Hello Kevin,

I would like to soften a bit the clear statement from Susan.

For sure, the start with a Gene or a Behmor is easier and softer.

But if you are playing around a bit at start, with the empty roaster, to learn how it reacts and study the Artisan curves to have an idea what you are going for, it is really possible.
Maybe you will have the "chance" to blend some unplanned darker beans with a lighter roast, but this can happen with another roaster as well.

If it is just one roaster out of several options for you, check for a more simple version to start with.
If you like the Huky, the philosophy and what you see --- go for it.
The feeling about having bought the wrong compromize is much harder to take (for me).
Just my personal feeling
Peter

Hi guys,

I'm very new to the forum and I've been reading quite a bit about the Huky. What I would really like to know is if I cannot master a roast, have even your worst attempts been drinkable?

I'm hoping that this doesn't turn out to be so complicated that I just shut down. I have an opportunity to purchase a use Huky approximately 1 year old. Is there anything you would look for before buying?

Thanks in advance for your input

Kevin

Those charge/turningpoint/dry-end times and temps are fine with me.
If you take a look at these graphs, I guess that you can figure out how to change your control scheme. I.e. when to make a change so that the roast doesn't jump back on you. The jump of BT and DeltaBT when rising the fan isn't that bad to the roast, but I usually try to lower the heat some 10-20 seconds before rising the fan.
In the last phase of the roast, you do get a definite "flick", starting just after the middle of first crack. Again, you can be preempative (sp?) and lower the heat (to say 0.5 kPa) some 30 seconds into 1C and balance the roast with the fan at a rather high setting.
I get the feeling that the roasts are "running away" from you in the end. Hasving enough time in the development phase is not bad, but rushing towards and into 2C just produces French roasts, which in most cases is waste of good coffee. On the other hand, keeping the roast at a low RoR (DeltaBT) for development makes the coffee more evenly roasted throughout the bean.
But, you're doing good. You're just a few roasts into learning about roasting with the Huky.

The original AC fan is rated at around 230 CFM, but as it's AC, it's not very good for speed control. The recommended device for controlling AC fans seems to be Variacs, but there are other options too.

DCfans are better for speed control. There are DC equivialents fitting the Huky exhaust bowl etc. like this one "PM240-24D-1751B-2TP" which you can find on e.g. EBay. (It's PWM controllable, so using an Arduino (or cheaper clone) connected to Artisan makes it controllable from the Artisan interface.)
This is all discussed in this thread and also in this thread.

Yes and No.
It will come with fittings you can use.
I don't think they are quite safe enough, but they will work.

Do some searching and you will find threads and pictures of better fittings to make the set-up more secure.