Getting started with MACAP M4 Stepless

[cmeisel]

I got my new Andreja Premium and MACAP M4 Stepless grinder yesterday and I love them.
I unpacked them, set everything up and I think in a few weeks I will make good coffee. There are two things I am very unsure off and need some advice.

1. I set up the grinder as instructed (find zero point and then move 1.5 steps back for espresso. But I was not sure if they meant 1.5 rotations or 1.5 numbers (goes from 0-9 total)

2. The bigger problem is the Andreja. When I put in the coffee basket and screw it in (moving to the right to tighten it) this seems to activate the machine for a split second (while I apply pressure to tighten). The dip switch seems way too sensitive and too close to the handle.

thanks

claus

[HB]

1. For espresso, they mean 1.5 numbers (or around 1/8th turn above the zero point).

2. Sounds like the cam is too close to the activation switch, or you're torquing the portafilter so hard, the machine body is flexing (a bad habit of my own). I would have to check, but I think the switch is "sandwiched" by two nuts and the amount of protrusion can be adjusted. If not, a washer should increase the switch's distance from the cam enough to prevent false starts on lock-in.

[cmeisel]

sorry for wanting more details but for the grinder this means that if my zero point is 0 (on the 0-9 wheel) I will roughly end up at 1.5 ?

thanks again

claus

[HB]

You can safely ignore the numbers on the dial, they rarely align with the true zero point, which is defined as the setting where the burrs begin to touch. To find the true zero point, run the grinder until the chamber is clear of any grinds. Turn it off and spin down the burrs until they touch; if you don't want to turn the incremental adjustment, you can simply remove the small screws holding the black plastic "ring" on and then the upper burr will spin freely (hint: put something in the throat of the grinder so you don't drop those tiny screws in there!).

You can carefully turn the upper burr in the finer direction (collar should rotate counter-clockwise) while the motor is running and listen for the sound of the burrs touching too, but the sound of metal-on-metal makes some people nervous. If the chamber is clear of grinds, the motor off method is accurate enough. Once you've marked the real zero point, rotate the collar slightly over 1/8th turn coarser and you'll be in espresso territory.

[Fr. John]

Original post:

This has probably been posted but I haven't found it.

My M4 stepless will arrive today. To save some time I'd like a hint at where I might start the grind settings, i.e. with my Rocky dialed into zero, I was usually grinding in the 9-10 range. Can someone give me a rough idea of where to start?

OK, so I set the zero point just fine. After some more reading here I see that 1.5 is a good place to start. However, I have a couple of questions I can't figure out.

1. Obviously the numbers on the dial are all but useless, both from a cosmetic standpoint and technical (as the zero point is rarely on zero, of which this machine doesn't show a zero anyhow). My question is is there a mark or arrow somewhere on this machine, am I missing it? Regardless of the number on the dial, there should be a reference line or mark fixed somewhere or are you all just eyeballing the center of the machine as your mark? I'm not talking about marks on the ring here for various grinds, I'm talking about a set fixed point to line those points up with. (that was long winded but I hope clear enough, in reading it, it sounds more like a tutorial ala Zaphod Beeblebrox).

2. The hopper gate obstructs view of the already hard to see dial (I will be marking it soon enough with grease pencil or other). Can it be removed?

3. The counter on mine was already around the 900 mark, should I wonder if it's been used?

[CakeBoy]

My M4 counter was also on a highish number when it arrived. It might have been a testing thing, but you are not alone in having a fairly high number on your doser. Sorry, I cannot help with your other question as my Macap is stepped and presumably the collar housing is completely different. If by chance it is similar, my setting is just below 4.

[HB]

Fr. John, I merged your question with a related topic. Not sure it's an exact fit, but let's see how it goes...

A0. The "start here" setting for espresso depends on the particular blend, how much grounds you're using, the basket type, etc. As you found, the recommendations are somewhere around 1.5 numerical steps on the Macap dial.

A1. No, the Macap doesn't have a notch like the Mazzer Mini:

I took the low tech solution and marked the dial and grinder face with a grease pencil.

A2. Sure, but you'll disable a safety feature. It's to prevent someone from sticking their fingers (or other implement) in a running grinder. Yes, it happens.

A3: They test at the factory, I think the evaluation model was in the low hundreds. I doubt it's used, 900 thwacks isn't as much as it sounds (no snide comments, please).

[Fr. John]

Thanks Dan, merge successful!

To be blunt, I think it's rather asinine for MACAP not to put a line or mark or notch or anything really front and center to give the user something to register off of. I realize that once you have it dialed you will rarely be moving it much, but still a mark would have been nice.

Maybe I'll just drill a small hole there and wire up an LED front and center!

[HB]

Maybe I'll just drill a small hole there and wire up an LED front and center!

My wife pointed out that a dot of white nail polish would work nicely too.

