Matt and I did an impromptu class this evening on the Freeze Dryer, topped off the oil in the vacuum pump and started a load of ice cream sandwiches and various other foods.
Hopefully it will have completed by Sunday evening. It is currently plugged in at the dock 50A socket and is parked near the reloading office.
When you get a class on the schedule let me know. I see lots of delicious fruits in the future
This is good news!
If I can make a suggestion - I would like to get some kind of scheduling up for the freeze dryer. It can take some prep and some $ to get a proper load going. It is not going to be fun to have a bunch of fresh fruit/ice cream/whatever ready to run only to show up to DMS and find out it is running already.
We could do something as simple as a shared google calendar to some custom website scheduling app.
Is there some kind of sensory rig we can set up to help gauge when something is actually done? I ran a batch if ice cream bars a while back. The very center was still moist on several of them. I had to put them back in for a while. I was pretty sure I prepped(razored slits in paper etc) them and ran them for long enough. Maybe we can even put a webcam on the condensation chamber to see when it needs to be emptied.
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I second the calendar idea.
Was initially interested in freeze drying a lot of hot peppers. Figured it may not be a good idea to taint the pump oil with pepper jazz.
The best way to tell that stuff is done is to watch the temperature in the specimen chamber. The thermostat there should be set to just above freezing (34 degrees or so). While food is drying, the actual temperature in that chamber will be somewhat lower than freezing (I usually see 18-24 degrees). Once there is no more water sublimating the temperature in that chamber will rise to the thermostat setting. I’d let it go a few hours beyond that just to be sure.
Something else I do is tightly seal the freeze dried food and place it in the refrigerator. If there is still moisture present it will get spongy/soft. If that happens, refreeze and place back into freeze dryer. Rinse and repeat.
I’ve got some 3d printer filament that has moisture issues, I’d like to try the vacuum freeze dryer on it. Would there be a problem with trying this out, would it be possible to get some personal instruction on how to operate it or is there a class scheduled?
The freeze dryer is only for food!! 
Stick it in the oven…on low of course.
Or on high. I’m always for some good entertainment. 
A carboard box, a small computer fan, and a 60-100 watt incandescent bulb will create a very nice dryer for pla or even beef jerky.
Let me know when the next class is. I’d like to freeze dry some things…