Working with my new La Cimbali Max Hybrid - Page 4

[Marshall]

My CMH is on a digital timer. I set it for 8-9 seconds for a 19-21g double, depending on the fineness of the grind. This assumes the hopper is properly loaded, as it was designed to be used (no less than 3-5 doubles' worth). Occasionally a grind will take 7-1/2 seconds, never 10.

Loading one drink at a time could take a minute or two of pulsing to get all the popcorning beans through their long grinding path and would also deliver a notably inferior shot.

[Bex]

I grind with half a bag of beans in the grinder, but count in my head. Come to think of it, though, I was always feared for having the fastest 5-mississippi rush on the playground.

[IMAWriter]

Hi rob - I turn my CMH on and count to 11 seconds, turn it off. That tends to fill the PF with grinds (but not overfill it too much, so little waste). Level, tamp, pull.

7.5 seconds would grind enough for a single, but not a double.

I'm coming from an MDF, that took 25-30 seconds to grind enough for a double, so this is like driving on the autobahn for me.

LOL
Ya know, having that bit of "stretch", may make it easier to get close...7.5-8 seconds can get by quickly...truth is, espresso at home is a bit of a wasteful, messy business....but when it's right....well worth it.

[BradS]

I definitely feel that grinding *too* fast is somewhat of a negative. My Major grinds a 15 gram double in about 4 +/- seconds. It's nearly impossible to put that directly into the basket without spraying a bit over the sides. But by contrast, with the stock doser I was grinding 9 seconds for a double and wasting the rest because of the poor doser design (poor design for home use, which it clearly states in the paperwork that it's a capital offense to do so!).

While it's evident that the better grinds come from these relatively large grinders, it's likely that the slower-rotating conicals would be a bit more mannerly for home use in addition to the purported superior grind quality. Anyone know how fast the M7KR will grind 15 grams? That's 68mm X 400 RPM, and I would think it would be very modest output-wise. I'm beginning to think that anything doserless that grinds a double faster than about 8 seconds is going to be fairly messy no matter how you try and harness it.

Cheers,

Brad

[IMAWriter]

Brad...i wasn't interested in a doserless...my SJ has a doser, with the usual modification to the sweeper blades...I used the rubber side of velcro strips as opposed to electrical tape, etc.

[BradS]

Rob... I realized that, and that some people prefer the doser over doserless. I was just expanding on the "wasteful, messy" phrase you used, and I feel it's somewhat proportional to the output of the grinder. More wasteful for a doser model, more messy for a doserless model.

Cheers,

Brad

[PhillySteve]

My CMH is on a digital timer. I set it for 8-9 seconds for a 19-21g double, depending on the fineness of the grind.

I agree with the approx 8 seconds for a double. Marshall, Can you post a link to where I can get the digital timer you're using? I love that idea!

[Marshall]

I agree with the approx 8 seconds for a double. Marshall, Can you post a link to where I can get the digital timer you're using? I love that idea!

It's a commercial kitchen model that Waring made for blenders. They seem to have discontinued it since they started making blenders with built-in timers. I hear some people use darkroom timers, although they are pricey and not as simple to wipe off.

[PhillySteve]

It's a commercial kitchen model that Waring made for blenders. They seem to have discontinued it since they started making blenders with built-in timers. I hear some people use darkroom timers, although they are pricey and not as simple to wipe off.

Darn! If you have a model numer, I'd like to try and dig something up. What I'd love to do is mod the Max Hybrid and build a timer into it. The case doesn't seem too difficult to cut a window into. I'm just at a loss as to finding the right hardware.

[Marshall]

Darn! If you have a model numer, I'd like to try and dig something up. What I'd love to do is mod the Max Hybrid and build a timer into it. The case doesn't seem too difficult to cut a window into. I'm just at a loss as to finding the right hardware.

