KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Looks nice KK - when is the full production model with all the mods sorted coming out?  Any idea of cost of that yet?

Cheers

Just working on a couple of new "test" agitator blade designs
and a guide tube for the drive shaft

Info & details on this will be posted soon

I think that 26 minutes is a long time for a 500g roast.

And

At 26min I would be thinking my system has failed..Longest I got to was about 21min with nearly a kg of beans..

I wonder if Alex means 26 minutes including the 9.15 min/sec on the stabilizing thaw setting

KK

[ozscott]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Just working on a couple of new "test" agitator blade designs
and a guide tube for the drive shaft

Info & details on this will be posted soon

Mate - are you considering 2 blades - one for smaller roasts and one for say 600-900grams (for eg).

Cheers

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Mate - are you considering 2 blades - one for smaller roasts and one for say 600-900grams (for eg).

Cheers  

Yes to that question and also to prevent some smaller variety beans from wedging under the blade

Green coffee beans can at times act as a wedge (much like a door wedge) due to there shape - flat on one side & round on the other

I have ordered to be laser cut two blades one of each for testing

1) Same shape as now but the inner portion removed
2) A double (full diameter) paddle with the inside section laser cut out

In theory it should work as the original agitator blade does
1) It will create an easier path for the beans to travel while still mixing
2) Eliminate pressure at the gap between the blade & the insert base
3) the blade can be bent and shaped easier as required

Here are the agitator blade drawings I got from the engineers

KK
 

[ozscott]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

very nice mate

[Stickleback]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Spent some quality time with the roaster yesterday.  
I was still having trouble getting the blade low enough so as to not trap the beans without also scraping the bottom of the pot in parts.  I ended up grinding a little off the bottom of the agitator arm where it hit the pasta pot, but that did not help, so I raised the arm a little to allow beans to pass under and that actually seemed to work very well.  I was worried that the roast may be a little uneven if the beans passing under the agitator did not get mixed properly, but it appears to be probably the nicest roast I have done thus far.
Pictured is 600gm of Nicuragua Cima del Cielo - 8 min stabilising at thaw, pulled at 19 mins, some time into R2C (CS10 - looks a little lighter in the photo though).  Prior to this I did another identical sized roast which I pulled at about 16mins, probably just a little too soon (CS8), but we shall see/taste.
I also cut a couple more chaff slits (now 4 in total) which cleaned up the roast considerably - very happy.
Overall I think I have been a bit tentative up until now when roasting as I am still having difficulty identifying the cracks, but this last roast has given me a lot more confidence  

[Lacehim]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Overall I think I have been a bit tentative up until now when roasting as I am still having difficulty identifying the cracks, but this last roast has given me a lot more confidenceSmiley

I was having the same problem. Then I got some good advice... RELAX! I was getting so worried about stuffing it up, the time etc that I wasnt making it to RSC because I was pulling too early! I got a great roast out of it the other day (while relaxing) and heard the different cracks and stages a lot better this time.

[A_M]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Overall I think I have been a bit tentative up until now when roasting as I am still having difficulty identifying the cracks, but this last roast has given me a lot more confidenceSmiley

I was having the same problem.  Then I got some good advice... RELAX!  I was getting so worried about stuffing it up, the time etc that I wasnt making it to RSC because I was pulling too early!  I got a great roast out of it the other day (while relaxing) and heard the different cracks and stages a lot better this time.

I think I may have said that ;D I say it to my wife as well... But she does not listen

[AlexTom]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

I pulled the roast just into second crack (again I think) at 26:00 when I cooled it between two colanders over a fan.

fatboy wrote on 11. Feb 2010 at 13:35:
I think that 26 minutes is a long time for a 500g roast.

And
AngerManagement wrote on 11. Feb 2010 at 15:58:
At 26min I would be thinking my system has failed..Longest I got to was about 21min with nearly a kg of beans..


I wonder if Alex means 26 minutes including the 9.15 min/secon the stabilizing thaw setting

KK

Youre much more than just a pretty face KK,

I incorrectly transcribed my notes above - my notebook has from T0 being the from the start of the thaw whereas above I had T0 being the start of the roast then I switched for when I pulled them.

I did pull them at 26.00 from the start of the thaw or 14.45 from the start of the roast.

I agree WSully, I probably did pull it before Second Crack, but Ive been reading a few things about a trying lighter roasts to bring out the bean characteristics.

Sorry for the confusion.

Alex

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Youre much more than just a pretty face KK,

I incorrectly transcribed my notes above - my notebook has from T0 being the from the start of the thaw whereas above I had T0 being the start of the roast then I switched for when I pulled them.

It was a gut feeling

You were fortunate to have a person to person roaster lesson
All while having a relaxing coffee during the roast ;D

We had a great afternoon
KK

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

More roaster testing

I am still having difficulty identifying the cracks

A recurring observation is posted by many Beta Testers. That of identifying the bean cracks

I recorded the first & second cracks on a digital hand held recorder
I will attempt to convert the files to WAV and post the recordings if I am able to ?

I also did 3 roasts today to try out this blend posted by smokeydeck http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1265340351

Compilation photo
Pic #1 500gr of Brazil Alterosa
Pic #2 500gr of Kenya Ritti AA
Pic #3 500 gr of Ethiopian Harrar
Pic #4 chaff collected from the last roast

KK

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

I had to zip the WAV files
1st Crack
2nd Crack

You may also hear my love birds in the background

KK

[Dimal]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Mmmm....

Mine sounds nothing like that KK in fact, I cant hear anything above the noise of the agitator motor whine :-?

Mal.

[Stickleback]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Yup, Im with Mal - mine sounds nothing like this. Is this recorded in or outside the roaster? I definitnely hear much better cracks when I burp the roaster......
I have tried using an old stethoscope to listen too, but there is too much mechanical nosie transmitted through the metal or glass to be useful :-?

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Mmmm....

Mine sounds nothing like that KK in fact, I cant hear anything above the noise of the agitator motor whine :-?

Mal.

Is this recorded in or outside the roaster?

Recording
First Crack is outside from start to finish
Second crack is outside for the first 3-4 seconds and then removed the TO

KK

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

For some time now I have been working on a different agitator blade design

Similar in design to a commercial cooler and some recently posted by other Coffee Snobs members with a KKTO design

The main stumbling block is the side thrust of the drive shaft

I have made a centring bush/bracket  design (prototype) that can be retrofitted to the current units & included in the kit on future units

This will hopefully facilitate a diverse number of new blade designs so they can be used with fixed or floating drive shaft configurations and motors

It is secured inside the perforated roasting chamber on the sides
A centre bush fits over the drive shaft holding it firmly in place acting as a guide

So onward we go
I also hope that with different blade designs the agitation will be quieter and provide less stress on the motor
So all can hear the cracks a little better  

The photos are a mock up of the idea  

KK