[Joe Sr.]

Check out Sweet Maria's for a long thread about this popper.  It's what I use and I'm getting good results, but I've only been at it for about a month.

Some of the suggestions are to stir the beans with a chop stick to keep them moving until they dry out.  When they're green, they don't spin so much.  Once they're brown they move better.

Another suggestion, which I've been following, is to shake the popper to move the beans around as they dry out.  I'm doing this and getting a much more even roast.  It also helps knock more chaff off the beans.

Some people have put a glass chimney on the popper instead of the plastic hood so that they can shake it better.  I haven't done that.  Yet.

Also, you'll get voltage drop if you're using a long extension cord or maybe a circuit with a lot of other appliances pulling juice.  Apparently these poppers are pretty sensitive to that.

[corkybstewart]

Another suggestion, which I've been following, is to shake the popper to move the beans around as they dry out.  I'm doing this and getting a much more even roast.  It also helps knock more chaff off the beans

I roast out on my windy back porch most of the time and use the gentle shake method.  This keeps the beans moving and as you say helps blow the chaff away.  And some beans produce chaff like a spring blizzard.

[Joe Sr.]

That's exactly how I do it.  Out on the back porch and let the wind take the chaff.

The neighbors haven't complained yet.

[brewmichigan]

I was moving e beans with a wooden spoon. Some of the beans just go stuck in the vent holes. I was only using a 1/3 of a cup and i wasn't getting any movement. I'll have to try the shaking method.

[Joe Sr.]

They don't move much at first with mine, either.  I think they're too heavy until they dry out a bit.

If you don't agitate them as they're drying, you can get a very uneven roast.

Don't give up.  I've been drinking some damn good coffee the past couple weeks.

Now I have to expand my bean selection.  It would be nice if I could get some locally here in Chicago.

There's a local coffee roaster and the owner's kid goes to the same school as my eldest.  I might try shaking him down, but then he'll know I don't buy his coffee...

[MDixon]

I rely on the thermometer on my roaster, gene cafe.

I think crack depends on the process rather than the temperature, but we are roasting in a differernt way. An apples to oranges roasting method.

I see, your roaster is probably measuring the temp of the roaster rather than emerged in the beans. I can certainly see that being much hotter than the bean temp.

[hamiltont]

Roasted another 3 quarts of beans today along with smoking a turkey & a few brats. As they all "rested" in the kitchen I can't explain how unbelievable it smelled with all 3 of the aromas melding together. It was amazing!  Cheers!!!

[corkybstewart]

Roasted another 3 quarts of beans today along with smoking a turkey & a few brats. As they all "rested" in the kitchen I can't explain how unbelievable it smelled with all 3 of the aromas melding together. It was amazing!  Cheers!!!

I've actually come to detest the smell of resting coffee beans.  i don't know why, but over the past 6 months it's gotten worse and worse.  I still love the coffee, but not the smell of fresh roasted beans.

[hamiltont]

Roasted another 3 quarts of beans today along with smoking a turkey & a few brats. As they all "rested" in the kitchen I can't explain how unbelievable it smelled with all 3 of the aromas melding together. It was amazing!  Cheers!!!

I've actually come to detest the smell of resting coffee beans.  i don't know why, but over the past 6 months it's gotten worse and worse.  I still love the coffee, but not the smell of fresh roasted beans.

Oh man, that's most unfortunate... What do you think caused such an affliction?  Cheers!!!

[corkybstewart]

Roasted another 3 quarts of beans today along with smoking a turkey & a few brats. As they all "rested" in the kitchen I can't explain how unbelievable it smelled with all 3 of the aromas melding together. It was amazing!  Cheers!!!

I've actually come to detest the smell of resting coffee beans.  i don't know why, but over the past 6 months it's gotten worse and worse.  I still love the coffee, but not the smell of fresh roasted beans.

I have no idea, but I just leave them in the garage for about 24 hours now and then put them in a sealed mason jar. It's no big deal, I still can't imagine not having fresh roasted coffee.  I even grind and vacuum seal enough for vacation if I'll be staying at a place with a coffee maker like a rental cottage or family member's house.
Oh man, that's most unfortunate... What do you think caused such an affliction?  Cheers!!!

[Slowbrew]

Roasted another 3 quarts of beans today along with smoking a turkey & a few brats. As they all "rested" in the kitchen I can't explain how unbelievable it smelled with all 3 of the aromas melding together. It was amazing!  Cheers!!!

I've actually come to detest the smell of resting coffee beans.  i don't know why, but over the past 6 months it's gotten worse and worse.  I still love the coffee, but not the smell of fresh roasted beans.

Oh man, that's most unfortunate... What do you think caused such an affliction?  Cheers!!!

I can understand that.  The smoke is quite pungent when you're sitting in the cloud roasting the beans.  I also don't really like that level of aroma but once I start cooling and the smoke clears I'm back loving the smell. 

Paul

[hamiltont]

For those of you considering roasting your own coffee Menards currently has the Air Crazy Popcorn Popper on sale for $9.99 after and $8.00 rebate. That's a heck of a deal!  It's 1040 Watts which isn't the most desirable (1200-1400 Watts) but a reviewer on AMAZON says he uses this popper successfully.  Go to page 8 on the Menards link below for more details. Cheers!!!

http://menards.inserts2online.com/pageLarge.jsp?pageNumber=1&showFlash=true&fullScreen=true

[brewmichigan]

For those of you considering roasting your own coffee Menards currently has the Air Crazy Popcorn Popper on sale for $9.99 after and $8.00 rebate. That's a heck of a deal!  It's 1040 Watts which isn't the most desirable (1200-1400 Watts) but a reviewer on AMAZON says he uses this popper successfully.  Go to page 8 on the Menards link below for more details. Cheers!!!

http://menards.inserts2online.com/pageLarge.jsp?pageNumber=1&showFlash=true&fullScreen=true

This is one I just bought. I'm not sold on it yet. It doesn't have much air volume to move the beans around but someone mentioned using chopsticks to get them moving so they don't burn. Also, shaking might work.

[boulderbrewer]

I rely on the thermometer on my roaster, gene cafe.

I think crack depends on the process rather than the temperature, but we are roasting in a differernt way. An apples to oranges roasting method.

I see, your roaster is probably measuring the temp of the roaster rather than emerged in the beans. I can certainly see that being much hotter than the bean temp.

It is measuring the heat at the front part of the chamber, to describe it it is like a hair dryer from hell. the glass of the chamber holds alot of heat so I think the beans get the actual heat but more of a wash of heat rather than the constant of a oven or the like. Like brewing beer it(time and temp) depends on the process.