LUX Pasquini Grinder Adjustment Problem
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Pepperhead
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 9 years ago
Hi All.... Brand new to forum - Fantastic resources!
I've been brewing my own 'E' for over 20 years, mostly with a Saeco, with pressurized portafilter (ya, I know... it's not a Real espresso machine!)
About 5 years ago, I bought a decent grinder (LUX Pasquini) - should've done it years before. Up 'til now, it's performed well, but I never adjusted my grind (hey.... pressurized portafilters are very forgiving!).
I've finally decided it was time to 'depressurize' my portafilter, which makes it necessary to adjust my grind, but it seems the rotating burr piece on grinder that is turned to adjust grind has tightened up on it's threads. It took a bit of work getting it to turn so I could remove it for cleaning & inspection & expected to see the threads impacted heavily with coffee, but there was none. I cleaned out the threads thoroughly anyways (used a pick to get in deep to bottom of threads). Nothing was stuck there, yet when I put it back together, there is a huge amount of friction, to the point that when I reach the grind range for espresso, it seizes, preventing any further adjustment of grinds. I tried a silicon lube on the plastic threads, but it made no difference. Close inspection of the threads reveal no damage. It's as if the threads were cut (cast?) too tight from the factory, or something has shrunk/expanded. As it sits, the grinder is useless unless one is using a fixed grind!
Has anyone had this type of problem? I've searched the web & have found virtually no links to any problems similar to this. Photos attached to show the parts I'm referring to.
Any help with this issue would be Greatly appreciated!
Steve
Quote: In a bureaucratic system, useless work drives out useful work.
Milton Friedman - Economist. 1912 to 2006
I've been brewing my own 'E' for over 20 years, mostly with a Saeco, with pressurized portafilter (ya, I know... it's not a Real espresso machine!)
About 5 years ago, I bought a decent grinder (LUX Pasquini) - should've done it years before. Up 'til now, it's performed well, but I never adjusted my grind (hey.... pressurized portafilters are very forgiving!).I've finally decided it was time to 'depressurize' my portafilter, which makes it necessary to adjust my grind, but it seems the rotating burr piece on grinder that is turned to adjust grind has tightened up on it's threads. It took a bit of work getting it to turn so I could remove it for cleaning & inspection & expected to see the threads impacted heavily with coffee, but there was none. I cleaned out the threads thoroughly anyways (used a pick to get in deep to bottom of threads). Nothing was stuck there, yet when I put it back together, there is a huge amount of friction, to the point that when I reach the grind range for espresso, it seizes, preventing any further adjustment of grinds. I tried a silicon lube on the plastic threads, but it made no difference. Close inspection of the threads reveal no damage. It's as if the threads were cut (cast?) too tight from the factory, or something has shrunk/expanded. As it sits, the grinder is useless unless one is using a fixed grind!
Has anyone had this type of problem? I've searched the web & have found virtually no links to any problems similar to this. Photos attached to show the parts I'm referring to.
Any help with this issue would be Greatly appreciated!
Steve
Quote: In a bureaucratic system, useless work drives out useful work.
Milton Friedman - Economist. 1912 to 2006
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another_jim
- Team HB
- Posts: 13947
- Joined: 19 years ago
The old Lux models use to have a stop screw that prevented the grinder from being screwed down too tight. It was in the collar.
Jim Schulman
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Pepperhead (original poster)
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 9 years ago
Thx, AnotherJim! My grinder doesn't have the setscrew as mentioned, but I did figure out the problem - CBO! (CoffeeBeanOil!). As the threads Looked clean (& were cleaned deep with a pick), I decided that either the parts had shrunk/expanded (unlikely!), or there was something sticky on them. I got out the Q-tips & alcohol & started cleaning. A lot of CBO not visible to the (my! 
) naked eye was removed & now, the adjustment works as I remembered it - very stiff, with a hard-to-determine dead band when adjusting. I think what I'm gonna do is replace the top cover (stainless plate) of the grinder with a piece of window, so I can see exactly how much I'm moving the moving parts!
) naked eye was removed & now, the adjustment works as I remembered it - very stiff, with a hard-to-determine dead band when adjusting. I think what I'm gonna do is replace the top cover (stainless plate) of the grinder with a piece of window, so I can see exactly how much I'm moving the moving parts!