--- Peter Morrin  wrote:
<Snip>
These posts get a little complex trying to respond to your responses to my responses
to your . . .   I'll respond with a couple of points that I can recall.  
Regarding stirring with a spoon.  I agree that spoon stirring has two big problems: 
First, the spoon tends to move the beans around en masse and not do a great job of
changing the relative position of the beans.  Second, without a lot of careful
attention (hard to sustain over the 10 minute roast), it's easy kick beans out of
the bowl especially for larger roasts.  I stir with the stick (handle) end of a
large wooden spoon.  Nice balance.  Hand comfortably away from the beans.  The bowl
shape combined with the stir allows a very excellent vertical mix.  And I lose no
beans. You might give this a try.
Regarding the face mask.  This is the first I've heard this concern raised to this
degree, and I can't imagine a problem concentration of smoke in most outdoor
environments. I'm not denying that smoke of any sort can be caustic, but I wonder if
others have felt the need (or should) for this precaution.
Regarding submerging the heatgun. IMO, we are not trying to replicate air or
fluid-bed roasters. The good ones are carefully designed to provide an excellent mix
and avoid problems that could occur with the inherently variable application of heat
with a hand-held moving source.  With the HG, we take the basic equation (heat +
beans = roast) and apply whatever sensible theory and logic we can to refine the HG
process we are using. I don't believe there will ever be any reliable way to compare
by cupping two otherwise identical roasts to see if submerging is less or more
effective than not submerging.  So it's your logic, theory, and experience (an
intuitive sense developed over a great many roasts) compared to mine.  As I see it
there is a (very slight) cup advantage , a (confirmed) technical stirring advantage,
and a (plausible) theoretical advantage for not submerging. Your results and
thoughts may differ.
Martin
=====
Martin
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Hi,
The I Ching says that man is not happy working without restrictions. If he
has no restrictions nor limitations he will create them!!
For that "reason" I break through "restrictions" as an artificial barrier.
If things work why cast about for difficulties? Neither am I looking for
"exactly the same" each time.
It is the craftsmanship that interests me. That can be hard on (overly)
regulated types.
I guess we will all drimk coffee and get there by all manner of methods. It
is the joy of the coffee that is of real interest. Possibly with the
curiosity of methods to get there too.
I grin at myself to think that after a further series of roasting I may
develop a set of "requirements" of my own. I think not as I will go on to
something else when there is predictability.
Peter.

HeatGunRoast wrote:
<Snip>
I started out stirring with a wooden spoon, and quickly ran into the 
same issues that you mention, Martin.  AMy spoon was rather long, so I 
flipped it over and use the handle end as you are doing.  Somewhere 
along the way, someone suggested usinga wire whisk, and I tried it, and 
I've been using it ever since.  It gives me very nice mixing of the 
beans and a very even roast.  I'm roasting in a mesh colandar, so it is 
deeper than most dog bowls, and I've found that the whisk has been the 
best for me so far.
<Snip>
I've wondered about this, but I tend to agree that the smoke will be 
dispersed pretty quickly, and, as long as you're not holding your face 
directly over the bowl, there shouldnt't be an issue.  Now that I've 
said that, imagine the conversation years down the road when I'm 
experiencing lung problems and when the doctor asks "Are you a smoker" 
and I reply "No... But I do roast coffee..." 
...ron