TOP LEFT: A converted and customized coffee bean roaster works like a champ for cacao. TOP RIGHT: The Crankenstein is a grinder for beer hops, customized with a wider gap between the rollers for cocoa beans to fit through. BOTTOM LEFT: After it’s ground, winnowers are used to blow off the bean’s shell from the meat. Childs modified plans he found online for a winnower designed for agricultural use in developing nations. They cobbled together a spare blower from Heckert’s shop using a Shop-Vac found on a sidewalk, and made a vibrating feeder using a vibrator from another old machine. After adding some PVC pipe, the total cost was $12.

RIGHT: These wet mixers, now used as chocolate melan-gers, were made to mix Indian curries. Temperature control is essential when making chocolate, so Heckert took Childs’ design and outfitted the mixers with infrared sensors and cheap space heaters that blow just the right amount of hot air on the oozing goodness.

Make: 31