I have a practically stock Pharos (just the lock nut and grind scale updates). I have owned the grinder for 5 months now and it has performed very well for me. However, when I read about the alignment techniques and results in this forum it makes me question how well my grinder is aligned. Note that I follow OE's advice for alignment - the inner 4 bolts are loose.

If I spin the handle with the grinder empty when adjusted at 3/4 of a turn, I can get a rub if I let go of the handle and let it spin freely. If I apply pressure on the handle, I get no rub. In fact, if I apply pressure to handle I get no rub down to something a bit less than 1/4 a turn.

Does this lineup with everyone else's experience? Is there something I should be adjusting?

Thanks.

Ideally you should get no rub at 3/4 turn without needing to apply any pressure. However, given that you apply pressure when actually grinding, you're probably in pretty decent shape.

I have found that Doug's tightening torque on the main bolts that compress the plates together (which is fairly light) is not IMHO enough to hold it in good alignment when doing particularly challenging grinds. When doing a fine grind on hard light roasted beans, the forces involved are enough to knock it out of alignment over time. I have my bolts considerably tighter than Doug recommends. I don't have a torque wrench, but they are "pretty darn tight" for short hand tools. You have to carefully tighten them gradually to make sure you maintain alignment. Anyway, I have found it to stay in good alignment very reliably now that I have tightened it up.

Taking the thing apart and realigning it as per the tech bulletins Doug has posted isn't that hard. But if you want to try tweaking the alignment without taking it apart, pick one of the main bolts and tighten it slightly. Check to see if your rub gets better or worse. If it gets worse, back it back off and try another. If it gets better, keep going until there's no more rub. One you have everything balanced out, you can then take turns gradually tightening all the bolts, checking all the while to make sure alignment is maintained.

bmac.to wrote:I have a practically stock Pharos (just the lock nut and grind scale updates). I have owned the grinder for 5 months now and it has performed very well for me. However, when I read about the alignment techniques and results in this forum it makes me question how well my grinder is aligned. Note that I follow OE's advice for alignment - the inner 4 bolts are loose.

If I spin the handle with the grinder empty when adjusted at 3/4 of a turn, I can get a rub if I let go of the handle and let it spin freely. If I apply pressure on the handle, I get no rub. In fact, if I apply pressure to handle I get no rub down to something a bit less than 1/4 a turn.

Does this lineup with everyone else's experience? Is there something I should be adjusting?

Thanks.

Have seen/done this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdpJXsO1 ... dpJXsO1sl4

Yup, that is actually the method I at least try to perform when I adjust the alignment - I have watched that video probably 10 times.

My question is more how the "no-rub" test is being performed. With or without pressure on the handle.

The only way I get good results is with pressure on the handle, or come to think of it, if I spin it very slowly. I get rub at relatively coarse grind setting if I spin it very fast.

Thanks.

You shouldn't need to put any pressure on it. Another thing you can do is look at the gap between the adjustment nuts and the bearing. That gap should stay relatively the same as you rotate the handle through 360 degrees. If its out of alignment you can see the gap getting smaller and larger as it rotates.

Doug makes the alignment look easy (lots of practice), but it can take a few tries to get it right. You can also try the loosen the main nuts and whack the outer burr method he shows in another video. Btw the linked video is exactly the video I was referring to when I said I don't feel like his recommended torque is quite enough. Your mileage may vary.

How does your coffee taste when you use the Pharos to grind it ? I have taken mine apart numerous times (I do these things just cause I feel like it sometimes) and you may have to spend some time to get it right.

I adjusted mine to good enough to pull excellent shots from it but I have not bothered to see if it still is perfectly alligned since and will not do so until my shots don't taste right or an unforseen opportunity to do so comes up.

If your shots or brew taste fantastic I would not sweat it but if you are persuing the ultra god shot and have excellent taste buds (above average) then you may have to be prepared to get more intimate with your grinder whenever you detect a change in flavor not attributed to anything else but grind quality.

I keep my 4 bolts loose generally but not all of them are perfectly loose.