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Post by reelchemist on Jan 8, 2009 17:34:13 GMT -5
Here is my sharing. I recently made one a small winnower, the fan I sourced was a Heller exhaust fan (model: HEFL10RW) which has a centrifugal fan, the same as the blowers except 7 times cheaper (picked it up on sale for $45) and it has a built in light so you can winnow at night. The flow rate was 150 m3/hr and was perfect for the dimensions from the plan Clay Gordon has a link to on his site - not the farm one. One other modification was I did not use a speed controller for the fan (I am told a dimmer switch would surfice - $30) I just used different lengths of tubing to accommodate the different grades of nib/chaff from grading with sieves. Works very well and is so much quicker than using a hair dryer and baking tin. Because of the shape and weight of the exhaust fan I didn't need to build a mounting for it. I just sit it on a table and have a tube from the bottom going through a hole in a storage box to catch the nibs. I also put a screen over the intake of the exhaust fan to stop stray chaff from being sucked in. This won't hurt the fan it just sends the chaff straight in with the nibs (no point in that is there). I truely got everything I needed from one hardware store - the Heller fan was a top find. The unit could be put together by a child of 5, just push bits together and if they don't fit so good tape them. The pic shows the winnower and the child (daughter) of 5 that helped me put it together and winnow the beans. She also partakes in the final product with great gusto.
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Post by reelchemist on Jan 8, 2009 17:39:17 GMT -5
Hmmm can't work out how to put the pic in, I am sure it is simple but what I tried didn't work. Help?
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Post by jamescary on Jan 11, 2009 11:28:51 GMT -5
good job, brad.. thanks for sharing your story with your new winnower.. i watched a movie called bottle shock recently. the movie told the story of early California wine producers and the blind taste test where a California wine beat French wines. In the movie, the producers used the line "If one wins, we all win." I think it's very much the same with artisan chocolate. reelchemist, I posted something on photos here: chocolatetalk.proboards56.com/index.cgi?board=suggestoins&action=display&thread=528&page=1#2919
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Post by claygordon on Jul 28, 2011 12:01:53 GMT -5
Brad: I applaud you for being open enough to post the description of your winnower. Given that others here have been willing to post photos and/or plans - especially John's newest design, how about posting a photo and/or cross-section sketch of yours. I think a lot of people are having a hard time visualizing what yours actually looks like. I think that this will help people make a decision about which approach makes the most sense for them. Thanks, :: Clay P.S. I am sharing this information in the spirit of encouraging other people to share. I believe this is more than enough information to create your own if you use your imagination. Call me fickle if you like.
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Post by Brad on Jul 29, 2011 2:03:59 GMT -5
Clay; I've provided more than enough information. It's certainly more than I had when I designed the thing. I've been thinking about adding a barometric pressure monitor tied to a laser actuated nib diameter regulator, to ensure that as the nibs fall from the top of the machine to the bin 6 feet below they remain consistent in size. After all, the atmospheric pressure on the nibs changes with elevation, resulting in a potential deviation in the overall size and density of each nib, which could in theory affect refining time, oxidation, and subsequently flavor development at each elevation It might even be worthwhile to capture the readout of the regulator, and measure the relation of altitude to nib diameter in order to determine at what height the refiners should be most effective to save time and electricity during the refining process. ...or we could just install a flux capacitor and level out the entire curve! Either way, this gadget's good for at least another $5k tacked on to the price of the machine! Shall I include those specs with the drawings too? Haha! I'm just messing with you Clay! Cheers. Brad P.S. This was one of the funnest posts I've written on a chocolate forum! ;D
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Post by itsallaroundyou on Jul 29, 2011 15:07:03 GMT -5
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Post by claygordon on Jul 30, 2011 17:42:12 GMT -5
As usual Brad, you miss the point entirely. Making fun of me might be your idea of fun, but it does reveal much more of who you are really are than anything anyone else can say.
:: Clay
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