KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

[bolb]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Thanks KK

Note to all - Keep the air breather holes clean

I regularly blow air through the whole setup, its amazing how much dust and residue can build up (or at least gets blown out each time i do it).

[A_M]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

The unit needs to be keep clean..

Wsully had his fail and when I looked at it... The insides were filty with chaff and oils...

Mine has been around for a while and still clean,,,

Vacc or blow it out and keep it clean.... If ya do lots of dark smoky roasts... Then I could see that being a problem at some stage...

I got my self a spare when they went on special.. $59

[Mono]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Well now two roasts down, both 600gms and the motor working fine, the combination of the loctite and giving the spindle a fraction more room in the gearbox housing has done the trick.

I have a decaf to do this afternoon for a friend so will see how that goes.

Mal

Hi Mal, just wondering how it is all going :-/ Problem rectified or has the issue returned :-/

Steve

[bolb]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Hi Steve
Still going strong, done about another 6 roasts since and results are good.

Mal

[Mono]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Still going strong, done about another 6 roasts since and results are good.

Ah, good news indeed

Steve

[wherealien]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Good Evening all, by chance does anyone know where I can pick up an agitator to fit my own version of a pasta pot kkto?

Poking through the bottom of the outside pot by about 1cm is a quarter inch socket end. I hope whatever I use as an agitator can just slot into the socket end. My motor/gearbox runs on 24vdc and rotates at 35rpm.

cheers and thank you.
Ian

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Good Evening all, by chance does anyone know where I can pick up an agitator to fit my own version of a pasta pot kkto?

Poking through the bottom of the outside pot by about 1cm is a quarter inch socket end. I hope whatever I use as an agitator can just slot into the socket end. My motor/gearbox runs on 24vdc and rotates at 35rpm.

cheers and thank you.
Ian

Since you live in Brisbane I can assist
All the individual parts (except the dual blade) are available from Barazi
Single blades are available

The shaft is a 6mm square at the drive connect end and a 13mm shaft
It can be altered to suit if required

If I can help I am only a PM away

KK

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

At long last
The double blade agitator is finished

We had some issues with the laser cutting
A few tweaks of the design on a few occasions as I wanted it to be retrofit-able to the current shaft with a little mod

KK

[Stickleback]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Looks great!! Can I buy one yet?!!!!

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Looks great!!  Can I buy one yet?!!!!

Yes
I have taken delivery of the first 15 out of 50 Agitators
And 200 special order springs to suit

KK

[Stickleback]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

wow!!!!

Just tried the first roast with the new agitator arm - I cant believe the difference! It is markedly quieter, meaning I started to hear the cracks more plainly - the agitator arm stays much more central throughout meaning less mechanical noise. The bean agitation was far better leading to a much more even roast, even though I thought I was doing pretty well before.
I loved this roaster before, but now!! ;D

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

wow!!!!

Just tried the first roast with the new agitator arm - I cant believe the difference!  It is markedly quieter, meaning I started to hear the cracks more plainly - the agitator arm stays much more central throughout meaning less mechanical noise.  The bean agitation was far better leading to a much more even roast, even though I thought I was doing pretty well before.
I loved this roaster before, but now!! ;D

Its the simple things that can make something thats already good to something great

In reality the dual blade agitator with springs is the only actual change to the original design

I would class the high temp silicone tubing as an enhancement

The main gear mod is more a strengthening of a weak link  

Very happy with all the Beta testers information & communications

I will put up a summery post soon with the design as it stands
and will add any future tweaks

KK

[flynnaus]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

I ordered one of KKs new dual agitators last week and fitted it yesterday. You need to grind and file away some of the shaft which was a simple task (though I wished I had a vice).

Tried a roast  of it this morning: 500 g of Mexico Tapachula El Tacana (from the May 2009 Beanbay). I am happy to report that this made a big difference to roasting both in experience and quality.

It was quieter for a start. The motor didnt seem to need to work as hard to turn this one. It turned faster and seems to do a better job of moving the beans around.

Better chaff removal: There seemed to be very little chaff left in the roast (and a lot in the main pot after the roast was finsihed

The results: probably the most even roast I have ever produced. I havent roasted this bean before so have nothing to compare it to but I know this is better than nearly any other roast I have done before.

Anyway, see for yourself. The scuff marks on the base of the inner are from the previous agitator.

Well done KK, another brilliant enhancement to your design and I encourage other KKTO users to get one of these.

[bolb]

Re: KKTO Beta Testers Feedback....

Nice roast there.
I agree, the newer design agitator certainly makes the whole environment quieter than it was before.

[borat123]

900gms with new agitator

Today I tried 900gms, which is the largest roast Ive ever tried in the KKTO, and happy to report that with the new agitator, the result was great. The bean used was a large Thai variety, very similar in look and size to monsoon malabar.

A nice even roast, and it virtually roasted itself. With the larger mass of beans I just turned the temp to max and let it run by itself. The only intervention was from 1C onwards.

As you can see from the graph, the temp ramp was a bit slower, with probably about another 4mins or so added to the total roast time.

The higher line is normal profile that I usually do by burping to intentionally slow down the temp ramp.

The lower line is the profiled achieved at 900gms.