Seasoning the drum

[wideasleep1]

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[edtbjon]

About the seasoning... There are two things going with that. When it comes to taste, the inside of the drum needs to have some coffee oil burnt in. I made that with low-grade beans when I started with the roaster. As I didn't expect to get good results while learning to use the Huky, I figured I could just as well let the beans go into Vienna+ without having to boher. Besides, I started to learn about how the controls of the Huky and Artisan worked in the process.
Second, the outside of the drum. I did that after reading a long thread on HB (linked in an earlier thread) on seasoning the drum. The arguments for burning/browning the outside with oil convinced me. I recon that the drum will get a tan after a while, which slowly will make it more responsive to the heat source, but I rather have the responsiveness to the heat from the very beginning. (I rarely go over say 1.8 kPa on the gasmeter even with a full load of greens.)

[Gregr]

About the seasoning... snip ... I recon that the drum will get a tan after a while, which slowly will make it more responsive to the heat source, but I rather have the responsiveness to the heat from the very beginning. (I rarely go over say 1.8 kPa on the gasmeter even with a full load of greens.)

I can relate to not wanting to change how beautiufl the roaster is out of the bo but I definitely noticed an increase in responsiveness, especially while trying to stretch out the development stage, after the roaster had been used a while. I didn't do any pre-emptive seasoning though- just wrecked a lot of beans in those early days 
Wideasleep- thanks for all the work showing us how to take the roaster apart, etc.-- that's extremely helpful.

[John F]

I'm with Susan on this one.

[hankua]

I got three coats of flax oil cooked on. Just flipped the roaster over and used a rag to apply the oil; no dissembly necessary. Turn motor on and gently apply a generous even coat.

[John F]

What is a coating of flax oil on the drum supposed to be doing?

I've read "more responsive" several times but what does it do/how does it work?

I still can't help but wonder if you are all crazy. 

Tell me why I'm wrong and this isn't just superstition. Seems like adding an insulating layer would make it less responsive via holding heat.

[Bryan]

What size are the holes on the perforated drum? I'm wondering about others experiences when using some of the smaller grade beans. Some of the Sumatran beans I have used are elongated and would they get stuck in the holes.

[edtbjon]

What is a coating of flax oil on the drum supposed to be doing?

I've read "more responsive" several times but what does it do/how does it work?

I still can't help but wonder if you are all crazy. 

Tell me why I'm wrong and this isn't just superstition. Seems like adding an insulating layer would make it less responsive via holding heat.

First a link to the HB thread I read which made me decide to season my drum. In that thread you can find direct comparisons before and after seasoning the drum.
To answer the question in short: The stainless steel surface of the drum is rather shiny and reflects a good amount of heat (which is true for all stainless steel drums, not only the Huky...). A duller (preferably dull black) surface absorbs much more heat than a semi-shiny stainless steel surface. The outside seasoning is to make the drum absorb more of the heat (and consequently transfer it to the inside...). To take the shine off either BBQ type paint or burnt oil is used. Personally I don't paint my food , so I burnt some veg.oil on the surface instead.

In practice, I'd guess that I use a 10-30% lower gas setting to have the same roast profile going, compared to a non-seasoned drum. (I had a very light coat on for the first month and even though other things (ventilation) have changed since then too, I had to use much more gas pressure to get my roasts going at the tempo I was aiming at.)

[Gregr]

Great answer!

[SusanJoM]

I'm guessing I'm saved from having to change my position due to having a perforated drum?

[SusanJoM]

(I rarely go over say 1.8 kPa on the gasmeter even with a full load of greens.)

Really?  Is this right? 

[hankua]

(I rarely go over say 1.8 kPa on the gasmeter even with a full load of greens.)

Really?  Is this right?

Susan, he's using a gas mixture to prevent icing/freezing. Could be it burns differently than straight propane.

[hankua]

Back to the original question, the airflow is quite different between solid and perforated drums. I have a diagram from a Japanese roasting manual illustrating this point and will try to dig it up.

[SusanJoM]

(I rarely go over say 1.8 kPa on the gasmeter even with a full load of greens.)

Really?  Is this right?

Susan, he's using a gas mixture to prevent icing/freezing. Could be it burns differently than straight propane.

Ah, well that might well 'splain it.  I probably missed that somewhere in another conversation. 

But I get a bit tired of grabbing onto straws of information about how each of our set-ups differ and how those differences impact the profiles we see and try to emulate....and then finding those straws to be......um....straw :-)))))

Hard data is very hard to come by when we are all so far apart.  Our numbers and our words and even our profiles all lie to some extent, so even when we try ...

Oh I will stop whining.
I guess over time we will accumulate that more accurate information that I am craving....

[hankua]

Just a matter of "taming the beast", and it's possible the solid drum is easier to control than the "direct fire" perforated version. Maybe a member can comment on how they differ, ie: which one is easier to use.

You could break out the tools and try switching out the drum?