Lets start of with a little background. A couple a months ago I purchased a rebadged Mazzer Major (or as the seller called it a Brevetto Astoria) Grinder for $161 on ebay. I had replaced the burrs cleaned it out - quite possibly the dirtiest grinder in existence. I used compressed air, Grindz, Wipez you name it, and while it grinds quite nicely it smells like stale times a million - think turkish grind left out for 30 years. I didn't have an espresso machine at the time though so my Virtuoso Baratza was fine for press. Recently, I got an Olympia Cremina and the Major is now back on the counter.

Now, feeling its time for a "FULL CLEAN" had come, I dismantled the baby and removed the upper microswitch, jumpered the terminal and started cleaning the doser. First, whats the lower microswitch for?

I dumped various parts, the dosing star, the entire doser in cafiza. They don't smell like anything anymore and they are EXTREMELY CLEAN. But, now all the paint is indefinitely wet, whenever I touch the dosing star grey paint comes off. Not good. Anyone?

Sounds like a great excuse to strip the paint and take that baby to a body shop for some custom paint. There are a couple of racing stripe inspired grinder's pictures floating around and they're WAY cool.

Glad your grinder doesn't smell any more (I know, I know if you had a nickel...).

mturkel99 wrote:......... First, whats the lower microswitch for?

....

Can't help you about the paint coming off, possibly the cafiza works like a paint stripper or softener maybe? Are you sure it's paint coming off since it's the doser? I thought the dosers weren't painted. At least mine isn't

Anyways, the lower microswitch turns the grinder back on once it senses IIRC twelve or so pulls from the doser. Since you took the upper one off, the lower one doesn't matter anymore. The upper one senses when the doser is full then when the barista doses 12 or so times, the grinder will turn back on and grind more beans into the doser.

mturkel99 wrote:First, whats the lower microswitch for?

whenever I touch the dosing star grey paint comes off. Not good. Anyone?

The upper microswitch turns the grinder off when the doser's full, the lower microswitch turns it back on after the second revolution of the start (twelve pulls on the lever). You can leave it in the doser and disconnect it, or you can remove it, either way.

I have two Majors, one badged an Astoria and the other a Rio. Neither has any paint on the dosing star, and both have had their inner parts soaked in Cafiza (or JoeGlo, depending). I'm guessing that the paint was a poor aftermarket addition, but I have no idea why...

Indeed, my guess is the same, the thing is the doser definitely has something cause now it looks really pale, is its possible that i just used too heavy a concentration of cafiza?

Bad news. I think thats what happened. I didn't really follow the instructions and I used too high a concentration of Cafiza. Its not paint its the anodized layer. Do I need do get a new doser now?