Pete, are you talking about the Hottop "P"? I highly suggest the "B' over the "P". I fell into the same allure the P gave but in reality the B is more controllable.
I would look into building a BBQ roaster because of the climate you live in, amount that can be roasted, and heat control. If I can figure out a way to add a bean mass probe to the drum I will be building one for myself for those big roasting times.
Shinning metel and burning yourself on it, ah, good old ABS plastic sure is cool to touch and a dirty sponge cleans messes off.
Sweet Maria tins rule, I like the way they look on the countertop.