Thanks for clarifying, prof_stack! My experience with the newer Zass was really nothing to write home about, so I assumed that yours might not be the pinnacle of hand grinders, but if it's been selected from several dozens... So far I've only gone through a bit more than a dozen hand grinders (Zassenhaus, Dienes, Gesto, Kym, Trösser), and the Dienes 88 was the best of the bunch for me.

Looks like I need to save on an HG One in the end.

Cheers,

Roland

Recently scored a Zass 531 (the 'Brilliant' model) that is missing the top metal door or flap or whatever you want to call it. Oddly, I really like it this way. It's not as great from an aesthetic standpoint, but so far zero popcorning issues and I really like being able to see the beans as they descend into the burrs. I was going to try to find or fashion a replacement but now I think I will leave it as is!

Here are some modifications for Dienes 520. First mod is axle stabilizer oil-less brass bearing. Half top of the axle regrinded because of one side of axle is worn. close fit brass bearing made with lathe. Second mod is funnel for burr out. Funnel is made from mini PVC cup by courtesy of my little daughter...

Don't lose the cap nut like me. Cap nut of these grinders M7 which is very hard to find. I found M6 cap nut and it rethread with M7 thread cutting tool.

Grinded axle


fitted bearing






funnel mod










final result

Hamid, that is VERY nice! Thanks for the photos.

Hi all:
Similar to Mr Asim's idea, a friend of mine helped me to modify a Peugeot EX, he thought the axis fixing hole is loosen, it wobble a little while grinding.




It doesn't wobble at all now,the grinding is so smooth, the axis spring was also changed to a stronger one to control the vertical movement, but I don't know how to adjust Peugeot's outer burr, the burr touch at one point when tighting up. It seems that Peugeot not allowed users to adjust its poistion at all. (unlike German's Solida design).

DragonFly wrote:First mod is axle stabilizer oil-less brass bearing.

That's an excellent structural mod. I have at least one grinder that I never use-even though it looks great and in like new condition-just because it needs a bearing stabilizer like this on top. It is very annoying to use a grinder that wobbles.

Nice funnel mod, as well. Bet that works great. Talented family...

grinder works very well. I made an espresso after the mods. grinder arm turns without wobble and very easy. nearly zero gap top and bottom axle bearings. funnel works very well too and no more grind mess.

By (popular) demand, here are three hand-grinders currently in use:



The HG-1 is on my wish list. If it weren't around, the Pharos (with mods) would on that list. For now, the Zassenhaus is plenty good enough, as evidenced by awesome shots on my PV Lusso and FotonDrv Stephen's wonderful Londinium-1.

prof_stack wrote:<image>
The Pharos is a way-cool grinder. This "Voodoo" mod to allow the bottom to slide out to remove the coffee makes good sense, at least coming from one who gets his coffee out of a (Zassenhaus) drawer. If the Pharos came standard with this, I would jump on board.

Although the Zass seemed to grind just as well, the Pharos has the huge advantage of being adjustable to a more precise level. The Zass grinder I set by feel before putting the beans in. When grinding, I have a finger against the knob so that it doesn't move. It works very well that way. But the difference between the men and the boys is the ...

Prof_Stack:

Please Post that photo of the HG-1 and Pharos together OOPS! You beat me to it!!

Here are the latest Mods to the HG-One; wooden handles w/stainless bolts.

Hi all,

here is a not so frenquently reviewed hand grinder, a Moulux, I found very cheap in a flea market (France) and restored recently.
It is the same grinder as the one (very nicely!) restored by rolleiman here :
Hand (grinder) Jive - a photo essay

Every thing is the same but a detail in the grinding mechanism : mine is closer than the one reviewed on this japanese site : http://nottin.ocnk.net/product/6894

the inner burr is without this second "star" shape welded on it, to push the beans lower between the 2 burrs, as the "ninja weapon" does it in the bean chamber. Mine is like this :

Here are some views before:

and after cleaning/polishing



Very nice grinder, very well made, heavy for an old hand grinder (near 1,5kg) and produces a very consistent grind, abstolutely no lateral or vertical movement when grinding : I added also a spring to be sure that all the system is tight!



It seems that the stability of the system is an adventage of this grinder (I have also a vintage Zassenhaus, and a vintage KYM MOCCA turkish grinder so my experience is very limited too!).

Espresso is a little sweeter than with my commercial Santos grinder and very tasty (I didn't try with my LP pro '89 because it is dismantled for the moment waiting for gaskets and parts...).
Only negative point : I find it a little slow...
Other members know the moulux?