drum roaster - although I think this technology has drawbacks too (mainly the inability to see or take samples of the beans).


As for Maxi Corretto - I think theres a gap in the technology (not counting commercial stuff, obviously) for home-roasting set ups around 2kg... more ingenuity required from some enterprising CSer.

Cheers
Stuart.

[Thundergod]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

I like that moving the container idea TG - if a box housed all of the drive components and the drum there is no reason why a smooth adjusting mechanism couldnt be sorted out....  Cheers

Exactly what I had in mind.
GO for it.

[smokeydeck]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

We comfortably roast 1kg in ours, but when we pushed it to 1.3kg (~105% capacity ), there was a lot of scorching and tipping. I guess with 2 heat guns this problem would probably be resolved, but Im still not sure... Perhaps someone else could explain why...?

Cheers
Stuart.

Hey Stuart,

What "brand" of corretto are you using to roast 1kg and above? Sounds like youre only using 1 gun...Are you using a lid? Does the gun need to be much closer with this volume?

(is this "on topic"...close enough 8-))

sd

[Dimal]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

As for a Heat Source for something like this,

Youre far better off looking at LPG and a suitable burner. Much more controllable and with the range of burners available you should be able to find a "blow-torch" type burner that will fit the bill. I tried a similar thing a few years ago and worked OK and I know at least another CSer has tried it and was impressed with the results. Dont lock into the thought that you must use a heatgun, theyre convenient for sure but other alternatives will probably be much better if youre thinking of going into larger batches.

What are you thinking Oz, going to give Di Bella a run for their money ;D

Mal.

[ozscott]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

Ha! Dont tease me Mal...I might just be thinking that! My wife keeps nagging me to get my act together and build a larger roaster and start selling to friends that keep pestering us...1KG in the Corretto is viable, but I like the idea of bigger batches. I will have to investigate gas blow torches

Cheers

[ozscott]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

http://mpaksys.homestead.com/Heat_Guns.html

125,000 BTU propane gun...has anyone use one to see what they are like. I think the trouble is that they wouldnt have a fan. We need big heat and a fan to project it to re-create that Corretto atmosphere. However given that this gun looks like $1k US a 2kg Has or similar professional roaster becomes a much more affordable proposition.

I order to keep a lid on price I am thinking 2 heat guns pointing at say 45 degree angles into a straight tube and the tube end pointing into the large stainless container. However TGs idea sounds sweet - 2 heat guns sitting on a rack say and just move the bean mass up and down closer and further away from both guns.

I cannot see why the twin gun idea wouldnt work provided the stainless bowl was say twice the size of the current corretto. Thermal efficiency might be down a bit so a half lid might be necessary but thats not hard. The motor could be a single direct drive motor or a geared up or down motor, whatever was available - 240v. The twin guns would be sucking some juice, but then again it would take a LONG time to be too worried about that compared to 15-20 grands worth of 2 kg roaster off the shelf that uses LPG.

Cheers

[TC]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

How about a disused fighter jet afterburner :-? ;D

[Buschy]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

Maxi Corretto might just mean 2 Correttos side by side using same model BM, same model HG and same beans. You say, too fussy and not enough control?? Perhaps...   :-/

However cost wise pretty economical  , an extra hundred bucks??  Probably enough of a setup to provide a few friends with some home roasted beans. On a larger scale it might get quite labour intensive...

I was recently involved in an aquaculture project and they didnt put all the fish in the same tank. Many identical tanks next to each other. But maybe fish and coffee beans are different.  :-?

[Thundergod]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

But maybe fish and coffee beans are different.

Yes they are.
Wanna try roasting a fish in a coretto?

[Dimal]

Re: Has anyone thought about a Maxi Corretto?

LOL,

You dont need to spend that sort of money on an LPG setup Oz. Plenty to be found for between $100-150 plus the cost of a cylinder, regulator and hose...

This is the sort of thing I meant... http://www.globalweld.com.au/products/sievert.pdf

Mal.