Owner experience with Pharos manual coffee grinder by Orphan Espresso - Page 124

Grinders are one of the keys to exceptional espresso. Discuss them here.
Exordium01
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#1231: Post by Exordium01 »

How are people defining their "zero" Is it finger snug, or finger tight?

To get a 25-30 second 2 oz pull, I'm grinding at a bit under half a turn from finger snug (not quite finger tight). Part of it might be that I just got the machine, but any coarser than that, and water flows way too fast, and I get jets out of a naked portafilter. I'm not sure how much of it is due to the tamp/my technique and what is due to the grind (just got the machine), but I'm assuming that I should be going by flow to calibrate the grind, then mess with technique by watching the extraction.

My Gaggia Classic seems much less forgiving than the pre-millenium La Pavoni Pro and the Rancilio Classe 7 lever systems that I've played with in the past in terms of spraying liquid everywhere.

gimpy
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#1232: Post by gimpy »

I'm not sure what you mean by "finger snug or finger tight"? Did I miss a post/thread somewhere? I believe the pharos is preset at zero from the makers? At least that is what my instructions said.

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beer&mathematics
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#1233: Post by beer&mathematics replying to gimpy »

I think that's a good description. You can turn the locking collar way beyond snug fit. Of course, useable settings are looser than snug fit so it doesn't matter what you use for zero. As long you are consistent, you adjust your grinder settings by flow rate and taste. Hope that helps ;)
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gimpy
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#1234: Post by gimpy »

Ok. Thx. I've only had mine a week or so and am still playing with it, but have not messed with the zero setting, yet.

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hankua
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#1235: Post by hankua »

DanoM wrote:Will I regret downgrading from a commercial grinder?


After the Lido 3? That could be a long ways off I think. Still it's nice to know they aren't forgetting the Pharos.
Heard from a reliable source; Pharos now has fine threads on the axle. Nice!

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beer&mathematics
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#1236: Post by beer&mathematics replying to hankua »

Makes an amazing grinder, even more amazing-er!
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Exordium01
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#1237: Post by Exordium01 »

And then I accidentally poked the plug all the way into the collection cone. I figured it was a good opportunity to try the simple burr alignment procedure since I had to take the bottom off anyway.

The grinds come out beautifully (all over my countertop) when I forget to put the stopper in the funnel, but clump and take some work to get out when the stopper is in. I'm not interested in changing the operating mechanics of the grinder, but would like to build a base of some sort and change how the grind is collected. What have people come up with? I'm picturing a small maple cabinet with a collection drawer and something really grippy on the bottom so I don't have to press down on the grinder body with one hand.

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CoruscatingCoffee
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#1238: Post by CoruscatingCoffee »

I think reading the 1241 posts to this thread (and others) will give you 100s of ideas about grinds collection. I've tried several and even contributed a possibility (see Pharos Grounds Removal Tips and Mods, first post Feb 9,2014). Now, after kilos of Pharos grinding, I'm back to the original OE recommendation. Just shake and bang it. That said, I shake it over my Mazzer doser. The rubber feet on the Pharos softens the banging of the grinder on the Mazzer's metal doser rim. From there I dose into a basket with an OE funnel or bottomless plastic cup on it. Great espresso with minimal mess and a fraction of a gram in grounds retention.

If you are a woodworker, I love the small maple cabinet idea.
"Make me one with everything" said the Zen Master to the hot dog vendor.

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beer&mathematics
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#1239: Post by beer&mathematics »

Exordium01 wrote:And then I accidentally poked the plug all the way into the collection cone. I figured it was a good opportunity to try the simple burr alignment procedure since I had to take the bottom off anyway.

The grinds come out beautifully (all over my countertop) when I forget to put the stopper in the funnel, but clump and take some work to get out when the stopper is in. I'm not interested in changing the operating mechanics of the grinder, but would like to build a base of some sort and change how the grind is collected. What have people come up with? I'm picturing a small maple cabinet with a collection drawer and something really grippy on the bottom so I don't have to press down on the grinder body with one hand.
Carl made a beautiful wooden stand to dose directly into the portafilter. If I had the skills, I'd build something similar but perhaps a bit more industrial
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Chert
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#1240: Post by Chert »

hankua wrote:Heard from a reliable source; Pharos now has fine threads on the axle. Nice!
One can see on two of three pictures on the OEHandgrinders website that the adjustment threads are finer than on my 041.
LMWDP #198

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