Posted Thu May 15, 2008, 11:56am Subject: Re: Dialing in my Macap m4 stepless ?
This seems like the ideal thread to ask this: On a MXKR (or other Macap stepless, I'm guessing) do you expect the zero to move?
I ask b/c when I first got the grinder a week ago, I found the zero point and then marked the housing and the ring with little dots of red acrylic paint so I would know how far from zero certain settings were. I started having some real problems with channeling and taste shifts in the last couple of days, so I decided to confirm the zero point as part of my diagnosis.
It shifted to the left about 1/2 a number. I'm confused, slightly concerned and hoping that this was just a 'break in' thing. Once I lowered the grind by 1/2 a number I was back (approximately) to the quality of shot I had before when I gave up at midnight last night.
It messed me all up. I started having nothing but blonde gushers right about the time I switched to a new bag of coffee and couldn't figure it out at all. Finally took Silvia apart, cleaned her real well, then dialed the grinder down to where I was choking her and walked back up to good shots. I'm almost a full number below where I was grinding. 3.4 vice 4.3
bobvilax2000 Senior Member Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 126 Location: Cincinnati, OH Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Rotary Brewtus Grinder: Macap MXK, Rocky Drip: Swiss Gold One Cup Roaster: Behm
Posted Fri May 16, 2008, 6:09am Subject: Re: Dialing in my Macap m4 stepless ?
Do you turn the motor on when you change grind settings? I know it says it in the book. Just ruling it out. I would imagine that despite all best efforts some gunk will get in the threads and disturb the grind a bit, maybe showing itself after a week. I cleaned my MKX after a month of use and had a line of coffee residue around a single thread. I confess to not knowing my zero point, however. I found it when I first got the grinder, but it's so far away from where I grind that it's not even useful to know where it is. I wish that I did note it so I could give better reference. Maybe Jon, who has the M7K could weigh in?
To me, if it changed after a week I would just keep an eye on it since you can still get good shots after adjusting grind. If you have to continue grinding down then maybe you have a problem.
I don't actually. I use the same mini-PVC hopper that a lot of people seem to come up with, but even that would mean 1. chewing through a lot of beans to make any substantial adjustment, 2. Trying to empty the throat, which also does't work all that well. or 3. only adjusting when the grinder is empty.
As far as I can determine from how the adjustment mechanism works, it shouldn't have any effect. From what I got from somewhere, (Chris' Coffee, I think) is that the whole "have it on to adjust" thing is merely to make sure you don't inadvertantly zero the grinder while adjust and either lock the grinder up and burn out the motor, or screw up the burrs. (And I never get close to zero when adjusting grind)
If I'm being dumb, though, please tell me. It wouldn't be the first stupid thing I've done since starting this adventure. And I'm bloody certain it won't be the last.
JVBorella Senior Member Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 405 Location: northeastern CT. Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: LaSpaziale S1 Vivaldi 2 Grinder: Macap M4,KA Pro,Zassenhaus... Vac Pot: Press Pots/Finum Filters Drip: Melitta BCM-4c Roaster: Before Long
Posted Fri May 16, 2008, 11:10am Subject: Re: Dialing in my Macap m4 stepless ?
It depends how far "down" you are moving it. I doubt it matters for small increments but going from a drip or Areopress setting to Espresso can jam the burrs as you will have larger bean pieces trapped between them. With the machine running any pieces too large for the Espresso setting will be ground up before you get there. Sounds weird but I did have this happen & now always run the grinder when moving more then a couple teeth finer.
Posted Fri May 16, 2008, 12:32pm Subject: Re: Dialing in my Macap m4 stepless ?
I've jammed my M4 when I went from a 4-5 setting to a 1.2 without the motor running (had just run some Grindz through it). I thought it had just died until I heard the motor trying to turn. I dropped the ring back to around 4-5, hit the switch (the grinder worked now) and made my adjustment again, and everything was fine.
Posted Tue May 20, 2008, 10:27am Subject: Re: Dialing in my Macap m4 stepless ?
OK i think ive got it now. Took al the beans out and started up the macap and adjusted till i could hear faint tinging indicated the burrs were touching turned it off and marked it on worm gear and then opened it to JVBorella's suggested 1.4 from zero and am getting good shots, not great but good. I guess i have to work on my distribution and tamping, sometimes too tight tamp and others good but i get pinhole spurts.*heavysigh* this is soo a work in progress LOL. I have the doser model and i see hw to reduce the amount of coffee from one lever pull on the doser but the adjustment knob inside doesnt want to increase this amount? am i missing something? Thanks s
bobvilax2000 Senior Member Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 126 Location: Cincinnati, OH Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Rotary Brewtus Grinder: Macap MXK, Rocky Drip: Swiss Gold One Cup Roaster: Behm
Posted Tue May 20, 2008, 12:42pm Subject: Re: Dialing in my Macap m4 stepless ?
essjay22 Said:
I have the doser model and i see hw to reduce the amount of coffee from one lever pull on the doser but the adjustment knob inside doesnt want to increase this amount? am i missing something? Thanks s
Are you using the doser as a doser? The only way that it will be accurate is if it's filled with ground coffee, which isn't even logical in most cafes let alone homes. Maybe you should give a step by step of your routine.
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