Kava Preparation Homemade Instant Kava - Construction
- Thread starter The Kap'n
- Start date
Thanks![/quote]
Yes, it's being strained through a paradise kava Fijian strainer. On the Fu'u and finer grinds I've been doubling the strainer.
Vekta, I've yet to get any boroguru. I will definitely be getting some when I run out of the other types that I have.
New development.
I purchased a small rock tumbler and have fashioned it into a micronizing ball mill. I'm using ceramic ball media to do the grinding. I set it running for about 2 hours. You can see for yourself that it's now truly a micronized instant kava product.
Before picture of stone (pre-micronized)
Below is the powder after rolling in the mill. I lost about 1.5 grams of product during the process which is stuck to the ceramic pellets. I have purchased and am waiting on a pack of yttrium stabilized zirconium oxide balls which cost nearly more than the mill itself. From what I read they are nearly hard as diamond and aren't porous like the ceramics are so less product loss and finer grind.
I purchased a small rock tumbler and have fashioned it into a micronizing ball mill. I'm using ceramic ball media to do the grinding. I set it running for about 2 hours. You can see for yourself that it's now truly a micronized instant kava product.
Before picture of stone (pre-micronized)
Below is the powder after rolling in the mill. I lost about 1.5 grams of product during the process which is stuck to the ceramic pellets. I have purchased and am waiting on a pack of yttrium stabilized zirconium oxide balls which cost nearly more than the mill itself. From what I read they are nearly hard as diamond and aren't porous like the ceramics are so less product loss and finer grind.
Kapm, i dont know what u do for a living but u should seriously consider renting a commercial kitchen and starting this as a business. go on kickstarter and get some funding 
i think everyone here would pay to have instants of their favorite kavas.
i wonder if there's any legal issue reselling another companys kava, but u are modifying it so maybe its ok
i think everyone here would pay to have instants of their favorite kavas.
i wonder if there's any legal issue reselling another companys kava, but u are modifying it so maybe its ok
krunkedout
Kava Lover
Yes please do sell them and start a bizz!
You might want to look at stainless steel ball bearings. You can get some that we would consider made to "match grade tolerances" in .50 caliber that might be cheaper should you reconsider. We use them as match grade slingshot ammo in the slingshot shooting circles I frequent.
Vekta, originally the stainless steel w/ chrome plating media was what I was going to run with, but for some reason the zirconium media caught my eye. I know it's probably impossible, but I didn't want to risk any metal being added to the grind by accident. However yes, stainless steel is the most popular media 2nd to lead (FYI lead will never be part of my process). The way I found this idea actually was visiting many pyrotechnic websites where they were grinding black powder. Kava takes a fraction of the time and it's completely micronized! I want to preserve the purity of the kava in every way I can. I clean and sterilize everything between batches just to make sure that each batch is unique to its cultivar and vendor.
Don't worry guys. I do plan on looking into setting up some way for you to get your hands on this. At this time I'm just ironing out the kinks and trying to perfect the workflow of it all. It's actually quite a labor intensive process. I've already got my eye on a second heating plate though, seeing as these you can daisy chain together. I'm also in talks with a friend of mine to weld up a press for kava instead of me sitting there for hours squeezing. I'm thinking a 30 minute soak paired with a 30 second blend with a 2 or 3 ton press will get it where it needs to be.
Don't worry guys. I do plan on looking into setting up some way for you to get your hands on this. At this time I'm just ironing out the kinks and trying to perfect the workflow of it all. It's actually quite a labor intensive process. I've already got my eye on a second heating plate though, seeing as these you can daisy chain together. I'm also in talks with a friend of mine to weld up a press for kava instead of me sitting there for hours squeezing. I'm thinking a 30 minute soak paired with a 30 second blend with a 2 or 3 ton press will get it where it needs to be.
kl.new2kava
Kava Enthusiast
You could just go a nearby hunting or gun store and buy 00 buck stainless steel shotgun pellets for hand loading. My dad hand loads all his rounds and gets burlap sacks full of steel shot for damn cheap. Would certainly save you a ton of money. Since you already ordered the other it's a little lat, but this would be great in the meantime.
krunkedout
Kava Lover
Kapm, you are one hell of a kavasseur and will go down in kava forum history.
Nashville! Country music and kava. (one of which I despise)
Ok. I've been researching vacuum drying for about 20-30 hours this week and I have reached a conclusion. The heating plate is out. I'm going high tech.
Above is the Savant UVS400 which is a vacuum system which pulls the water from the kava through a glass container at -50 degrees Celsius. This collects all the water from the kava and I'm left with a pristinely dry kava product with no heat added. So what that leaves me with is instant kava that has no change in flavor what-so-ever.
Below is the vacuum chamber I will be vacuum drying the kava in.
And yes. I will be selling custom blends when this gets up and running. I will be posting the process here on this project as well.
Ok. I've been researching vacuum drying for about 20-30 hours this week and I have reached a conclusion. The heating plate is out. I'm going high tech.
Above is the Savant UVS400 which is a vacuum system which pulls the water from the kava through a glass container at -50 degrees Celsius. This collects all the water from the kava and I'm left with a pristinely dry kava product with no heat added. So what that leaves me with is instant kava that has no change in flavor what-so-ever.
Below is the vacuum chamber I will be vacuum drying the kava in.
And yes. I will be selling custom blends when this gets up and running. I will be posting the process here on this project as well.