FWIW, here's where I originally found it on Schomer's site. I have the single-timer Model 32CA83. http://www.espressovivace.com/archives/lucidcafe/LC25.pdf

[PhillySteve]

FWIW, here's where I originally found it on Schomer's site. I have the single-timer Model 32CA83. http://www.espressovivace.com/archives/lucidcafe/LC25.pdf

Pretty elucive device! Hopefully there is something funtionally equivalent available somewhere.

[cafeIKE]

Pretty elucive device! Hopefully there is something funtionally equivalent available somewhere.

For the non-electrically challenged ONLY One Shot Timer module.

[Cafesp]

... More wasteful for a doser model, more messy for a doserless model.

Cheers,

Brad

And more $$$ to spend, more time to talk...
And the bottom line is
We all ENJOY it

Cafesp

[jmcphail]

I find that as my skills improve and become more consistent, my dosing and grooming are much less wasteful. Lately no waste at all actually.

My Max/Hybrid doses in a neat little stream, and I move the portafilter around a bit to aid distribution while I wack the thwacker; when it's "almost there" I hit the off button with the back of my fingers on one of my "backstrokes" and continue until the doser chamber is empty. The effect is that the grinder turns off a few thwacks before I'm done dosing. I have the doser configured to its tightest setting, which I think means the smallest amount possible dosed with each thwack.

The On/Off button pair is placed very well to use during dosing, right behind the dose lever at rest; I suspect some thought went into their design and placement. I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to do with the information the dose counter provides...

[cafeIKE]

I have the doser configured to its tightest setting, which I think means the smallest amount possible dosed with each thwack.

Don't think it makes much difference as the segment never fills when thwack dosing.

I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to do with the information the dose counter provides...

Lube and oil at each rollover

[jmcphail]

Hah! Maybe inspect the CV boots down there, too

I've never watched it, but I think you're right about the doser segment - I probably rip out 20+ thwacks in just a few seconds, those little segments are rotating by pretty quickly.

[PhillySteve]

My Max/Hybrid doses in a neat little stream, and I move the portafilter around a bit to aid distribution while I wack the thwacker; when it's "almost there" I hit the off button with the back of my fingers on one of my "backstrokes" and continue until the doser chamber is empty. The effect is that the grinder turns off a few thwacks before I'm done dosing.

Hey, that's exactly my system. Great minds... I'm pretty happy with it. It really improves on my Mazzer Mini in important ways. Great grind quality. I love the way the grinds drop straight down into the PF (my mini definitely had the classic left throw). The doser collects far fewer residual grinds. It is a bit faster. Now, if I can just find a timer to put on it -- or better yet, build into it.

It's tough to top Mazzer for build quality and quietness, though.

[PhillySteve]

For the non-electrically challenged ONLY One Shot Timer module.

Thanks! Is that a knob at the center to adjust duration? I wonder if there is a digital version.

[RAS]

I agree with the approx 8 seconds for a double. Marshall, Can you post a link to where I can get the digital timer you're using? I love that idea!

It's a commercial kitchen model that Waring made for blenders. They seem to have discontinued it since they started making blenders with built-in timers. I hear some people use darkroom timers, although they are pricey and not as simple to wipe off.Marshall
Los Angeles

I've mentioned the timer that I'm using in a couple other threads... I like it so much, that it's certainly worth mentioning again - it works great with my Max-Hybrid. GraLab 450 timer. I got mine brand new on eBay for about $75, and they can be had for less. It's a "dark room timer" for photography, but it works great here too. Here's a link: http://www.gralab.com/products/details.asp?ID=12.

[IMAWriter]

ken fox has commented in another thread that he is skeptical that beans suffer noticeably from being in the hopper for a couple of days. I think his comment was that if the un-ground beans go stale in that period of time, then "we are talking about something that stales faster than milk or bread." Maybe run a search for ken fox as the poster, with milk, bread and stale as the required terms.

I would agree with Ken on this. I recently started using my huge hopper again...just tired of the tamper switching, etc. I noticed no degradation...in fact, the shots were actually more defined.


Edit...I'm getting old!...I posted another version of the above about a page and a half back....Oy!