[mtnwoman]

The dial on the macap stepless is my only complaint about that grinder! Since I'm experimenting with numerous beans, I do find myself having to adjust about .5 either way at times. I agree, they need some kind of alignment mark on the housing...and incremental marks on the collar!

To answer the original question, as I look at my hopper, the 7 is front and center on the dial. I find that a few turns of the screw either side of 7 seems to work for the beans I have tried thus far.

[cafeIKE]

There is the screw for the hopper. On mine it lines up more or less behind the spout.

When I clean mine, I put a mark on the threaded collar where it meets the top with a felt pen, a medium point Sharpie. I can remove the upper burr and replace it exactly by lining up the marks. 1 rotation too high and the mark has a gap. 1 turn too low and the mark is almost hidden.

I don't worry about the numbers. I back up a turn and a half with a new roast and turn down 1/2 a turn per day for starters.

The scale is confusing. When the grind is finer, the Wedge on the scale is getting wider relative to a fixed point. With my right hand turning the right adjustment, CW is finer.

[Climb14er]

I received my Macap MC4 dozerless/stepless earier today. I followed the directions and got my zero point which equals to #5 mark.

When you folks mention moving 1.5 steps for the espresso setting to start, forgive my ignorance but is this moving to the #6.5 setting or to the 1.5 marks (clicks) to the right of the #5 zero point?

Thanks!

[jrtatl]

The quick and dirty answer is that, by definition, you can't go finer than your zero point. So, when you spun the dial down to the zero point, you were spinning it in the "finer" direction. Spin the dial in the opposite, or "coarser" direction 1.5 numbers to find your starting point.

[Climb14er]

Thank you. Yes, I believe I understand what you said.

My confusion was to move it 1.5 incremental 'marks' coarser or 1.5 'numbers' (in my case #6.5) as my starting point.

From what you posted, it's 1.5 numbers to the 6.5 setting (to start) and then probably go finer (toward the zero point) from there.

This correct?

[arossphoto]

I received my Macap MC4 dozerless/stepless earier today. I followed the directions and got my zero point which equals to #5 mark.

What are you lining the #5 up to, since the M4 has no alignment mark on the body? I've had the M4 stepless for a week and I've placed a mark in the center of the hopper on the very front of the machine to use as my alignment mark. I've been testing a few different beans and somewhere between 7 and 7.5 seems to work well for me.

Andrew

[Climb14er]

What are you lining the #5 up to, since the M4 has no alignment mark on the body? I've had the M4 stepless for a week and I've placed a mark in the center of the hopper on the very front of the machine to use as my alignment mark. I've been testing a few different beans and somewhere between 7 and 7.5 seems to work well for me.

Andrew

That's excellent. I marked the front/left side of the machine where the black plastic piece is and right above it on the dial was the #5. I could have marked anywhere but this looked convenient, for the time being.

Make sense?

So when I move the dial coarser 2.5 numbers, the #7.5 is now on the mark where the #5 was previously.

[Climb14er]

What are you lining the #5 up to, since the M4 has no alignment mark on the body? I've had the M4 stepless for a week and I've placed a mark in the center of the hopper on the very front of the machine to use as my alignment mark. I've been testing a few different beans and somewhere between 7 and 7.5 seems to work well for me.

Andrew

If I look at my machine and just move it a few 'marks' and not 'numbers', the 7-7.5 is in the middle of my hopper.

So my question still is: marks (on the dial) or (full) numbers to move to the starting point from the zero point?

I apologize for the confusion.

[HB]

So my question still is: marks (on the dial) or (full) numbers to move to the starting point from the zero point?

Really I recommend ignoring the numbers and learn to Trust the Force, Luke! I stripped the "start here" sticker off my Mazzer Mini and went by the feel of the grinds. Other suggestions in Dialing in the Macap MC4 for the first time, excerpted below:

If I remember correctly, the espresso range is about 1/8th turn above the zero point (where the burrs touch). You can confirm the zero point by first running the grinder empty, then turning it off and rotating the collar until the burrs touch (again, the grinder does not need to be running and the chamber must be empty). Grind a sample and pinch it between your fingers. It should feel much coarser than flour, but less coarse than salt. The grinds should stick together slightly; if the beans are fresh and the grinds don't adhere together, it's too coarse. If the grinds hold a fingerprint impression, it's too fine.

With a little practice, you should be able to dial in almost any grinder to a first approximation using less than one double's worth of coffee beans. This was one of the hints during the vignettes of the Extreme Pours video.

[Climb14er]

Thanks guys. I'm running some small test batches and experimenting using little coffee.

When you say 1/8 turn, is this the screw on the back of the Macap that turns the dial or the dial itself that's 1/8 turn?

BTW, I'm more of a feel rather than a thinking guy but this is a first for me with a burr grinder.

Much obliged for the assistance!

[HB]

Sorry, I should have said around 1/8th of a revolution of the collar above the zero point, i.e., approximately the same as 10 minutes on the face of a clock. It works well enough as a starting point for Macaps and Mazzers.